Best Brushes on the Market

[petr]

I should know better by now than to ask for the best, but what is out there no matter the price?

I wanted a Rooney's finest, but apparently waited too late and now cannot find one. That was my opinion of best.

What compares?

Plisson? Rooney heritage?

 

[shyrlock]

After a decade of buying high end silvertip, super silvertip, D01, etc, I have found that I like the Shavemac Pure badger better than any of them. I have two of them now and my high end brushes wait for the day that my 8 year old boy starts to shave.
Just my humble 0.02
Mike

 

[solar]

I agree. You can buy some pretty expensive stuff, but it comes down to what you find pleases you most, regardless of whether the brush is expensive or not. This takes some tire kicking in stores that stock a good selection of shaving brushes, as well as some hit and miss buying online.

I have top of the line Simpsons, Kent, Rooney heritage, Shavemac and others, and while my Simpson Polo 8 is probably my best brush, my Rudy Vey custom brush for a fraction of the cost comes in at a very close second, if not a tie, with the grade A silver tip knot he uses.

My favorite brush may not be an $800 rare white European cryptex multiforme steam-set, cross-grain, circular badged badger knot blessed by the Pope and scented of rare Mongolian incense redolent of the pineal glands of male adolescent iguanas, but its a wonderful brush all the same.

 

[Alraz]

I have been pretty happy with a two band Simpson I bought, it is pretty resilient and provide all the backbone I need for face lathering. I also love boar brushes. I find most brushes that people rave about too floppy for my taste.

Al raz.

 

[johnniegold]

My favorite brush may not be an $800 rare white European cryptex multiforme steam-set, cross-grain, circular badged badger knot blessed by the Pope and scented of rare Mongolian incense redolent of the pineal glands of male adolescent iguanas, but its a wonderful brush all the same.

I have the same brush in Best.

 

[Leche]

I have the same brush in Best.

Which Pope?

 

[Picaro]

.

My favorite brush may not be an $800 rare white European cryptex multiforme steam-set, cross-grain, circular badged badger knot blessed by the Pope and scented of rare Mongolian incense redolent of the pineal glands of male adolescent iguanas, but its a wonderful brush all the same.

YES! This is my favourite!!

Well, actually its a very personal thing about whats best. I just love boar brushes, the on I use now is $20 at a pharmacy, and I think its the best.
I'm afraid you need to do some legwork for your answer.

 

[solar]

I have the same brush in Best.

Well, that irks. They told me they were out......

 

[DanOK]

See, you have started it again. My QED Select in Pure is one of the best brushes I have every purchased.

 

[mkc1mjb]

I keep finding my favorite...it first was my Vulfix, than my Simpson Duke 3 in best, and now it's my 2009 B&B LE. Oh, and I love my B&B Essential, but I agree with the post from Solar regarding it takes some tire kicking to find what works for you.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Best brush? Every brush I've kept.

 

[Joe Edson]

The best brush for me is the Kent LE 08, except when I want something with more backbone and I reach for my Simfix grosvenor, except for when I want something a little less dense and I reach for the Vie-Long or New Forester, except when I want the uber dense brush and I reach for the chubby 2, except for when I want something slightly smaller and equally dense and I reach for the TGN UK Silvertip, except for when I'm feeling like a boar and I reach for.....well you get the point

 

[djh]

This is very much a "horses for courses" or YMMV situation. Personally, I prefer a different style of brush for soap and cream.

 

[Drubbing]

Your question prompts two kinds of answers/opinions: The Best for value, and the brush that is most expensive.

I got a T&H Rooney and it's a very nice brush. First one shed and the replacement expects a bit of TLC, or it will drop one or two when loading soap. But it looks really pretty, is soft, and will work with anything to make good lather.

I've two boars that cost 1/4 of the Rooney's price. They feel just as soft, but have more backbone, don't shed, despite user 'abuse' equal to their purpose, will work well with anything to make good lather, but the bloom doesn't have supermodel-like perfection.

 

[bran]

Well, that irks. They told me they were out......

Did you go to confession. Sometimes that changes stock status.

I only have three brushes: an Omega 6212, Vie-Long El Toro Ganso and a Ehsan (last two are customs from Bullgoose). I greatly enjoy the Ehsan. It is a Simpson two band super. It is extremely soft on my face but with enough backbone to properly do soap if I like. It has not shed a single hair since I got it. It has me looking into a larger Simpson just to have a bigger brush.

 

[schatz]

Best brush? Every brush I've kept.

I would agree. My current keepers are the T&H 1/1 in silvertip, the Duke 3 in best, and the New Forest 2201 in two-band.

 

[Mike Schutz]

There is no best in this business that works for everyone. Depending on if you like a hard soap or a soft soap or a cream, depending if you face or bowl lather, depending on all your own preferences, what I like is going to be diferent from what you like. All you can do is digest all the information and make your choices.
Fortunately, this isn't the costliest hobby out there. Just think, you could like to collect Italian sports cars.

 

[malocchio]

also consider the THATER line of silvertips,I have the chubby 2 in ivory,beautiful high quality brush,white,cloud soft tips with a substantial amount of backbone....you won't be sorry with any thater

 

[Eclectic]

The only Badger knots that I am convinced for sure are handmade in Western workshops are Plisson, Vulfix and Simpson.
There may be more. But it is a fact that virtually every knot is now made in China. Now there is nothing wrong with this, the Chinese make iPhones and big lumps of Boeings and brush knots are a lot simpler.

For the title of best I think that Simpson take a lot of beating. Their tradition, the immense range of brushes available to suit everyone, the quality of materials used, the quality of the workmanship and the fantastic customer support. I can certainly see why people who "get" Simpsons often end up with a small collection of them.

 

[heirkb]

I really like the GoldenNib finest knots for value in badger.

Simpson 2 band brushes for beauty and for when I feel like being shallow and demanding a brand name.

Semogue LE 2009 (which is similar to the SOC Semogue, I think) for overall value and performance.