Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but I'm currently looking for a new brush. I've been buying TOBS badger brushes but I'm now on my 2nd in just 9 months despite me doing my best to look after it, it's shedding hairs like mad. It was OK for the first 3 or 4 months, then it started shedding. I'm now on my 2nd brush and this has started to shed hairs like mad. Don't know if it's down to a badly made brush or brush type so now considering moving to boar or even synthetic but not sure. I don't have much money to spend but surely even for under $25 I should be able to buy a decent brush that will last me longer than a few months right? Is there any benefits to moving to boar? I like the softness of badger and I hear it's more hard wearing. Any advice appreciated please? Currently eyeing up a Semogue 820.
A must read by our own @PLANofMAN http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/the-brush-basic-information-everyone-should-know.29125/
I would look at either an Omega boar or a Synthetic from Stirling, Maggard's or Italian Barber. Twenty five dollars is more than enough to get you a good brush. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I own approximately 10 brushes. Badgers, boars, and synthetics. I have $100+ badgers and I think my synthetic outperform them. Synthetic are cheap...they are the softest bristles you can get, and they lather like a dream. I recommend the stirling soaps synthetic "kong" brush. It is quite big and costs 14.99. They have a smaller version for 12.99
I agree that synthetics are very good and liked by most people. Also, almost all badger hair comes from China, whether or not if the knot is made there. But a lot of them are made there and shipped to manufactures of brushes.
Since buying the Plissoft a couple months ago it's about all I ever use. A fantastic brush and currently on sale for 10 bucks. http://www.italianbarber.com/products/razorock-plissoft-synthetic-shaving-brush Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
have to try a synthie....with what is out there now, and the quality they are a must try IMO....cant go wrong with ANY but stirling, IB, and maggards will do you very well...have 2 maggards and stirlings kong, all are great just a mater of knot size, handle shape/size, and weight you prefer...my fav. is the maggards granite handle (I think it was $14 and worth probably 4 times that IMO).
I never got S.B.A.D. so I honestly haven't tried many brushes, coupled with the fact that I found the brush I now use daily very early in my journey into "traditional" shaving. What I can tell you about my favorite brush is there is much dispute here at TSD about whether the brush I use is Horse or Boar(it's sold as horse), it is made in Turkey, is EXTREMELY inexpensive, is plenty soft enough, yet has good backbone, sheds VERY little and has lasted me for over 5 years with no signs of degrading as of yet. One warning the QC at bestshave isn't the best, still I think everyone should try one because they are so inexpensive and mine at least works so well. It's called the bestshave #6 horse hair brush from bestshave .net. Last time I looked they were selling for under $5.00 shipped.
I suggest checking the Maggards and Italian Barber websites. You could get both a boar and a synthetic for around $25. Semogues are well liked and very popular, same for the synthetics from Maggards and Italian Barber. You pretty much can't go wrong with either.
I just bought my very first brush yesterday-a Burma Shave. I noticed later it was indeed made in China. I'll just have to see how it goes. But it's baby steps for me on brush use.
I bought this Omega boar brush online for $10. It's a really good brush. I bought the boar cause I am just starting out and didn't want to spend a lot on a brush until I knew what I would like.
That looks like a 10066. If it is, it's a great brush for the money. I put the knot in my Rubberset 400 and it is fantastic to shave with.
