Boar brush break in?

I bought a new RazoRock/Zenith brush last year and so far I have tried the "soak in a cup of water in the fridge & towel rub" method for at least a week and assorted hard bowl brushings. It was slowly getting broken in, but I sat it aside to concentrate on my stable of synthetics. Then, the other day I decided to give it a go again and have had it in the fridge in a cup of cold water for three days with a daily "outing" of flagellation on a towel. Tonight, I did a mock face lather and despite being a tad prickly it lathered wonderfully. So, I am leaving the brush full of lather overnight as another old school method of break in.

I never had this much trouble years ago with a bare bones Omega boar. I have since sold my Semogue boar "marble polisher" as it was just impossible to break in. :rolleyes: I hope this last "hurrah" with the Zenith works.
 
I'm not much of a boar fan, as their quality when I first started shaving (50+ years ago) was pretty dreadful, and most aspired to own a decent badger brush.

I like synthetics, and have several high quality badgers and horsehairs, but the synths. top my list of favourites. However, some time ago, I bought a Semogue Excelsior boar and an Omega (model unknown, as I think the label wore or fell off). Neither had much use until recently, but on a whim I started using both again. I've been using them with P&B and Nanny's in a couple of Giles Shaving bowls, and in doing so, have given them the sort of beating unthinkable with badgers/horses.

Both had stayed stubbornly unbroken, the Semogue a little less of the two. However, I have been gratified to find that the brutally harsh treatment I've given them has caused the ends to split nicely, and they are turning into decent brushes. If I can stay with them, and not get lured away by the other types, they should break in fully and well with another dozen or two uses apiece.
 
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