Platform: Any
JDK : 7b100+

Methods BorderFactory.createSoftBevelBorder(...) added with http://ccc.sfbay/5066685

say

 "Creates a beveled border with ... and softened corners"

so it's expected for these methods to return SoftBevelBorder instance.

however methods

    public static Border createSoftBevelBorder(int type, Color highlight, Color shadow) {
    public static Border createSoftBevelBorder(int type, Color highlightOuter, Color highlightInner, Color shadowOuter, Color shadowInner) {

return BevelBorder instance.

For example:

    /**
     * Creates a beveled border of the specified type with softened corners,
     * using the specified colors for the inner and outer edges
     * of the highlight and the shadow areas.
     * The type is either {@link BevelBorder#RAISED} or {@link BevelBorder#LOWERED}.
     * Note: The shadow inner and outer colors are switched
     * for a lowered bevel border.
     *
     * @param type a type of a bevel
     * @param highlightOuter a color of the outer edge of the highlight area
     * @param highlightInner a color of the inner edge of the highlight area
     * @param shadowOuter a color of the outer edge of the shadow area
     * @param shadowInner a color of the inner edge of the shadow area
     * @return the {@code Border} object
     *
     * @see BevelBorder#BevelBorder(int, Color, Color, Color, Color)
     * @since 1.7
     */
    public static Border createSoftBevelBorder(int type, Color highlightOuter, Color highlightInner, Color shadowOuter, Color shadowInner) {
        return new BevelBorder(type, highlightOuter, highlightInner, shadowOuter, shadowInner);
    }


So factory methods createBevelBorder and createSoftBevelBorder return equal results.