EJ Best Badger in Black - good starter brush?

[shevek]

I'm looking for a nice starter brush and the EJ Best Badger in Black for $36 on WCS has a nice classy look and it seems EJ is a quality brand. Would this be a good first badger brush? The only brush I have today is a handmade boar brush that I purchased on etsy - http://www.etsy.com/listing/94098738/mens-handcrafted-shaving-brush-shave?

Would love to hear from anyone that has tried this one...

 

[Infernal2]

It's not bad, in my experience it was a little floppy. It does operate really, really well with creams but felt it fell short on soaps. This is also the same brush that I call my Angora, cause mine sheds like one (I've been told its a defective brush and not common to that brush). Also, it feels like a toy in my meat hooks.

 

[SIG9]

It was my first brush and I really liked it at the time. Used it with the holy trinity of creams (Musgo, Speick and Proraso). It did an admiral job. Then I progressed on to croaps and fell in love with a Semogue SOC boar I bought on B/S/T.

I have to admit I don't use it as much these days but as a first brush it was fine.

 

[timj219]

I've got one. It doesn't work well for me. My boar brushes lather better and honestly even feel better to me. The EJ does not come near my Simpson commodore x1 for the luxurious feel a badger should provide. IMO it would be better to stick with boar unless you are ready to go to the expense of a SSimpson. The small Simpsons like mine start in the $55 range I think.

 

[shevek]

"Not bad", "Fine" and "doesn't work well". That's enough for me to take my search elsewhere. I have no problem sticking with boar for the time being so I'll look into the Semogue's or Omegas.
Thanks a ton for such great advice!

 

[cnichol3]

My first brush was the EJ pure badger. As a first brush I thought it was pretty good. After trying other badger brushes, the EJ is really floppy around the edges, but feels stiff and prickly in the middle. Id look for something of better quality.

 

[Obiwan]

It was my first brush. It's nice, but if you can spend a little more you have better options.

 

[The_Anderman]

I have that brush. It was my first badger, and I thought it was pretty good until I got my B&B Essential Boar brush. The EJ has very little backbone, and it's not very dense. I'm going to give badger another chance, but next time it's going to be a Simpsons Duke or Chubby.

 

[bkflyfisher]

I would go for one of the more inexpensive Simpson's over a lower end EJ - like Berkley 46, Case, Colonel, Special etc. I used to have one of the small EJ travel brushes from WCS, supposedly Best Badger, and I just found the Knots In my Berkley and Case Best's to be far superior and much denser. The handle's seem higher quality to me too on the Simpson's - but that might just be my own perception. Or go boar and pick a Semogue!
EJ makes a heck of a razor though!

 

[Dalejr]

I've had mine for nearly 4 years, it's shed hairs but still has plenty, excellent brush for the price. I recently got a EJ Silvertip and to be honest I like the best badger better.

 

[Dusty1]

I'm a big fan of mine. I like it as much if not more than more expensive badgers. It's a great size and releases lather a lot easier than a silver tip, yet it's plenty soft. Go for it!

 

[Infernal2]

"Not bad", "Fine" and "doesn't work well". That's enough for me to take my search elsewhere. I have no problem sticking with boar for the time being so I'll look into the Semogue's or Omegas.
Thanks a ton for such great advice!

For just a few dollars more you can pick up a really, really, excellent Semoque Boar Brush (Owner's Club) which at this point is beating my Simpson's Colonel for favorite brush.

 

[The_Anderman]

For just a few dollars more you can pick up a really, really, excellent Semoque Boar Brush (Owner's Club) which at this point is beating my Simpson's Colonel for favorite brush.

Out of the four brushes I have, my SOC boar is the current favorite. It's dense, has lots of backbone, holds a TON of lather and is just a really nice size. It could easily be my only brush.

 

[Infernal2]

Out of the four brushes I have, my SOC boar is the current favorite. It's dense, has lots of backbone, holds a TON of lather and is just a really nice size. It could easily be my only brush.

Same here. I'm hoping that the I'll figure out the Simpson since it feels great and gets great reviews but (maybe due to user error) it doesn't hold a candle to the SOC at this point.

 

[jphillips97]

I really liked my EJ best badger. Used it exclusively for 3 years + before I got an Omega silver tip

 

[shevek]

Thanks to everyone for all of the great advice. I ended up taking a trip up town to Pasteur Pharmacy for the first time..a place which I've probably passed by 1000 times before getting into DE shaving and having no idea there was something "special" there...and purchased...

...the Semogue 1305. Just so many fans of this brush on B&B that it seemed like a very safe choice.

 

[Infernal2]

I've heard a lot of great things about that brush and if its anything like my SOC, its worth it.

 

[The_Anderman]

...the Semogue 1305. Just so many fans of this brush on B&B that it seemed like a very safe choice.

Great choice, I've been thinking about getting one of those myself! It's kind of a middle-of-the-road brush sizewise, pretty much the same size as the B&B Essential Boar, which I find to be a very versatile brush. And that painted handle is just beautiful!