Great Brush without breaking the bank?

Discussion in 'The Brush' started by jdconnel, Jul 23, 2010.

  1. neanderthal

    neanderthal Member


    This brush does everything for me as well, I couldn't be happier.
     
  2. Slowhand

    Slowhand Member

    it's been said a lot in here, but go boar. love mine.
     
  3. Mike Schutz

    Mike Schutz New Member

    I'd recommend a good boar. My personal preference in your price range would be a Semogue 1305 or 2000. Check them out at vintagescent.com . After you break them in (about a month) they are real lathering beasts.
     
  4. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    If you want a Semogue 1305, you can have mine for the cost of shipping. It's horrible. Not even worth selling.

    Buy Omega.
     
  5. Mike Schutz

    Mike Schutz New Member

    I can't pass up a bargain. Send me a PM and we can make arrangements.
     
  6. 1OldGI

    1OldGI New Member

    I own both of the brushes you mention. Performance wise they're pretty good but seem to have some quality assurance problems (i.e. knot coming loose and a none too durable finish.) Given the money and the hassle involved and the shoddy quality I doubt I'd buy another Semogue. An Omega Boar is where it's at for a good affordable brush. The Omega brushes seem to deliver much better quality and are IMHO, a much better value. Bull Goose also has a Vie Long horse hair brush I've been stalking for a spell. Perhaps Santa will be sympathetic (even though he's obviously not a wet shaver)

    http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/vi13hohashbr1.html
     
  7. Xezmer

    Xezmer Active Member

    I don't think you can go wrong with a tweezerman, honestly. I've tried rooney, simpson, customs, parkers, semogue, and omega and really, the tweezerman still gets the best bang for its buck. I would sell all my other brothers and get one of those with no remorse if I really needed the cash.
     
  8. Mike Schutz

    Mike Schutz New Member

    In defense of Semogue, Personally, I've never had a quality problem with them. Wooden handles demand a stricter method of handling then plastic. If you don't like wood, they also have their 830 and 620 with acrylic handles. They've had problems at times like any product does. But those I know that have had problems, especially if they've gone through Vintage Scents, have had them rectified. Bruno runs a first class operation and stands behind what he sells.

    No brush can stand up to abuse. I've messed up painted wooden handle brushes in the past (I've been at this for over 40 years). Heck, I once dropped a brush that has a granite handle. I took out a corner of the handle and broke a tile in my bathroom floor.

    It really comes down to personal experience and personal opinion. It's like Ford vs Chevy or as we've often seen on these forums Tabac vs any thing else that smells better. Personally, I feel that Semogue makes the best boars out there (Ford). You may feel that Omega makes the best boars (Chevy). We can opine till we're all blue in the face. The fact is, both of us are correct. That's why they're called opinions, not facts.

    Try them all. If you don't like a boar, you can throw it out, give it away or whatever. Most boars cost less than a puck of good soap. Most of us can afford at least a little experimentation. That's some of the fun of this hobby of ours. Try it, Praise it or gripe about it. Then move on to the next brush, blade or soap. Life is good.
     
  9. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    I'll gripe about it. Semogue has regular quality issues and that is a fact, not an opinion.

    A professional brush manufacturer should know when they are producing shoddy finishes on their brushes. And fix the problem.

    The 1305 isn't worth sending back to the vendor, isn't worth the hassle of returning it to the vendor, and just isn't worth a darn.

    I'll take a VDH boar over a Semogue any day.
     
  10. Dewaine

    Dewaine Well-Known Member

    I have three Omega boars in regular rotation. They are all worth 3 times what they cost. They are great brushes.
     
  11. 1OldGI

    1OldGI New Member

    I prefer Omegas but am a dyed in the wool, hardcore, won't drive anything else, Ford guy. Is that possible?:happy102 For what it's worth I'm a Mary Ann guy too (Ginger was a bit too high maintenance for my tastes)
     
  12. paydepst

    paydepst Member

    I have to recommend the Tweezerman badger too. An excellent brush and for the price it truly cannot be beat.
     
  13. Xezmer

    Xezmer Active Member

    After my post, I had to order another tweezerman. Just got around to defuncting it today :D
     
  14. wetshaver123

    wetshaver123 New Member

    Good brush but it had a strong charcoal smell when I first go it. I washed it with some shampoo and that did help. The smell is going away as I use the brush. I like this brush otherwise and od not plan on going back to Boar.
     
  15. Mynorx

    Mynorx New Member

    I think another good option is to buy a knot and handle from the golden nib and glue it in your self.
     
  16. sas71

    sas71 Member

    the biggest expense if you want to be practical will be the starter kit. get a good razor and brush to start. you can skrimp on the soap/cream and blades.
     
  17. Nikhil Naidu

    Nikhil Naidu Member

    Bought a brush for 40 Indian rupees. That's like 66 cents or 50 pence!!!
     
  18. bridger

    bridger Member

    if you're able to do a bit of handicraft work you can get a very nice knot on ebay for $15 or $20 and make a handle from whatever you like. you'll end up with a brush equal to one costing $50 or $100 and have the satisfaction of making it yourself.
     
    battle.munky likes this.

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