Well fellas... here it is. After having spoke with multiple badger suppliers directly, a british badger hair sorting/sterilizing firm, and more than half a dozen manufactures directly, I can now describe with confidence WHAT "silvertip" badger hair is.
Silvertip badger hair is an incredibly straight forward term that simply describes a general "class" of badger hair, simply put it has 2 qualifications #1 that it be hair from the back/neck area of the badger #2 that it have a silver coloration at the tips. That... is..... it. Period. An Edwin Jagger "Silvertip" much like a Shavemac "Silvertip" or a Rooney "Silvertip" is in fact the REAL deal, genuine article, and IS in fact SILVERTIP.
This "deep black, white tip, upland" stuff is a TOTALLY different category. It is NOT "Silvertip" and in badger gradings is considered a different "grade" of badger hair, but the common descriptive term "silvertip" which originated to describe to the Chinese (RE: Language Barrier) what type of badger hair was desired is NOT an actual grade of badger hair. Truth is, gradings of badger hairs do not have fluffly names like "best, pure, silvertip, upland white" and if YOU research/source a sorter/supplier and ask them for the aformentioned "grades" of badger hair, they will not have a clue as to what you are talking about. Badger hair is actually "graded" with some for of letter/number system, which I will not speak in depth about, as I really don't know much about it, other than some documents Adam Mendelson had sent me regarding it, and the english (kinda) speaking fellow I spoke with in Asia.
My conclusion thus far, from what manufactures of these brushes have told me directly, is that there is really no discernable "benefit" of these "high mountain" and "upland" badger hairs, and that they are primarily manufactured/offered due to customer demand. In fact, the primary differences tend to be in HOW these "high end" brushes are knotted, cut, shaped, formed, packed, etc - which then provide a different overall "effect" thus giving the perception of the "hair" having these "superlative" qualities when in all actuality it is primarily the knot itself. In fact.... one gentleman went as far as to say - if you were to take 2 of the EXACT same brushes, one with the "3" tiered coloration, and one with the "2" tiered coloration, there would be no realized benefit other than asthetics.
While "Manchurian, High Mountain White, Finest" may feel a little different... it really per se isn't "better" at all... it is simply a more uncommon, and as a result expensive hair. Most of this is a "mental" thing - that if you pay so much $ for a brush you by nature trick yourself into perceiving it is "better."
Bottom line.... if you feel the minute difference in terms of feel, of these "ULTRA-rare" hairs to be your optimal desired characteristics, and the tremendous cost associated with this "upgrade" is of no consequence - by all means indulge. If you just want to own a genuine "Silvertip" shaving brush, and have a damn fine shaving brush - buy a Edwin Jagger, Simpson Super, Shavemac Silvertip, Savile Row Silvertip, Kent, etc with confidence... as you my friend WILL be getting the "real deal" genuine silvertip. Again Rooney, Plisson, Simpson "Ultra Premo" hairs are NOT silvertip - they have white tips, and are of a whole different breed.
See for yourself.... (Below) the "whitest of whites" Rooney Finest isn't a whole lot whiter than a run of the mill - 3 tierd Simpson Chubby 2 Super at the tips. Truth is... without having even used it - I would take the Chubby 2 Super over the Rooney Finest in a HEARTBEAT, as it is a hell of a lot more brush, at 60% less $. While there are an awful lot of fellas preachin' this whole "black to the roots, white at the tip" bunk, many of them don't even have these brushes to use/compare to one another, and are still getting poor newbies all excited and encouraging them to drop heavy coin on these things. I got 'em in my lap, showing you side by side pictures, and I am telling you there isn't much of a difference, save your money..... don't get caught up in the hype.
(Special Note: If you are "shaving gear obsessed" and are buying it for what it is - something rare and uncommon, again - by all means go for it... I have/do. This has been an "informational" bit for new guys who do not know first hand the difference/benefits or lack their of, of the different badger hairs. I personally am happy with the "ultra premo" brushes I have purchased, but that still does not change the fact that there is little benefit from them versus a standard "high end" brush- and these "ultra premo's" are absurdly and unreasonably expensive.)
Silvertip badger hair is an incredibly straight forward term that simply describes a general "class" of badger hair, simply put it has 2 qualifications #1 that it be hair from the back/neck area of the badger #2 that it have a silver coloration at the tips. That... is..... it. Period. An Edwin Jagger "Silvertip" much like a Shavemac "Silvertip" or a Rooney "Silvertip" is in fact the REAL deal, genuine article, and IS in fact SILVERTIP.
This "deep black, white tip, upland" stuff is a TOTALLY different category. It is NOT "Silvertip" and in badger gradings is considered a different "grade" of badger hair, but the common descriptive term "silvertip" which originated to describe to the Chinese (RE: Language Barrier) what type of badger hair was desired is NOT an actual grade of badger hair. Truth is, gradings of badger hairs do not have fluffly names like "best, pure, silvertip, upland white" and if YOU research/source a sorter/supplier and ask them for the aformentioned "grades" of badger hair, they will not have a clue as to what you are talking about. Badger hair is actually "graded" with some for of letter/number system, which I will not speak in depth about, as I really don't know much about it, other than some documents Adam Mendelson had sent me regarding it, and the english (kinda) speaking fellow I spoke with in Asia.
My conclusion thus far, from what manufactures of these brushes have told me directly, is that there is really no discernable "benefit" of these "high mountain" and "upland" badger hairs, and that they are primarily manufactured/offered due to customer demand. In fact, the primary differences tend to be in HOW these "high end" brushes are knotted, cut, shaped, formed, packed, etc - which then provide a different overall "effect" thus giving the perception of the "hair" having these "superlative" qualities when in all actuality it is primarily the knot itself. In fact.... one gentleman went as far as to say - if you were to take 2 of the EXACT same brushes, one with the "3" tiered coloration, and one with the "2" tiered coloration, there would be no realized benefit other than asthetics.
While "Manchurian, High Mountain White, Finest" may feel a little different... it really per se isn't "better" at all... it is simply a more uncommon, and as a result expensive hair. Most of this is a "mental" thing - that if you pay so much $ for a brush you by nature trick yourself into perceiving it is "better."
Bottom line.... if you feel the minute difference in terms of feel, of these "ULTRA-rare" hairs to be your optimal desired characteristics, and the tremendous cost associated with this "upgrade" is of no consequence - by all means indulge. If you just want to own a genuine "Silvertip" shaving brush, and have a damn fine shaving brush - buy a Edwin Jagger, Simpson Super, Shavemac Silvertip, Savile Row Silvertip, Kent, etc with confidence... as you my friend WILL be getting the "real deal" genuine silvertip. Again Rooney, Plisson, Simpson "Ultra Premo" hairs are NOT silvertip - they have white tips, and are of a whole different breed.
See for yourself.... (Below) the "whitest of whites" Rooney Finest isn't a whole lot whiter than a run of the mill - 3 tierd Simpson Chubby 2 Super at the tips. Truth is... without having even used it - I would take the Chubby 2 Super over the Rooney Finest in a HEARTBEAT, as it is a hell of a lot more brush, at 60% less $. While there are an awful lot of fellas preachin' this whole "black to the roots, white at the tip" bunk, many of them don't even have these brushes to use/compare to one another, and are still getting poor newbies all excited and encouraging them to drop heavy coin on these things. I got 'em in my lap, showing you side by side pictures, and I am telling you there isn't much of a difference, save your money..... don't get caught up in the hype.
(Special Note: If you are "shaving gear obsessed" and are buying it for what it is - something rare and uncommon, again - by all means go for it... I have/do. This has been an "informational" bit for new guys who do not know first hand the difference/benefits or lack their of, of the different badger hairs. I personally am happy with the "ultra premo" brushes I have purchased, but that still does not change the fact that there is little benefit from them versus a standard "high end" brush- and these "ultra premo's" are absurdly and unreasonably expensive.)
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