New brush for beginner

Hi All

Been reading the posts here and as this will be my first brush I have decided to get the Commodore X2 Best Badger Shave Brush 95mm shave brush by Simpson.

Any thoughts, recommendations?

Thanks

 

I love my X2. The only thought I have is that you can probably get it cheaper from a vendor like WCS or Bullgoose.

 

Sounds like a winner

 

Try the eBay 'shaving brush' search. You'll be able to get 1-2-3 very fine badger and boar brushes for a very, very reasonable price.

 

Alternatively you can get it for a couple of bucks cheaper, which I think includes world wide shipping, from here:
http://thesuperiorshave.com/Simpsons_Brushes.html#X2
You can also choose the brush you want from their stock photos. Nice touch. They're a great firm to deal with. Super friendly.
I don't know how much of a beginner you are or what lathering technique you employ. but that is a medium to largish sized brush and I personally wouldn't use it for face lathering. In any case with Simpsons best hair grade you really can't go wrong. Best value for money in my opinion. Good choice!

 

I'm in Australia, Melbourne, so not a lot a places to choose from.

 

I'm in Perth so absolutely nowhere to choose from. Actually I tell a lie, there is one spot in Perth. But they charge two to three times the average online price so that's not really an option either. Superiorshave is a good retailer. So is this one for creams/soaps/blades etc: http://connaughtshaving.com/newinstock.html Great shipping rates which is a serious consideration if you live in Australia.

 

Thanks

 

I have bought from Connaught and have had no problems with delivery to the Gold Coast.

 

Is there a good reason to get a badger AND a boar brush, or do most people use one or the other exclusively?

 

It's all up to the user. I have an Omega 10005 Boar, an Omega Mighty Midget which is a badger/boar mix, and a Simpsons Berkeley which is Best Badger. I'm also getting a Vulfix 404 this week which is another mix, and I have a hankering to try out a Vie-Long Horsehair brush. Sky is the limit and everyone has their preferences for brushes!

 

Right, but I mean, once you have a brush you love, is there any reason to have other kinds as well? (Assume for the sake of this question that I'm not a collector of stuff I won't use)

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Quite a few of us use different brushes depending on moods. I have 1 specifically smaller for travel, 1 boar because it was cheap.....got a Simpsons because I wanted to try them and fell in love....I can easily see getting a few more because I want to try them out on a regular rotation, not because I specifically need them.

 

It's a bit of a slippery slope. You will see lots of people beating the drum for their favourites.....and human nature being what it is.......... Just remember Resistance is futile!

 

Himage has some Simpson brushes from memory.

 

I've got a good friend that has been using a mug & brush and a cartridge razor for the whole 30 + years he has been shaving, and never had more than 1 brush at once, so no, you don't need more than one. But some of us prefer to use one with slightly more backbone for soaps, and slightly less for creams. That's where it starts, anyway. Then an ivory colored handle for Mondays, an Italian made one for Tuesdays, a beehive shape for Wednesdays, Horsehair for Thursdays, ebony for Fridays...........

 

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Well no, not really. But if you're interested in how different brushes behave you go out and get them. I've got or had most badger hair brushes plus one mixed boar/badger one (Vulfix 2189) one. Most of them restored/reknotted which is a fairly cheap way of experiencing different badger hair grades (whatever is commercially available at least). A boar is a boar is a boar in my experience so all you're really looking for in that regard is different handles.

 

I would say get a quality badger like the good one you're considering and a boar brush to see what they are like. If you think you might like horse hair or synthetic they are interesting choices as well. Any other kind of brush you choose will cost less than a good badger and you may find them different to use. Even if you love the badger brush you chose still you will be curious about other kinds of brushes. I use boars on a daily basis but when I use a badger like tonight I am reminded what a pleasure it is to use and why I bought it. A minimal variety isn't essential but it can increase the pleasure of the shave.

 

And so it is with many things in life.