Beginner - Best Bang for Buck

[BrownShoe]

I'm curious what everyone thinks is the best value brush for beginners. I have heard people say the 35 dollar EJ or comparable Vulfix. I have also heard that the cheap Tweezerman or a cheap bore brush is as good as gold.

I want to spend as little as possible, but spend enough that I'll be able to use it for a long time and not need to upgrade for replacement or an increase in performance.

What are your thoughts?

PS- If anyone has a gently used brush in the lower price range let me know!

 

[strat1117]

The answer to your question will depend upon how you intend to use the brush (i.e., soaps, creams, face-lather, bowl lather). There is no one "best" brush for all things. There is a sticky at the top of this thread to help you in formulating a post which will get you more useful responses.

Good luck!

 

[BrownShoe]

I did read that, but I have no experience so many of the questions don't pertain to me. I don't know if I face lather or bowl, don't know what kind of cream/soap I'll use, don't have any brushes currently etc.

 

[ChrisG]

http://www.vintagebladesllc.com/vshop/xcart/home.php?cat=156

Any of the pure badgers are great. I own the one in Faux Ivory for 39.99 and must say it really works great for soaps and creams and whether I face lather or use a bowl. You won't regret it! If you want to spend it, the super badger for 75 is an even more immaculate brush.

 

[82R100]

I'm curious what everyone thinks is the best value brush for beginners. I have heard people say the 35 dollar EJ or comparable Vulfix. I have also heard that the cheap Tweezerman or a cheap bore brush is as good as gold.

I want to spend as little as possible, but spend enough that I'll be able to use it for a long time and not need to upgrade for replacement or an increase in performance.

What are your thoughts?

PS- If anyone has a gently used brush in the lower price range let me know!

I'm very fond of my Burma-Shave brush.

If you live near a Meijer store, many have it for about $5.


I have not tried one, but West Coast Shaving offers an Omega boar brush for $9 + shipping that I'd jump on if I didn't already have a brush that I liked. Looks like this:

It is *very* easy to get heavily invested in a brush but I'm convinced that you can get great enjoyment from these very basic choices.

- Chris

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

I'm quite fond on my Edwin Jagger boar brush, and I just bought another boar brush from Saint Charles Shave made by Omega that cost me all of 8 dollars. The Ej is really "scrubby." The Omega is more dense and softer. I actually don't think that I'd like a brush any softer than this, but to each his own. Both provide adequate lather. Honestly, I think you could easily get along with just a boar hair brush without ever needing another (wanting another is a different prospect all together ). People have done it before.
Boar brush folks have also seemed to take a liking to these>http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=109236&highlight=jaguar

 

[garyg]

The answer to your question will depend upon how you intend to use the brush (i.e., soaps, creams, face-lather, bowl lather). There is no one "best" brush for all things. There is a sticky at the top of this thread to help you in formulating a post which will get you more useful responses.

Good luck!

+1, but the OP sounds like he presently has nary a bristle, boar or badger, so maybe won't know how to even start. If that is the case, the sticky quoted with give a start, bearing in mind that tastes will change as you progress. That said, a good starter would be either an Omega Boar brush for under $20, or there are Rooneys in Best available at about $40 .. Vintage Blades sells a Best Badger in either Pearlex or Tortoise http://www.vintagebladesllc.com/vshop/xcart/product.php?productid=945&cat=0&page=3. Or, and this would be advice in hindsight at better than 20/20, would be to watch the BST for a Rooney Small in Super which used should go for $50- 55, Good luck!

 

[Luc]

If I would need to restart with a new brush and I'm brand new. I would go with a Omega Bristle/boar. $10 well spent!

 

[OckhamsBlade]

The green handled Van der Hagen boar brush is a great starter brush widely available at Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreens ect. Give the brush a cleaning with shampoo before you use and rinse it out. I would recommend Williams Mug Shaving Soap to start. Its cheap and (given the right prep. soaking it in warm water prior to your shower in the am) will give a great lather. Williams will make this brush soft after a couple of weeks of use. I have also heard good things about Kiss My Face but I can't vouch for it but it seems pretty available at a reasonable price as well. Also I would keep a little olive oil on hand to lube up your beard. The basic Merkur "1904" is available under $30 bucks and is a good DE introduction. DE blades found at Family Dollar are cheap and decent, if you warm them in water for a minute before you shave.
In conclusion, read and re-read this web site, there are deals constantly being tossed around and great advice which can save you some unfortunate situations.

 

[heirkb]

Semogues seem to get great reviews as far as boar goes. Check out vintagescent.com
As far as badger, I think a Rooney 3/1 if you want a slightly less stiff brush or a Rooney 1/1 if you want a nice stiff brush. Both are very soft at the tips though, because I'm recommending them in "Super" (also called "Super Silvertip"). 75 dollars is a little on the high side, but most people find that at some point they want to try silvertip, so why pay 40 for a pure, only to upgrade later? If you're sure you're not one of those people though, get a pure. Once I got a silvertip, I completely stopped using my pure badger brush

 

[juggler78]

I went for the Vulfix #2197 for $35 at classicshaving.com. have nothing to compare it to as it's still my only brush but seems to do the job.

 

[Bertilak]

It is hard to recommend a $35-40 brush when you think it money better spent to go to about $75. (Here we are talking Badger.)

Therefore I agree with the recommendations for the less expensive boar brushes. The thing is, they are *much* nicer than you would expect if you are conditioned by the prices of badger brushes.

Personally, I like my $75 Rooney 1/1 and like it better than my Omega Pro 49 boar (pictured as a group of three in an earlier post) but the Omega is pretty nice and only costs $9 + shipping. As a matter of fact I like boars enough to have another one on order -- a Semogue. Supposedly it's a step up from the Omaga I already have, but time will tell. At boar prices I am much more comfortable taking a chance.

So save a few bucks and get a boar. Once you have a feel for what you are up to then it is almost a certainty that you will want to try another brush no matter *what* you get at first. You can revisit your price point at that time.

 

[strat1117]

I did read that, but I have no experience so many of the questions don't pertain to me. I don't know if I face lather or bowl, don't know what kind of cream/soap I'll use, don't have any brushes currently etc.

Understood. There is already alot of good advice here, no need for me to confuse matters further.

Enjoy!

 

[Wil Dorenbos]

Bamboo Blush Brush, about 10$. Works great, see the review here on B&B under brushes.

 

[BrownShoe]

In respect to life cycle costs, I think I will find the cheapest brush possible until I have enough together to buy a nice one. Anyone have a cheap boar they want to sell?

 

[mikromicke]

I have not tried one, but West Coast Shaving offers an Omega boar brush for $9 + shipping that I'd jump on if I didn't already have a brush that I liked. Looks like this:

I bought one of those as my first (and still only) brush. I have no problems with it. Works nicely

 

[dog]

I have not tried one, but West Coast Shaving offers an Omega boar brush for $9 + shipping that I'd jump on if I didn't already have a brush that I liked. Looks like this:

I have the red one. It is a fantastic cheap brush. The only downside is that it stunk like CRAZY when I received it. I had to shampoo it multiple times before I could bring myself to use it.

Now that the stink is long gone and the brush is fairly broken in I love it. Best $9 in shaving equipment that I ever spent. Oh, and the logo on the brush is just a sticker. You might as well scrape that off right away if you decide to buy one.

 

[Bertilak]

In respect to life cycle costs, I think I will find the cheapest brush possible until I have enough together to buy a nice one. Anyone have a cheap boar they want to sell?

Well, you are down into the price range where shipping is a big part of the cost! Might as well get something new -- like the Omega Pro 49 from West Coast Shaving.

 

[BrownShoe]

Well, you are down into the price range where shipping is a big part of the cost! Might as well get something new -- like the Omega Pro 49 from West Coast Shaving.

That's why I'm looking for a gently used brush that might include free shipping

 

[michiganlover]

Giving another reccomendation for the Omega Pro #49. I have on in Red, and also have a really nice Badger brush. Both brushes receive equal shave time, and I would be totally happy just using the Omega Boar.

It's a whole lot of goodness for only $9 + shipping.