Conquering SBAD: The Ugly Brush Contest!

[Zumkopf]

Enough with the beautiful brushes! It's taking up all my time. I pull my chin at work, marveling that it is still silk-smooth, recalling the lathery caresses it had that morning from that oh-so-sexy Rooney... I cruise the Board, looking at pictures of other brushes, lusting after them, buying them... ENOUGH!

A little shock therapy is in order. Maybe looking at ugly brushes will cure it. Here's my contribution, to get things started.

OK, don't laugh. It's the first brush I ever restored, with a recycled knot from my favorite (and second) brush, an unheralded short-loft Weck whose handle disintegrated, and used the handle from an old no-name boar. It's a good scrubber, but it is undeniably cosmetically challenged.

So let's see some of your really ugly brushes. The only rule is it has to be one you actually have used, and not only on a dare.

 

[Loric]

I cant say much about the aesthetics of the knot, but the handle is actually quite lovely.

I'm not sure if it qualifies per-say, but my only "ugly" brush is my SOC. It always reminds me of some kind of sick albino mut.

Pic lifted from BST.

The lack of contrast and balsa wood finish just never struck a cord with me. That said I love the brush and it is currently my only boar.

 

[altshaver]

I cant say much about the aesthetics of the knot, but the handle is actually quite lovely.

I'm not sure if it qualifies per-say, but my only "ugly" brush is my SOC. It always reminds me of some kind of sick albino mut.

Pic lifted from BST.

The lack of contrast and balsa wood finish just never struck a cord with me. That said I love the brush and it is currently my only boar.

I am not sure that brush is ugly; however, I will say that the LE '09 is a real looker. I wish Semogue would make that brush again. I don't go for the LE BS. If a brush is good, then anyone who wants one should be able to get one.

 

[Loric]

Its just a bit plain for my taste... milk toast if you will.

 

[_MementoMori_]

Haha... my SOC has a perpetual case of bedhead. I love it though.

 

[scottb]

(1) One of my first brushes, courtesy of ebay. Surprisingly decent performance given how it's aged.
(2) My Grandfather's brush, a Klenzo. I keep it for sentimental reasons but honestly, I have no idea how he shaved with that thing.

View attachment 131485 View attachment 131486

Take that Plisson!

 

[BladeDE40]

This one takes the prize for the ugliest I've seen...

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=173311

 

[oversaturn]

I love my ugly brush!

It's an old vintage Semogue 105, found forgotten on the shelves of an old drugstore.

 

[Zumkopf]

This one takes the prize for the ugliest I've seen...

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=173311

It belongs on the "There, I fixed it" Blog: http://thereifixedit.failblog.org/

 

[vitaman]

Sorry Zumkopf, that handle of yours is simply stunning!

 

[gaj90027]

I love my ugly brush!

It's an old vintage Semogue 105, found forgotten on the shelves of an old drugstore.

I would gladly take that old hag off your hands - beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I am smitten

 

[Zumkopf]

Sorry Zumkopf, that handle of yours is simply stunning!

Simple job, really. I used automotive enamel and sprayed six coats on, followed by three of clear. If I put a better knot in, it might look halfway decent.

Ironically, I originally embarked on the project to save the knot from my well-loved Weck, but somehow once I became acquainted with Messrs. Simpson and Rooney, the Weck knot became much less well-loved...

 

[SliceOfLife]

I don't have it anymore (and no pics), but my first badger brush, bought when I was brand new and figured "Badger = good" was a Fuller off eBay with a knot just like ScottB's grandfathers Klenzo, but the hair was jet black. The handle also had a big split and the knot fell apart after maybe 20 uses. It couldn't lather anything, and I spent the entire time until it fell apart trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. I had eventually gotten a vintage "Rex" boar that I thought at the time was badger and it lathered much better, so I didn't cry when the Fuller died. Then the paint on the rex split and the handle (cheap pine probably) started to wear out. Since then I've gotten a number of nice handled EverReady's Simpsons etc, with knots in all kinds of shapes, almost always gave the knot a try or two unless it was completely wrecked. The worst one I considered keeping was my S10 (26mm Simpson Best), but too much hair had been lost, it was a feather duster.