Can't. The rules state that PIF is only for someone who doesn't own a badger brush and I own 2 Pure badger brushes. Thanks though for the head's up.
Did you include the price for the lathe? I have done some woodworking but neither do I or anyone I know own a lathe and tools. I could get a Fosner bit drill for the knot and go free hand but It won't be as nice.
Are any of the Etsy brushes any good? If I have to do plastic, some of them were very nice and some for not much more were wood. Is there any special care one must do with wood? If I make one from wood, what is the best way to seal it? laminating epoxy? urethane? or what?
It is my opinion that this is the best value out there right now for a badger brush: https://www.stirlingsoap.com/finest-badger-shave-brush-24mm-fan-knot/ The finest knots that Stirling is selling right now have tips nearly as soft as anything I own, but are not as floppy as most lower end silvertips. I don't think you need to spend a ton of money to get a good badger brush, but I personally don't prefer the lower end silvertips. It is my opinion that they simply do not have enough hair in them to keep them from being floppy. If you have a lower end silvertip set low enough to keep the backbone stiff, then they don't splay as well as they should. This is a preference thing, but it seems like when people new to badgers have a complaint, it is about lack of backbone. Stirling's finests really cover both bases (soft with backbone) without compromising either.
Look at Henri et Victoria. I have their luxurious high mountain white badger shaving brush. It makes great lather with soaps or creams.
Whipped Dog would be my recommendation. You can buy the knot and pick out your own handle or have Larry send it in one of his handles. I also have a couple Sheng silvertip knots in my own handles and they are well worth the super low price and short wait from China. If you're not set on "Silvertip" then the badger brush from Stirling is also a solid choice and you won't find a comparable quality brush anywhere near its price point. Of course there are some great products at premium prices but usually you're paying for the name.
Did you receive your brush? How is it working? FYI, I've had a couple of brushes from Shavemac, Simpson and a couple others in either Silvertip or Best Badger and all performed as they should. But I came across a couple brushes from a brand named Zenith. Bought 2 of their brushes off the "BAY" and I was surprised on how well they have performed. So good in fact, that I pifed my other higher priced brushes and kept these two. The one on the left is a 24.5 mm Silvertip w/Aluminum handle, and the right one is a 27mm Best Badger w/Resin white handle. Both bulb type with excellent backbone, yet very nice softness and just the right amount of splay. Excellent lather from both no matter what type of soap, croap or cream is used. Best part? Both for $120 shipped. Just a thought is all, and would recommend to anyone in search of a higher end brush with a lower end price...
I did buy the brush and had an unfortunate occurrence: the knot wasn't glued in well and came out. I decided to drill the knot to a depth of 12.8mm and so far it has been luxurious. It is soft and doesn't grab soap quickly but it makes tons of lather and is so soft and luxurious on application. It is a Virginia Sheng Silvertip knot. I have been very happy with it. You can see the work done in the other thread on reknotting an Etsy brush. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/reknotting-an-etsy-brush.54744/
Joe was great and was willing to go the extra mile for me. I chose a discount and decided to tweak a great brush and a beautiful handle instead of sending it back to him for repair. He was even going to cover shipping it back. Joe is a great guy and fine craftsmen. I wouldn't hesitate buying another brush from him.
I use a Parker Chrome Silver Tip I purchased from Shavenation.com for $65.00. I have used it for two and a half years on mostly creams and soaps. It is a very nice, reasonably priced brush. I do take care of it and receive a great performance from it with each use. I am awaiting the arrival of an Omega 49 boar bristle brush as a stiffer brush, especially for triple milled hard soaps.
I went with the Envy Shave top of the line Envy White 2-band badger knot. It cost me slightly more than $90 because I chose to get it as a complete brush in Envy Shave's deluxe aluminum handle. Just the knot alone to install in my own choice of handle would have been $54. Anyway, I consider it worth every penny. I have never had much luck with badger brushes before now, but this one is just fantastic. Very soft for face lathering but plenty of backbone too. And absolutely no shedding. Just a great great knot, and the Alluminati handle is a pleasure to use too.
Paragon Shaving 2-band badger. Have a look at the review I posted here yesterday. The brush is as close to perfect (ymmv) as it gets
