I've been reading the Mistura thread every day.....that does sound like an interesting option.Are you talking about brushes to try and draw our attention away from your new barber razor? Did you try a shave yet or are you still building up to it? Just do your cheeks, with the grain, and finish the shave with your safety razor. That will start to get you handling the razor, without risking any cuts. You will feel a little more confident each time you use it.
I must admit when I bought my first Feather Artist Club it sat unused for a month or more before I had the courage to go for a shave - was doing well enough that I thought I would go a bit further, then it dug into my face above the jawline and gave me a 2” cut. Wasn’t too bad - not deep, just a glorified scratch that bled a fair bit but fully healed in 3 or 4 days. The thing is, while I was healing I found my hand was automatically practicing the strokes and I was itching to have another go and do it better. It’s something that makes you feel you learn from each shave.
Anyway, brushes. I agree with Aaron, it’s very personal and hard to know what kind of knot you would prefer - stiff or floppy, soft or scrubby, gelled or natural, dense or not, large or small, fan or bulb. If you bowl lather then the knot makes less difference, but if you face lather then it does.
I haven’t tried a Morris & Forndran so I don’t know what the knots are like, but the handles (made by Brad Sears) are really beautiful. What do they go for? $200+? There are lots of good options in that range - I like Leonidam (Italian artistry, moderately gelled tips for a plush feel) , Saponificio Varesino (more natural, a bit of grandeur), Simpson (good all-rounders), Shavemac (easy to customise and good, solid knots - 2-band is pretty firm, 3-band is floppy). But there are plenty of other good alternatives.
The one shaving brush that I would recommend to everyone, and is considerably cheaper, is a Semogue SOC Mistura (50/50 badger and boar). About $70 or $80, I think. They have a very satisfying feel, pleasantly scrubby with tips that only get softer as the boar hairs break-in and split. Handle is very comfortable and good quality, but not as flashy as the M&F ones you are eyeing. It’s as satisfying as any brush and perhaps not a bad option to give you a benchmark without spending too much, and it is very likely to be a brush you will continue enjoying no matter where your preferences lead ultimately.
On the Woody front... I showed it to my barber today... we talked about it a bit. She used to teach at a cosmology school and that was one of the things she taught. She shaved my neck with her barber razor (Feather AC Professional blade).. felt very nice.