I began wet shaving about 6 months ago. I have one brush and it is a smll brush that came in an Art of Shaving "sampler pack," along with pre-shave oil, shaving cream and after shave. There's nothing wrong with the brush. In fact, I like it. But I found myself wondering, "Wow, if I enjoy an entry-level brush such as this, what else is out there?" So, any recommendations? -I have a dark beard, on the coarse side. -I would like something soft on the skin. -I just experimented with Mike's Natural Soaps and I am hooked, pretty sure that will be my daily soap. -I'd like to keep it under $100 or so.
I am definitely no brush expert, and I won't get into specific brushes, but for that price you could get a pretty good brush, in fact my suggestion would be to get a badger brush and a boar brush. For the amount you are alright with spending, you can easily get a great badger brush as well as a great boar brush. Again, I won't get into specific brushes, because I'm really not that qualified to comment on more than one or two brushes, but I know there will be plenty of suggestions to keep you busy. Good Luck!
Figures that a fella named Tom would be the first to respond. We Toms gotta stick together! Thanks for the suggestion getting a badger AND a boar. I never even thought beyond badger.
I can make a suggestion, but this is something that you will need to figure out on your own. No one can tell you what works best for you. Also what you like today will probably be different from what you like in a year or two. That said, I do like Tom's suggestion of both a badger and a boar. Boar brushes take time to break in, so don't be put off by the feel of a new boar brush. It will be worlds different after a few months of use. I used to have a bunch of brushes (not as bad as Aaron ), but have only kept a single badger brush that was gifted to me last year. When I first received it, I didn't really like it much, but it really has grown on me. It is a Truefitt & Hill branded Rooney 3/2 Super. It is a nice soft dense brush, but it retails for about $120. Using one of the forum discount codes gets it down to $101 shipped and they throw in a nice cream sampler. There are plenty of good brushes out there.
Hi..first a gripe lol. I really hate that term entry level. No such thing.. this concept was entirely concocted by vendors and such in order to sell more of whatever..and I wouldn't really blame them except that there are scam connotations here and somehow the term has wedged itself insidiously into a whole layer of twisted buyer psychology. At one time Omega boar brushes, which are suitable for every level, were considered beneath a badger brush and relegated to that lowly designation..bating the unsuspecting buyer into thinking that this really excellent value choice is inexpensive because it is unworthy and they'll just have to spend a lot more to get a "proper" brush. Such nonsense seems to occur in all the market place. If you want something better than your current brush, than maybe you can experiment with size and maybe different types of hair.. and have a look at the Omega's...
Badger: Frank Shaving Finest - $24 + shipping Synthetic: Frank Shaving Synthetic - $13 + shipping Boar(s): Semogue Owners Club - $25.15 + shipping Semogue 830 - $20.42 + shipping Grand total of $82.57 + shipping. Not too shabby for 4 great brushes from 3 different categories.
Semogue 1305 $18.95 + shipping http://www.italianbarber.com/semogue-1305-premium-boar-bristle-shaving-brush
H.I.S. Shaving Synthetic $25.50 + shipping http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015POQ6I/?tag=thshde-20 Dollar for Dollar the best shaving brush available. Soft as a Silvertip, backbone of a Horse Brush, efficient with product and with its tightly packed 28mm knot is a lather monster. Here is a review. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/h-i-s-synthetic-brush.28218/
Hah my collection isn't that crazy compared to many these days, I've toned down a bit lol. Tom, you're going to get a ton of opinionated answers, which is what this place is for, but really you need to say more of what you're looking for. Do you want a larger brush, smaller brush, tall loft, dense, scrubby, etc, additionally I would just pick one solid brush and go from there.
If you like that brush that comes with the sampler you'll be thrilled with a better brush. When I bought a sampler from AoS the women stated that she would not recommend using that brush at all. If you wanted to try something quite cheap. The omega boar found on amazing and target has a cheap badger brush that isn't great but is decent and both can be found for under $10. My omega is my go to brush currently.
As you can see by the variety of posts, you have lots of directions that you can go for $100. If you're going to be lathering off of Mike's Natural you would want to avoid the higher lofted silvertips that lend themselves to creams. Certainly many of the Simpson's best badger brushes such as the ColonelX2 , Commodore X2 or Duke 2 would suit your needs. they are dense brushes so will take a few uses to open the knot up a bit so they achieve their optimum flow-through. If you are looking to bowl lather the soap consider a taller handle as opposed to the shorter handles that are really better suited to face lathering. The Truefitt & Hill 3/2 super mentioned earlier would be an example of this (it's also fine for face lathering). Several folks have mentioned Omega and Semogue boars both which have gained significantly in popularity in recent years. They in general, have more backbone than comparable badger knots lending themselves to loading a good soap such as Mikes. They absolutely need to be soaked and although you can use them out of the box, they improve dramatically in terms of flow-through over the first weeks of use. I have no direct experience with synthetic hair brushes but they have seen a dramatic increase in love from many members on the forums with a new generation of knots. I can vouch for the Frank Shave Finest which IMO has a great mix of density, backbone and soft-tips which makes for a great multi-purpose soap. Good Luck, and be sure to post what you arrive at.
Man...I'm not even looking for a brush....I love my Omega 10029 Baby-Pro boar.....But after reading Gary's review of the H.I.S ....I think I might have to drop the hammer on one myself....Sounds too good!
Yes. It is bigger, has excellent backbone and is much softer at the tips than the FS. That thing is very dense and that provides high efficiency with any product. Everything in the FS is there in the H.I.S. with one additional element, the tips are the game changer! A little background; This company is a brush company in terms of makeup and artistry brushes. They have experience in making high end makeup brushes. While doing some research I found some of their other products. They are moving into the shaving brush arena with this brush. Now from Amazon, this price has been marked down for some time for an entry into the market. What I don't know is how long will it stay at the point it is now because to me it is worth more than $25.50 before shipping. What I do know is this, I bought a backup of this brush because I like it so much and it is such a great value.
Damn, you fellas are not only well-groomed, you're also smart! I sincerely appreciate all of the feedback. I'll update when I buy, and then use, something. THANKS!
I may have missed it but I don't believe anyone has recommended a Horse Hair brush yet. You can pick up a Vie-Long Horse Hair brush from BullGooseshaving.net for $12-$20. http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/vi13hohashbr.html
I find horsehair quite floppy for most of the Vie-Long loft sizes, it may not be very ideal for soaps. Unless you like work - heck I still use mine with MWF lol
It really depends on the Vie Long. The Dyed 2 band is really floppy. The dyed is a little floppy. But I've found that the natural Brown is just right.
