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The Col. Conk Pure Badger Travel Brush

This is my first review of a brush so please, endure with me. :biggrin1:

So, when I found this brush sitting in a glass case at my local tobacconist's shop, I was torn between it and another badger brush from the same company.

Why?

Because, while I'd been looking for a smaller brush that would fit my hand better, it looked a little too small. (I'm sure you'll notice).

Now when I finally made the decision to buy it, over the other brush, it was so that I could not only have a quality brush to travel with, but also because I just don't like huge brushes.

Now I didn't rate the brush on ergonomics because that might be a matter of opinion, but I, personally, like its construction because it fits my hand well.


PRICE: It was about $45.00 before tax. I don't own any brushes that one might consider expensive, comparatively, so for the quality and efficacy of lather-ability, I think its worth it.

QUALITY: The handle, knot and bristles are all expertly crafted,(if you can deal with the hard plastic handle) and put together.

DENSITY: It is not as dense as some more costly brushes I've seen, but the pictures below will demonstrate.

STIFFNESS/SOFTNESS OF TIPS: I generally prefer boar brushes because of their stiffness and ability to give me that scrubbing feeling I like. I am also pretty hard on my brushes when I use them, due, in part, to the fact that I face lather quite vigorously.

That said, I felt that this brush was a great midlander in softness/stiffness ratio. It was soft enough for me at the tips so as not to irritate my skin, and stiff enough to hold up to vigorous loading and generating.

LATHERABILITY: In my opinion, there comes a point when latherability becomes a superfluity. What I mean by that is, this brush can lather with best of them and I don't think latherability can get better. One could not get better latherability out of a more expensive brush, what one would be paying for are other factors that go above and beyond how the brush performs in the lather department; How soft/stiff the bristles are, what the handle is made of, how big the knot is, where the badgers were harvested, etc.

If it can be lathered, this brush will deliver with creams or hard milled soaps. But for this demonstration, I used a cream.


The brush comes with a convenient and sturdy travel tube, and I set it next to a tub of shaving cream for size comparison.

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This is the brush, still in the tube.

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Here it is on the counter.

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I soaked it for about five minutes, then drained it of water and gently shook it.

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I swirled it once in the tub of Taylor's.

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Here is a better view of the cream on the brush.

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Here it is after two quick swirls on the hand.

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After five to six.

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After fifteen to twenty good swirls its ready to go.

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There you have it. I'm off to shave again. :biggrin1:
Price
4.00 star(s)
Density
3.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
1.00 star(s)
Latherability
5.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
3.00 star(s)
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