In praise of cheap brushes

[Macfrommichigan]

Honestly, I can afford a couple very nice brushes and enjoy using 'em. I also sometimes use a cheap one. This thing is a bit too big, the handle is plastic and unattractive, and it set me back just $10.49 on fleabay.

It is as much fun to use as any brush I have lathered, even if it will never win a beauty contest. Proraso Pro Boar. Just a cheap Omega with a slightly lower loft, but dang, it works fine.

What about you? Is there a cheap brush in your rotation?

 

[RayClem]

I have one of the Omega Professional brushes with a big diameter and loft. The tips have split nicely giving this inexpensive brush provides similar face feel and more backbone that some premium high-density silvertip badger brushes that cost ten times as much. I also have a Turn-n-Shave chess piece brush with a boss knot that set me back the princely sum of $10. I do not consider either of these brushes to be "cheap" as they perform quite well. They are high-value brushes that just happen to have a low price.

On the other hand, I have some pure badger brushes that cost significantly more than either of the brushes mentioned previously. Even though their price does not qualify them as "cheap" their performance is "cheap".

 

[CJB3]

I have an Omega 10066 that cost less than $10 and is one of my favorite brushes. I have more expensive brushes--some much more so--but, honestly, I could be very happy with the Omega if that's all I had.

 

[mawashi]

Honestly, I can afford a couple very nice brushes and enjoy using 'em. I also sometimes use a cheap one. This thing is a bit too big, the handle is plastic and unattractive, and it set me back just $10.49 on fleabay.

It is as much fun to use as any brush I have lathered, even if it will never win a beauty contest. Proraso Pro Boar. Just a cheap Omega with a slightly lower loft, but dang, it works fine.

What about you? Is there a cheap brush in your rotation?

So far all my brushes are cheap.

My most expensive brushes are Silvertips and 2 band Yaqi but I got them on sale and I think I only paid usd$20 or less for it. However, my favourite all round brush is the $10 RR Bruce.

 

[Boar Fighter]

29 brushes currently in rotation, 26 of them costed no more than EUR 35 (although i 've seen prices in USA are very different).

All Omega boars costed less than EUR 10 (except for one, which isn't the best of them). All Semogues less than EUR 23. And after buying 2 Simpsons and one rebranded Muhle Sophist silvertip, i can say, that there is nothing wrong with cheap brushes, unless you buy some very bad models, especially in badgers (floppy alert). And my 25.5mm Fantasia silvertip, paid EUR 12, has the same hair as my rebranded 23mm Muhle Sophist.

 

[McNutt]

My Omega Pro is dirt cheap and is a great brush. I have really enjoyed the break-in experience with this brush.

My Semogue Owner's Club was under $30 is one of the best brushes I own.

 

[naughtilus]

Omega Pro boars are superior to any other natural hair brush out there. Pricing clouds peoples judgment to properly appreciate what lathering machines these things are.

 

[Boar Fighter]

Omega Pro boars are superior to any other natural hair brush out there. Pricing clouds peoples judgment to properly appreciate what lathering machines these things are.

The situation with people discovering boars, is as funny a being a Martian, who lands in a place called "The tasty Venison" and he learns to pay for venison and suddenly he discovers that across the street there is someone who sells pork and he tries pork and he says "Oh, pork is tasty too! But it was much cheaper! How can that be!"

 

[Psusocr]

I have a hilarious , creepy little dog boar brush that’s actually works wonderfully !! It’s funny this brush was $8 next to very expensive brushes in my rotation .

 

[naughtilus]

The situation with people discovering boars, is as funny a being a Martian, who lands in a place called "The tasty Venison" and he learns to pay for venison and suddenly he discovers that across the street there is someone who sells pork and he tries pork and he says "Oh, pork is tasty too! But it was much cheaper! How can that be!"

No point in explaining, one has to experience to know.

People have very linear thinking. Give us gradation and price ladder, we will line up at the cash register. Give detailed factual explanation and flat prices, everyone will be confused and no one will buy anything.

Example with badger hair. Pure, Best and Super aren't graded by quality and performance, but categorized by different characteristics for given applications, and also scarcity. Softer doesn't always mean better, as many will demand more tactile feeling, backbone and easier loading with hard soaps. Super is more expensive because there less of it on the animal compared to Pure. If it was vice versa Pure would cost more.

 

[TBoner]

Omega Pro boars, Semogue 620 and 2000, Synbad knot in a WD handle all see regular use for me. The best cheapest brush I've had - if that designation makes sense - was an Omega 10066 I bought for $7.99 on sale a few years back. Phenomenal. I am going to be selling all of my expensive brushes off - again - in the next couple of weeks. Just no need, and in fact I don't like any of my high-end brushes as well as my cheapest one.

 

[pdieten]

The situation with people discovering boars, is as funny a being a Martian, who lands in a place called "The tasty Venison" and he learns to pay for venison and suddenly he discovers that across the street there is someone who sells pork and he tries pork and he says "Oh, pork is tasty too! But it was much cheaper! How can that be!"

Unless, of course, one gives boar brushes a more-than-fair trial, finds them unsuitable, and then gets a badger brush that turns out to be much more pleasant.

I'm not saying that every badger brush is better than every boar brush, because that wouldn't make sense, but I've certainly had better luck with my badger brushes than boars.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

Proraso Pro Boar. Just a cheap Omega with a slightly lower loft, but dang, it works fine.

I like my Proraso. Definitely worth more than it cost.

 

[BigJ]

I have one of the Omega Professional brushes with a big diameter and loft. The tips have split nicely giving this inexpensive brush provides similar face feel and more backbone that some premium high-density silvertip badger brushes that cost ten times as much. I also have a Turn-n-Shave chess piece brush with a boss knot that set me back the princely sum of $10. I do not consider either of these brushes to be "cheap" as they perform quite well. They are high-value brushes that

mentioned previously. Even though their price does not qualify them as "cheap" their performance is "cheap".

Wisdom!! Performance, not price, is the point! At least IMHO.

It is difficult/impossible to conceal the cost of a brush in a comparative review. However, I would give the example of some blinded wine tastings that we have attended. (In essence you cover each bottle with a paper bag, then get the ‘experts’ to rate what is in the bottles.) It is a ton of fun when a well-made, inexpensive wine comes out far better than others that cost 10X more.

 

[Schnitzel52]

Omega Pro boars are superior to any other natural hair brush out there. Pricing clouds peoples judgment to properly appreciate what lathering machines these things are.

I agree!
Mine is a lathering Jessie!
With soft curled tips and a propensity for generating big lather quickly; it is a great value.

 

[emwolf]

I have several cheapy brushes in regular rotation. The most I've spent on any synthetic is around $16, an Omega boar that set me back about $6

 

[Boar Fighter]

No point in explaining, one has to experience to know.

People have very linear thinking. Give us gradation and price ladder, we will line up at the cash register. Give detailed factual explanation and flat prices, everyone will be confused and no one will buy anything.

Example with badger hair. Pure, Best and Super aren't graded by quality and performance, but categorized by different characteristics for given applications, and also scarcity. Softer doesn't always mean better, as many will demand more tactile feeling, backbone and easier loading with hard soaps. Super is more expensive because there less of it on the animal compared to Pure. If it was vice versa Pure would cost more.

I agree in everything...

Unless, of course, one gives boar brushes a more-than-fair trial, finds them unsuitable, and then gets a badger brush that turns out to be much more pleasant.

I'm not saying that every badger brush is better than every boar brush, because that wouldn't make sense, but I've certainly had better luck with my badger brushes than boars.

This is perfectly natural, sir, not everyone likes pork either!

Wisdom!! Performance, not price, is the point! At least IMHO.

It is difficult/impossible to conceal the cost of a brush in a comparative review. However, I would give the example of some blinded wine tastings that we have attended. (In essence you cover each bottle with a paper bag, then get the ‘experts’ to rate what is in the bottles.) It is a ton of fun when a well-made, inexpensive wine comes out far better than others that cost 10X more.

At least in wines, to address this problem of the marketing hype, there has been oenology university faculty, that produces graduates with university degree in wine tasting, that you can use as a more "objective" view on a wine.

With brushes, it's all hearsay, marketing and make believe.



- Left, "25.5mm Fantasia silvertip" in injection mold handle. Honestly now. How many of the badger gurus of this forum, would buy it? Who the hell is "Fantasia"? The brand name itself denotes low quality, right? In fact, very few people buy them, in any country that has Amazon. In the unlikely event that a US wetshaver would buy it, he would say "it is very good for the money", wanting to avoid ridicule. And he would attract the interest of nobody. Normal price: about EUR 50.

- Right, 23mm Boker Horn silvertip. Now, that looks like a more respectable brush, right? It's even more respectable, when you discover that it's a rebranded Muhle Sophist Horn silvertip (EUR 143 on Muhle's website). I found the Boker at the US Ebay at $ 175. Now surely now that it's a Muhle it must be a very nice brush, right? US wetshaver runs into the forum "I bought the Muhle Sophist Horn silvertip and it's a-m-a-z-i-n-g", while other rush to the thread to congratulate him. Normal price for the Boker right now, EUR 118.


Only they are the same knot. Not only that, but the Fantasia has a slightly higher backbone, that i prefer.



And i paid EUR 12 for the Fantasia and EUR 47 for the Boker (both new). Because i nailed them when they were last pieces and they were heavily discounted. And for me they beat Simpson best.

Ah, the joys of capitalism! Brushes are one of the most "make believe" products i 've seen. There is no way to find a reliable review, there is no way to test them, you buy on "faith", "hoping" that you will like it. And of course "you get what you pay for", always, because nobody likes to feel a sucker. Same as with the wines...

 

[Psusocr]

@Boar Fighter

Very well said sir !

 

[naughtilus]

I agree in everything...




This is perfectly natural, sir, not everyone likes pork either!




At least in wines, to address this problem of the marketing hype, there has been oenology university faculty, that produces graduates with university degree in wine tasting, that you can use as a more "objective" view on a wine.

With brushes, it's all hearsay, marketing and make believe.

View attachment 983384

- Left, "25.5mm Fantasia silvertip" in injection mold handle. Honestly now. How many of the badger gurus of this forum, would buy it? Who the hell is "Fantasia"? The brand name itself denotes low quality, right? In fact, very few people buy them, in any country that has Amazon. In the unlikely event that a US wetshaver would buy it, he would say "it is very good for the money", wanting to avoid ridicule. And he would attract the interest of nobody. Normal price: about EUR 50.

- Right, 23mm Boker Horn silvertip. Now, that looks like a more respectable brush, right? It's even more respectable, when you discover that it's a rebranded Muhle Sophist Horn silvertip (EUR 143 on Muhle's website). I found the Boker at the US Ebay at $ 175. Now surely now that it's a Muhle it must be a very nice brush, right? US wetshaver runs into the forum "I bought the Muhle Sophist Horn silvertip and it's a-m-a-z-i-n-g", while other rush to the thread to congratulate him. Normal price for the Boker right now, EUR 118.


Only they are the same knot. Not only that, but the Fantasia has a slightly higher backbone, that i prefer.

View attachment 983385

And i paid EUR 12 for the Fantasia and EUR 47 for the Boker (both new). Because i nailed them when they were last pieces and they were heavily discounted. And for me they beat Simpson best.

Ah, the joys of capitalism! Brushes are one of the most "make believe" products i 've seen. There is no way to find a reliable review, there is no way to test them, you buy on "faith", "hoping" that you will like it. And of course "you get what you pay for", always, because nobody likes to feel a sucker. Same as with the wines...

Keep doing these collective sobering posts and one day you'll wake up not being able to lather up MdC with a synthetic brush. I doubt Maca Root is readily available in Italy.

 

[Boar Fighter]

Keep doing these collective sobering posts and one day you'll wake up not being able to lather up MdC with a synthetic brush. I doubt Maca Root is readily available in Italy.

We do have Maca Root actually! In Amazon, EUR 16 (200ml tub).