Best Badger vs Silvertip for a Face Latherer?

[dduck]

Which brush do you prefer for face lathering? Best badger vs silvertip vs other, regardless of cost?

Also what size knot and loft do you prefer for face lathering?

 

[Krona Kruiser]

For me, it's a matter of backbone. I need a brush with good backbone to facelather be it boar, horse, or badger. I'm drawn to best badger because of Simpsons offerings (scrubby and dense) due their strong backbone. The Silvertips I have are luxuriously soft but lack backbone conducive to a nice facelathering rub.

 

[Mick]

The only silver tip that I have enjoyed face lathering with is a Rudy Vey custom with a 20mm TGN silver tip knot that was set at a deep 45mm loft

 

[Dusty1]

I like the best badger, it does a better job than a silvertip even though the silver feels great on the face. I have not tried boar or horse. Enjoy your shave!

 

[StuMcB]

Never tried silver tip. Got a two band best a week or so ago. 26mm set at 50mm. So far it's eaten and spewd out great lather on all my sticks. It especially like Arko.

 

[shave~extacy]

Best is great a nice feel , silvertip is a softer brush. If you like scrub or scritch go with a lower set 45-48 mm best. If you like soft lofty brush go with silvertip 48-52. You can always get a silvertip set low for more backbone, as best can be set to a higher loft for a little more splay. I preffer a 24mm knot in silvertip at the momment but I also love my Duke 2 in best.

 

[Face&Head]

I don't really care for scrubby brushes and just hate scritch, so I go with silver-tip or carefully selected 2-band silver-tip. Uber-backbone can be moderately helpful but not necessary in loading triple milled soaps but I find it has little to no benefit when face lathering. I like a bit of backbone but find water retention and decent flow more important characteristics for a face lathering brush. I know I'm in the minority here but I like a nice soft luxurious feel on my face.

 

[Oscroft]

I don't think it's really possible to generalise, because there are no standards as to the specifications of different grades - it varies by manufacturer.

For example, I have a couple of Frank Shaving brushes, and I prefer the "Finest" to the "Sivertip", even though it's a cheaper grade.

I have 3 varieties of Rooney 3/1 - Pure, Best and Silvertip, and Silvertip is my favourite of the three. (And talking of "Pure", some makers' Pure is like barbed wire, but Rooney's is a very nice blend for exfoliation).

Simpsons? I only have Best, but Simpsons Best is so good it's near legendary.

For face lathering, most people seem to reckon a firmer hair is better, but I get great face lathering results from my very soft Frank Silvertip, and my Rooney Silvertip is great for face lathering too. And Simpsons Duke 2 Best - wow!

My favourite face lathering badger brushes are actually probably my SOC 2-band and my New Forest 2-band - providing I'm in the right mood for their firmer feel. And did I mention Vie-long horse brushes, or Semogue and Omega boar brushes, which are also great for face lathering?

I'm sorry this isn't much help - but I think there are probably more answers than there are shavers.

 

[Snuff-Belgium]

It's so difficult to give advice because everyones preference is different. I like shavemacs and especially the D01 2 bands (knot around 22-24mm and 48-52mm high) for face lathering, you ask 10 people, you're going to get many different answers.

 

[phillylion]

I don't really care for scrubby brushes and just hate scritch, so I go with silver-tip or carefully selected 2-band silver-tip. Uber-backbone can be moderately helpful but not necessary in loading triple milled soaps but I find it has little to no benefit when face lathering. I like a bit of backbone but find water retention and decent flow more important characteristics for a face lathering brush. I know I'm in the minority here but I like a nice soft luxurious feel on my face.

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