Forget badger or boar . AP shave has the best synthetic material for softness , splay and enough backbone to get a great lather. I face lather with about 1/4 inch of soft cream on my cheek . I really like the Synbad material and even though I have bought around 5 brushes from Andrew , I prefer the 24mm fan shaped synod knot with the 56 mm loft. With this fine material and the great results you can get why kill a badger . I have gotten away from hard soaps and bowls and stuff like that . I don’t think its needed when you can go soft with a quality cream like one from Pacific Shaving Co. Less to rinse out , and the softer creams really make your brush more comfortable. You can go with the softest brush because you are not forced to break down some hard material before it hits your face.