Dollar store Assured shaving brush

[pdieten]

My better half went to Dollar Tree today, spotted this and brought it home for me, knowing I’d get a laugh out of it.

What you get for your dollar:
18mm nylon knot
50mm loft
50mm handle height, handle is injection molded plastic available in four colors
27mm maximum handle diameter
23mm minimum handle diameter

A Chubby, this is not.

It lost about six fibers after I opened it and riffed through the knot. These fibers are not soft at all. They are springy.

The instructions don’t say anything about using it with soap. They say to squirt a bit of cream on the bristles and lather up. Never mind that Dollar Tree does not currently sell brushing shaving cream. So I grabbed the Proraso and did what it said.

I have never used one of the Gillette India shaving brushes, but I imagine they are very much like this. Fibers are stiff as... well, I don’t know what to compare it to, but I absolutely could not get this thing to splay. Painting strokes only. Just as well because the tips were really not very soft at all.

I got a lather on my face that I could have shaved with but I’d rather use anything else. If I were without a brush I’d lather with my hands before getting one of these.

In short, it will go great with your dollar store Assured double edge razor and blades. Roughly the same level of quality and utility.

But YMMV.

 

[FarmerTan]

Can someone (okay, anyone but me, cuz I am THAT shtoopid!) please link that 1000+ post thread about the Assured Razor and the Yellow paper wrapped blades that came with it? There was originally 12 of us brave souls. Then a WHOLE BUNCH of otherwise normal fellows paid a dollar to be tortured!

 

[FarmerTan]

Calling @GlazedBoker !

 

[nemo]

Interesting. They must think there's a market here. I hope it doesn't discourage too many newbies.

 

[pdieten]

You mean this one?

Looking for a Few Good Men..... The $1 Razor Challenge!

Alright. Here it goes Gents. I happened to go into a dollar store on my business trip out into the Midwest and found these beauties for a $1 apiece. Made of die-cast metal and SS handle :001_huh: (of what particular metal, I have no clue), stamped or molded. They are all tto (butterfly) style...

www.badgerandblade.com

The good news is that you are highly unlikely to cut yourself with a shaving brush. Probably.

 

[FarmerTan]

Interesting. They must think there's a market here. I hope it doesn't discourage too many newbies.

Well, if it don't, nuttin' will friend!

 

[FarmerTan]

You mean this one?

Looking for a Few Good Men..... The $1 Razor Challenge!

Alright. Here it goes Gents. I happened to go into a dollar store on my business trip out into the Midwest and found these beauties for a $1 apiece. Made of die-cast metal and SS handle :001_huh: (of what particular metal, I have no clue), stamped or molded. They are all tto (butterfly) style...

www.badgerandblade.com

The good news is that you are highly unlikely to cut yourself with a shaving brush. Probably.

That's it! You are a good man! The thread that wouldn't die and didn't kill nobody!!!

 

[magoo75]

Interesting. They must think there's a market here. I hope it doesn't discourage too many newbies.

I was just thinking the same thing . Worst thing a newbie could do is by one of these as a first razor.

 

[FarmerTan]

I was just thinking the same thing . Worst thing a newbie could do is by one of these as a first razor.

Well, not to nit pick, but the WORST thing you could do is to USE it!

They are perfectly safe in the packaging!

 

[Owen Bawn]

In the 1970s-80s in the USA the only brushes available to most men were cheap Surrey boars with wooden handles (a similar brush is now sold & labeled as Van Der Hagen) or nylon synthetics not unlike the one you've bought. I had a couple over the years, although they were smaller, as I recall.
EDIT- I should add that they worked just fine as a paintbrush. You loaded the hell out of the Williams in the mug and then painted it on, dipping the tips in water several times. The best of the nylon brushes weren't all that different from the Omega S Brush, and that's still on the market today. I honestly don't think we gave one iota of thought about luxury or comfort. You just wanted to get a somewhat workable lather on your face. Everyone talks about vintage Williams and while I suppose it might have been better than what we have today in reality I remember thin, often dry lather, due in no small part to the poor quality of the brushes we used.

I used a brush because I was a young guy and no one else used one so it made me different and also because my father thought it was stupid to use a brush and that was enough for me. Those of you who have sons of a certain age know exactly what I'm talking about.

 

[magoo75]

In the 1970s-80s in the USA the only brushes available to most men were cheap Surrey boars with wooden handles (a similar brush is now sold & labeled as Van Der Hagen) or nylon synthetics not unlike the one you've bought. I had a couple over the years, although they were smaller, as I recall.

I just threw out a Van Der Hagen brush . Was losing hairs faster than the hairs on my head. Bought a synthetic from WCS , love it.

 

[GlazedBoker]

My better half went to Dollar Tree today, spotted this and brought it home for me, knowing I’d get a laugh out of it.

View attachment 1141922View attachment 1141923View attachment 1141924

What you get for your dollar:
18mm nylon knot
50mm loft
50mm handle height, handle is injection molded plastic available in four colors
27mm maximum handle diameter
23mm minimum handle diameter

A Chubby, this is not.

It lost about six fibers after I opened it and riffed through the knot. These fibers are not soft at all. They are springy.

The instructions don’t say anything about using it with soap. They say to squirt a bit of cream on the bristles and lather up. Never mind that Dollar Tree does not currently sell brushing shaving cream. So I grabbed the Proraso and did what it said.

I have never used one of the Gillette India shaving brushes, but I imagine they are very much like this. Fibers are stiff as... well, I don’t know what to compare it to, but I absolutely could not get this thing to splay. Painting strokes only. Just as well because the tips were really not very soft at all.

I got a lather on my face that I could have shaved with but I’d rather use anything else. If I were without a brush I’d lather with my hands before getting one of these.

In short, it will go great with your dollar store Assured double edge razor and blades. Roughly the same level of quality and utility.

But YMMV.

Now that’s interesting. I don’t know about getting 12 guys to try 18mm paint brush. That’s a tough sell. But, it would definitely be a hoot!!

 

[Clay S]

One nylon brush is enough for me.

Not sure when the nylon tips actually spilt, but age it for 50 years or so . . .
and the tips will be slightly better but the fiber still responds like nylon.

 

[Old-Fashioned Coughy Pot]

Unrelated to this thread except for the Dollar Store part. My #1 son is a manager @ the local Dollar Store where l used to live. I got him this T-shirt. Related. I seen yesterday @ the local "farmer's market" a local soap maker selling homemade soaps including a shaving soap/brush combos with brushes like that for $22 CAD.

 

[Owen Bawn]

One nylon brush is enough for me.

Not sure when the nylon tips actually spilt, but age it for 50 years or so . . .
and the tips will be slightly better but the fiber still responds like nylon.

Is that a Fuller brush?

 

[Clay S]

Is that a Fuller brush?

Rubberset 200N

 

[Owen Bawn]

Rubberset 200N

Looks like a good brush, as nylon brushes go. Have you had it yourself for 50 years?

 

[Clay S]

Looks like a good brush, as nylon brushes go. Have you had it yourself for 50 years?

No. I would have gone with "used" as opposed to "aged" if it had been mine. The bristles splayed out once I started using it, so I would go with light use before I got it. Didn't even think to check for splitting at that time because I didn't think nylon would split.

It is comfortable to use and lathers well, but has little backbone. And that little bit is springy. I use it every so often for nostalgia.

 

[FarmerTan]

Now that’s interesting. I don’t know about getting 12 guys to try 18mm paint brush. That’s a tough sell. But, it would definitely be a hoot!!

You know as one of those original "Dirty Dozen" I'm (shtoopid) enough to be in.

I of course will be looking for one tomorrow, lol!

 

[dmshaver]

I would rather lather with a real paintbrush, thank you very much!