So the brush I am currently using came with the set I recieved from amazon, which included a Merkur DE and as for the brush I really dont know were it came from, I've tried to research it but cant figure out who makes it, I pretty positive its real badger hair brush under the pure category, but thats about it. Here is a pic of the set, maybe you can tell me which one it is. Aside from trying to figure that out, I am not the biggest fan of the brush, really heavy, really stiff, and I think it could do better in the lather creation area, or maybe its just my technique, but even so I wanna get another one. Now I know its been said there is no perfect brush and that it really a thing of preference, I still couldn't hurt to ask for some help finding one. Now I have researched the categories of brushes and understand that, but when I go looking for one I just become overwhelmed with the choices. I'm looking for one that's easy to handle, I have kinda thinking I want a brush with a longer overall height, fairly soft, but not too much, I kinda like the idea that a stiffer brush will aid in exfoliation and raising the hair, please correct me if I'm wrong on that, and I guess I want a brush of good quality that's not going to fail on me. Or I maybe completely wrong on all of this, I am still new to DE shaving, but I do indeed what a new brush. I have had my eye on this Edwin Jagger Brush, I like the styling and it seems to get mixed reviews on performance, and you can get in various sizes from 3.5 to 4.5 inches and is under the Best Badger Hair category. Has anyone had any experience with it ? SO I guess in closing please feel free to comment, suggest, or criticize anything I've said. Thanks.
I've used EJ Best Badger brushes, they leave a bit to be desired. They're not very dense and tend to be floppy as hell. I'd look towards an Omega Badger brush or a Simpsons in Best Badger.
I too have a EJ but really love, love, love my Simpson Colonel 2xl! Soft yet firm great for hard soaps and creams!
The EJ models I recommend are EJ Silvertips, but they're generally out of most people's price point; what size do you want? We generally go by millimeters, not inches so what size knot are you looking for, not overall brush height?
I have that exact EJ best Medium Horn brush and it's one of my favorites. It makes a great lather and cost me $42.00, and it also trumps a $142.00 silvertip brush I bought. It makes more lather faster for me, ymmv and all of that. Don't think you have to have super or silvertip to have an excellent brush. I face lather and I don't find mine floppy at all, nor scritchy.
Eh, I just don't feel like EJ's best is a value, I mean its just my feeling but Omega's are so much better in that price range; I really only like EJ's/Muhles Silvertip personally.
Im not exactly sure on size, but I keep finding myself wanting a brush with a little more overall height so I can keep my hands out of the lather bowl a little more and stop smacking it on the bowl while Im building lather.
I checked this one out, does seem like a good choice but kinda pricey, still it may be worth spending some money on a good one.
The Colonel's handle makes for a prime bowl lathering brush, its a little dense but it should work just fine....
Ill be honest I dont really know about all that just yet, knot size and everything, Im mainly going off overall height, I just keep finding myself smacking my brush around in my lather bowl alot and think thats affecting my lather building, or maybe I just need a bigger bowl. It seems and I have seen and read that many prefer the simpson brushes or omega, after looking at both Im kinda leaning toward the simpsons.
Use a basic plastic/ceramic cereal bowl, trust me it works! As for brushes, I don't think you will go wrong with a Colonel, if you're dead set pm me and I will shoot you some discount codes.
I started safety razor shaving in January using a cheap badger brush from Target. It works okay. Just got an Omega synthetic, the one the LeisureGuy recommends for beginners and used it for the first time today. It is wonderful. I highly recommend it. I used the Ginger soap I won in the Newbie contest and got a great lather, probably the best out of 19 soaps or creams I have.
My EJ super badger is an excellent brush. One that does milled soaps and creams with equal aplomb. It's not floppy to my way of thinking but it is not stiff like a boar or densely packed badger. I think the super badgers are the sweet spot in the EJ line. Mine is a 21mm knot that's somewhere around 50mm in height. The problem selecting brushes is that we all want different things. Some people say you can't face lather with a brush like the EJ's but that's nonsense to me. However, if you want a brush with more scrub to it, the EJ is not going to be a good choice. Nor are brushes like the Kents. A great all arounder for not much money is the Vulfix Grosvenor 404 in mixed boar/badger. It truly can do everything well and is far preferable to me than the boar brushes that seem to be so popular with some wet shavers.
I really enjoy my Parker Badger, soft, dense, able to lather hard or soft soaps and creams with ease. Personally for myself I like having Badgers in my den, I also like my Omega 48 boar, Omega Midget. My next brush purchase will be a Vie Long horse brush, more boars.
I have to find a new brush as well. I love my mighty midget badger/boar mix but my 10005 seems to have gone AWOL on me after the last field ex. I'm thinking simpsons may be my next purchase. I'm open to any badger or horsehair suggestions that have some backbone. Currently I'm looking at a Berkeley but not sure how well it performs compared to other simpsons brushes. I'm seriously looking into a Fendrihan Silvertip right now though since it's only a few short mm over my preferred loft size (50mm)
I've started using a Rooney 2/1 and love it. I've also got a Vulfix 2234 that I like but it has been pushed to the side in favor of the Rooney. Both brushes perform very well for me, of course YMMV.
I just ended up pulling the trigger on a Simpsons Berkeley that ended up going on sale, by the time I added a tub of Cella it had free shipping as well. Looking forward to my first "higher end" English brush, sure I have a few best badgers here and there but none compare to what is en route though since this is a Simpsons after all
I'll throw in another vote for the Colonel. It sounds like it's just what you're looking for. It's a great all-around brush.
