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Budget brush recommendations please.

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
My regular boar brush is starting to conk out on me, and is losing up to 10 bristles per shave. It's starting to feel quite hollow, and has got to the stage where it's not performing well, and I'm having to use one that Cal PIF'd me for my travel bag, so time to consider a replacement for home.

Here's a few guidelines to help you nudge me in the right direction...

Soap/Cream compatability:
Biased towards hard soaps. I've got a tub and three quarters of olive oil based (SodiumOlivate) soaps to work through, before going back to Mitchell's Wool Fat as my primary, with Wilkinson Sword blue bowl, and maybe the occasional shave with a Palmolive shave stick, for variety. I'll probably stick to those three from now on. Also, I tend to be a light loader, preferring a slightly wetter lather than a product rich one, if that makes a difference.

Size:
Small to medium. I'm partially bearded (handlebarred goatee), so huge lather mops aren't much use to me.

Price:
Ideally under £10. I can pick up a Wilkinson Sword boar for £3.20 from a local shop, but I might go up to £15 (delivered UK) for the right brush.

Current thoughts:
A) Just grab the £3.20 WS boar locally. If it only lasts a few years like the last one, so what? It might have been my fault this one fizzled out anyway.
B) Go for another Omega boar, which is what I suspect this rebranded Men-U brush is (label just said made in Italy).
C) Get a replacement knot, and stick it in the existing handle (this one measures 26mm at the base).
D) Try an Omega Mixed Midget (which I can get for £11 delivered)
 
I can't comment on prices on your side of the pond, but I have a Semogue 1520 that was only around $15 USD. Omega also has a good reputation for low cost brushed, and a different model than you previously used might work better for you. I would guess either one would fit your requirements, assuming they are in plentiful supply near you.

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I use all of those soaps and i too am a wet head

I love my Yaqi synthetic.

Get to the Yaqi store and chose a bargain. The Yaqi synthetics fit your bill. They make a fabulous lather on pucks of soap. Dont be fooled by the softness of the bristles. They can really pull the soap of the puck.

Dont bother with a WS brush. They are hot garbage.

Dont bother at all with animal brushes on the cheap. Synthetics are the way to go for fvm.

Imho of course.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
Any particular reason you wish to stick with boar vs going badger or synth?

No problem with synthetic. The one I'm using from my travel kit is an Omega HiBrush, and that performs just fine. The reason a synth is in the travel bag is for quick drying and packing. As to badger, it's my understanding that boar does better than badger with hard soaps. That's one reason I was considering the Mixed Midget, it has both.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I can't comment on prices on your side of the pond, but I have a Semogue 1520 that was only around $15 USD. Omega also has a good reputation for low cost brushed, and a different model than you previously used might work better for you. I would guess either one would fit your requirements, assuming they are in plentiful supply near you.

Sent from my DROID Turbo using Tapatalk

I've not shopped around much yet, but some Semogues can be had under £15 over here. Different models to the 1520, but if the brand gets good recommendations I'd be happy to consider them.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I use all of those soaps and i too am a wet head

I love my Yaqi synthetic.

Get to the Yaqi store and chose a bargain. The Yaqi synthetics fit your bill. They make a fabulous lather on pucks of soap. Dont be fooled by the softness of the bristles. They can really pull the soap of the puck.

Dont bother with a WS brush. They are hot garbage.

Dont bother at all with animal brushes on the cheap. Synthetics are the way to go for fvm.

Imho of course.

Wet head?

Yeah, there seems to be a few bargains on there. Some smallish looking 22mm knots too.
 
Wet head is Paulhfilms ribbing of viewers who complain to him all the time that he doesnt use enough water in his lather lol.
 
No problem with synthetic. The one I'm using from my travel kit is an Omega HiBrush, and that performs just fine. The reason a synth is in the travel bag is for quick drying and packing. As to badger, it's my understanding that boar does better than badger with hard soaps. That's one reason I was considering the Mixed Midget, it has both.

I find all three load hard soaps equally well, though they might each require a slightly altered method. The boar may indeed have the advantage of being able to load hard soaps better in more dry conditions, where the soap hasn’t been bloomed and the brush is merely damp.
 
D) Try an Omega Mixed Midget (which I can get for £11 delivered)
I like my Mixed Midget but (for me) the handle's just too small for regular use.

Anyway, I visited Shave Lounge and immediately ordered an Omega 10051 (£5.95). Naturally I chose the orange handle, but I know you prefer more subdued colors so the green one would probably suit you better.
upload_2018-7-9_22-57-39.png

(From Connaught) its dimensions are:
Knot: 24mm
Loft: 48mm
Handle height: 42mm
Handle diameter: 34mm
Total Height: 90mm

The knot dimensions are very similar to the Mighty Midget which is the reason I purchased it. So I expect it to have backbone on steroids, never to lose its shape (unlike the madly blooming Semogues), and bristles with lovely soft tips (once it's broken in). The handle looks like an ideal shape for face lathering.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I like my Mixed Midget but (for me) the handle's just too small for regular use.

Anyway, I visited Shave Lounge and immediately ordered an Omega 10051 (£5.95). Naturally I chose the orange handle, but I know you prefer more subdued colors so the green one would probably suit you better.
View attachment 896632
(From Connaught) its dimensions are:
Knot: 24mm
Loft: 48mm
Handle height: 42mm
Handle diameter: 34mm
Total Height: 90mm

The knot dimensions are very similar to the Mighty Midget which is the reason I purchased it. So I expect it to have backbone on steroids, never to lose its shape (unlike the madly blooming Semogues), and bristles with lovely soft tips (once it's broken in). The handle looks like an ideal shape for face lathering.

Ah, the Semogues splay wildly do they? That's a couple of points off for them, then.

Good call about the handle, Cal. I hadn't really considered that. So you haven't received the 10051 yet then? Or you have, but not used it yet?
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I find all three load hard soaps equally well, though they might each require a slightly altered method. The boar may indeed have the advantage of being able to load hard soaps better in more dry conditions, where the soap hasn’t been bloomed and the brush is merely damp.

I don't do blooming of soaps unless they're being particularly uncooperative. That said, as I tend to stick with one soap for extended periods, they can tend to still be retaining more moisture than when they were new, when I come to use it again.

Please remember, my total experience with shaving brushes is one boar, and one synth. That's it :D So much of what I say is the little bits I've gleaned from members here, and the "trends" of conversations that I've picked up on.
 
Through recommendations of others, I just ordered the Stirling boar as well as the Stirling synthetic. I haven't received either of them yet so I can't comment on their performance. But I trust those that made the recommendations & believe they will be good performers.
 
So you haven't received the 10051 yet then?
After reading your OP, I went straight to Shave Lounge to check out their current boar brushes... then immediately ordered the orange Omega 10051.

So no Al, I haven't received it yet. :laugh:

BTW, none of my Omega boars have shed. That's more than I can say for my Semogue, Zenith, and Yaqi. But of course shedding seems to be one of those "luck of the draw" type things.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
After reading your OP, I went straight to Shave Lounge to check out their current boar brushes... then immediately ordered the orange Omega 10051.

So no Al, I haven't received it yet. :laugh:

BTW, none of my Omega boars have shed. That's more than I can say for my Semogue, Zenith, and Yaqi. But of course shedding seems to be one of those "luck of the draw" type things.

:lol: Yeah, a 15 minute delivery service would be a bit impressive :D

My boar did shed the occasional hair when it was new, and then after that I might lose one every month or so. On the whole though, it was a very well behaved brush.

However, since I started using the Sheffield soaps instead of Mitchell's, the boar hair got noticeably darker over a short space of time, and the shedding started getting much more frequent.

But I might be at fault too...

When I was using the Mitchell's, or for most of that time, I was using my vintage scuttle. The bristles would fit in the mouth, but the handle wouldn't, so the base of the knot was never submerged. When I moved the soap to a mug, I'd dunk the bristles and give them a swish, then return the brush to it's stand (bristles down) to soak in while I prepped, and maybe give the brush an occasional extra dunk during the proceedings.

When I started using the Devonshire Green, I had to ensure the bristles were thoroughly saturated, so I just left the brush bobbing in the sink - and so hot water was soaking right into the base of the knot.

So, I don't know if (A) time killed it, (B) the soap isn't good for the base of the knot, or (C) I killed it with my own stupidity... or a mixture thereof. I do find it telling that it comfortably did 500+ shaves with no issues, and then it quite suddenly started going downhill with a change of soap and handling.

To be honest, I've even thought about getting one of the Wilko brushes as a "sacrificial" brush for use with those soaps, just in case the soap has an effect on whatever I lather it with next. It only has to last till the end of the year till I get through those two tube, and then I'll be back on the "proper" soap thereafter, so I can move on to a better brush.
 
To be honest, I've even thought about getting one of the Wilko brushes as a "sacrificial" brush for use with those soaps, just in case the soap has an effect on whatever I lather it with next. It only has to last till the end of the year till I get through those two tube, and then I'll be back on the "proper" soap thereafter, so I can move on to a better brush.
Ah, I forgot. I have a Wilko brush too. During its first soak then shampoo, plus several daily soaks and gentle dryings it shed like a mad thing. I've never actually USED it. It has also bloomed to far too wide for me, not to mention it feels really cheap.

I have one each of all these damned shedders, I should really just bin them. I have six Omega boars; all of them great brushes and not one has shed a bristle.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
That's two recommendations for Semogue, and one against. One for and against for Yaqi, two nods for Omega, and indirect praise for Sterling. Keep 'em coming folks. :thumbup:
 
My Semogue 830 has been wonderful. My simple criterion for a product is whether I would replace it if lost. Re the 830, absolutely, no question. Love that brush, would get another in a heartbeat.

That said, there are a lot of very good, very affordable synths that would be hard to go wrong with.
 
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