EJ "Best" Black Badger?

[Blue50F1]

Hey Guys, this is my first thread here at B&B. I've been wet shaving for about two years now, mainly straights but also some Gillette's and GEM's. I started out using a VDH boar, which I still use on rare occasion. I have a pair of horse hair brushes I use, one is my go to brush. It's the softer of the two and is good for use up to two day's stubble. The other is almost as stiff as the boar and I use it when I feel the need for a good scrub or have gotten more than a couple day's growth.

Now I'm looking for a badger. Something softer than my main horse hair, but not floppy. I don't have a big budget, so shopping around I ran across EJ's Best Black Badger. I've heard some conflicting reports about Black Badger brushes--that they're as stiff and scratchy as boar, or that they're mushy and floppy.

I wondered if anyone had any experience with a Best Black vs. a regular Black badger brush, or with the EJ specifically. For a little more I could pick up a regular EJ Best Badger, but they are apparently out of stock right now (at least where they're also the best price!).

Thanks for your feedback!

Peace,
Jim

 

[tomcj2]

I do not have an EJ brush, but I have several Black Badger knotted ones. If you are looking for soft, look somewhere else.
What is your budget? Somebody will have good suggestions for you.

 

[Blue50F1]

My budget's $50. Not a lot but some unexpected late Christmas money came my way and I thought a decent badger could be had for that (I may be wrong). From what I've read it seems that "best badger" is what I'm looking for. Soft, but not floppy. Seems that black badger or pure badger will be too scratchy, but since there's no universal grading system I don't know where a "best black" falls (if it's just the same as other company's black, or if it's more comparable to a simple "best")

Thanks,
Jim

 

[tomcj2]

$50 will get you a choice of good quality badger brushes. I just bought a Simpson Special with Best Badger knot for just over $40 (delivered). Whipped Dog will have Silvertips back in stock this week and the cost at your door should be around $35.

 

[Blue50F1]

Right now I've got an omega 636 silver tip also on my radar, though I like the handle on the EJ better.

Larry's a great guy and I've worked with him in the past. But none of his handles do anything for me so I'd have to get a knot and find a handle somewhere. That's an idea though.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Koss]

50 dollar budget? Baroness Silvertip - 45 bucks shipped from amazon

Got an extra 9 dollars? Prince 2 Band Silvertip - 59 shipped from amazon. This is my favorite brush. Not at all floppy, since it is the unique 2 band.

Edit: Also check out their hair grade guide somewhere linked on those pages. It's pretty much echoed my experiences too over the years of trying out brushes.

 

[Throwaway]

50 dollar budget? Baroness Silvertip - 45 bucks shipped from amazon

Got an extra 9 dollars? Prince 2 Band Silvertip - 59 shipped from amazon. This is my favorite brush. Not at all floppy, since it is the unique 2 band.

Edit: Also check out their hair grade guide somewhere linked on those pages. It's pretty much echoed my experiences too over the years of trying out brushes.

I'd suspect that the Baroness is quite floppy (I have not used it, only guessing). It has only 20.5mm knot and 54 loft, whereas your favorite Prince has 23mm knot and 47mm loft.

For example Simpsons Berkeley Best Badger Shaving Brush: has 20mm knot and 45mm loft. So IMO the Baroness should have these same kind of specifications.

 

[Boro62]

I have a ej best black badger...i find it really really scratchy compared to my other brushes. I think it's just as scratchy as my boar or even more so.

 

[Blue50F1]

50 dollar budget? Baroness Silvertip - 45 bucks shipped from amazon

Got an extra 9 dollars? Prince 2 Band Silvertip - 59 shipped from amazon. This is my favorite brush. Not at all floppy, since it is the unique 2 band.

Edit: Also check out their hair grade guide somewhere linked on those pages. It's pretty much echoed my experiences too over the years of trying out brushes.

I had looked at the Baroness, but found some conflicting reports about the quality of the bristles. Someone with real experience really helps.

I have a ej best black badger...i find it really really scratchy compared to my other brushes. I think it's just as scratchy as my boar or even more so.

Thanks Boro. This is exactly what I was looking for in this thread. Definitely sounds like the opposite of what I'm looking for.

Peace,
Jim

 

[urkel]

i rebuilt an ever ready and used a tgn black badger. i like the brush a lot and think it's every bit as rough as some of the boar knots i use. also i think it looks pretty cool in the handle

 

[Koss]

I had looked at the Baroness, but found some conflicting reports about the quality of the bristles. Someone with real experience really helps.



Thanks Boro. This is exactly what I was looking for in this thread. Definitely sounds like the opposite of what I'm looking for.

Peace,
Jim

Hey jim,
The baroness just barely came out. I haven't read the other reports that you have, but yes I haven't used this brush yet so I can not say with 100% certainty they are wrong or right. But remember, every product every produced for wet shaving will have its slue of positive and negative reviews. This is true anywhere you look, so I always take things with a grain of salt.

Now, I only suggested the Baroness because of the price and my experience with the company. I could guess it would be worth it's price and then some. But I had a feeling what you want is something like a 2-band badger. With other types of silvertips you will give up the backbone of your usual boars for soft floppiness. Which isn't bad, many like it. I don't, and I noticed you said you didn't enjoy it either.

So this is why I suggested spending 9 dollars more on a Prince 2 band. It's soft with no scratchiness, and perfect for those who dislike floppiness. Read the reviews on it if you like. You'll hear some of the same.

I'd suspect that the Baroness is quite floppy (I have not used it, only guessing). It has only 20.5mm knot and 54 loft, whereas your favorite Prince has 23mm knot and 47mm loft.

For example Simpsons Berkeley Best Badger Shaving Brush: has 20mm knot and 45mm loft. So IMO the Baroness should have these same kind of specifications.

It could be floppy, I don't know. By the measurments, it could very well be. But remember knot size is a good guide to density, but not always perfectly spot on. The other WSP brushes are more dense than most, esp. in their price range. Obviously this is their budget silvertip. You have a good chance on being right.

Before, we could judge their brushes floppiness based on the line they were in. The Prince lines had the no flop 2 band, and the floppiest default option Silvertip. The Monarch's were somewhere in the middle between the Princes. Two band Monarch less backbone but not floppy still, and the High Mountain White Silvertip. Which I hear balances flop and backbone.

Eitherway, without physically testing a brush myself (as with any product) I wouldn't speculate on its exact qualities. Well, other than price and value. Silvertip for under 50 dollars has always been incredible value. When I first started wetshaving, this was unheard of. Now many produce silvertip knots under at least the 60 dollar mark, and some even less.

Obviously WSP has great competitors too. I haven't had a chance to try them, and I love my Two Band Prince. So I felt confident in recommending a budget Silvertip to try for someone who has used horse and boar (I love boar btw, I own more of them than anything else). Besides, he was going to pay for black badger when he could get a silvertip. What's not to like? I'd put up with floppiness instead of prickly pure badger. And I only build lather on my face.

 

[Blue50F1]

Koss,
Thanks for investing the time on a very thorough reply. As with everything wet shaving personal preference affects all reviews. Some think Astras are the best blades out there, others wouldn't touch anything but Feathers. Two guys could use the same brush and one complain it's too stiff and scratchy and the other complain it's too floppy.

Right now I'm gearing up for an overhaul of my first hobby--the truck in my avatar. My wife and I took that truck on our Honeymoon, and this year is our tenth anniversary. The goal is to take it again. As a result, I almost spent this Christmas money on truck parts, but my wife convinced me to do something else with it.

Last night I pulled the trigger on this:

An EJ Best Badger for $48. From what I've read here and elsewhere across the web, this should be a good middle ground badger and depending on my personal experience with it, I can move up or down the scale of Badger brushes in the future.

Thanks to everyone for all the feedback.

Peace,
Jim

 

[Dusty1]

I have a EJ best as well, I think you will be happy with your choice. I have more expensive brushes, but it still has a spot in my rotation. Enjoy!

 

[jkingrph]

I do not have an EJ black badger but have 3 others, a best badger travel brush in the nickel chrome tube which sees a good bit of use and is a fine brush, a Chatsworth Barley silvertip which is fantastic, but heavy then a super badger in an imitation horn handle which sees the most use. I have one of their large handle Georgian models in silvertip on order.