What's new

Help needed to pick a brush on a budget

Hi

I've been reading some stuff on brushes and I visited some manufacturer's links. However, the more I see it, the more confused I get. The choices seem to be endless.

I'm currently using a boar brush that I picked up at the local supermarket a couple of years ago for 5 €. I can't remember the brand (Wilkinson I guess, but I'm not sure). It's o.k., does the job but I find it a little bit harsh on the skin. I have sensitive skin, especially on the neck.

I use shaving cream and build the latter on a bowl. I really don't have too much patience to build lather. Actually, I have very little patience for shaving in general and the sooner I get through with it the better. I'd like a brush that's soft on the skin and that helps me build lather quickly. My budget is 30 € at most and I will purchase it on-line. Must be available in Europe.

Thanks.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that, for ethical reasons, I'm not considering badger brushes.
 
Last edited:
Synthetic - Muhle silvertip fiber from Connaught Shaving or shaving.ie. At Connaught the 21 mm is 31 Euros (1 Euro high :thumbdown). Velvety soft and a great travel brush as well (dries quickly). I wouldn't get any synthetic that is earlier than Generation 4 (see GDCarrington's posts which is where I learned about synthetics).

Badger - Whipped Dog is the only "best bargain" silvertip brush I know of.

Dirt cheap - for $10 American, you can get 2 Ecotools kabuki makeup brushes with shaving brush-styled handles. Zero backbone and they take a while to dry, but Leisureguy recommends them as one of several beginner brush options, and they do lather well and feel very soft.

Good luck!
 
Sounds like you would be a perfect candidate for the Semogue Owners Club boar brush. It has a longer handle for use in a bowl, taller loft and bigger knot to quickly mix the lather, widely considered the best quality boar hair on the market, and it's 20-25 quid including VAT at most European shaving websites.
 
Probably should go with Synthetic if you're choosing for ethical reasons, I believe they kill both badgers and boars to get the hair, the other option is Horse Hair (the animal is not harmed), several vendors here have them. Whipped Dog also sells Synthetic that are real good for around $20 shipping could be bad so it's probably best to go with Vintage Scent, Conaught, or Shaving ie as mentioned above shipping will be cheaper in most cases, good luck with the hunt.

BTW welcome to B&B and the forums
 
Omega Pro 49 from West Coast Shaving. $9 bucks for a great brush. I still use mine 3 or 4 times a week and I have a lot of brushes.....
 
Sounds like you would be a perfect candidate for the Semogue Owners Club boar brush. It has a longer handle for use in a bowl, taller loft and bigger knot to quickly mix the lather, widely considered the best quality boar hair on the market, and it's 20-25 quid including VAT at most European shaving websites.
LOVE my SoC Boar!!
+2!
 
I have a Vulfix Pure Black badger, i got for $19cdn. Its very soft, whips up a quick lather and seems of good quality! Keep in mind I'm a noob, but I also have very sensitive skin, and this brush is nice and soft. Especially compared to my drug store purchase wilkinson sword brush... which is a pain to get lather out of!
 
Thanks for all the tips. I don't mind using brushes with animal hair as long as the animal is not
a) killed for the sole purpose of getting the fur.
b) killed in a cruel way like badgers and other animals are in China and in a lot of places outside the EU or the USA.

I'm not a vegan, I do eat meat but if you watch a video on how badgers are often skinned alive in farm furs in China and considering the fact that the fur used for badger brushes comes from China, you'll understand better why I want to steer away from badger brushes.

Back on topic, I've been reading great reviews on the Semogue 1305 and Muhle silvertip synthetic. It seems Semogues are a great bang for the buck. I haven't read any reviews on the Semogue Owner's Club but considering all the good reviews I've been reading on this manufacturer I see no reason why the Semogue Owner's Club shouldn't be a very good brush. However is is 10 Euros more than the 1305 and I'm wondering if it is worth the price difference. I'm just wondering where they get their boar fur from?I know that they admittedly get badger from China - at least they are honest about it unlike other manufacturers - but I don't know the source of their boar fur.

As far as the Muhle silvertip synthetic is concerned I haven't read anything but praise for this brush. It is more expensive but has the advantage of being synthetic. Do synthetic brushes last longer than boar brushes? If they do, that might compensate the price difference.
 
Last edited:
i can not compare the 1305 with SOC, i do not have the 1305, but i have 2 SOCs an 830 and a 620. Personally, i think SOC is the best of the bunch, suitable for bowl and face lathering - maybe just a bit big for face but nothing i'll worry about. The downside is SOC requires a much longer time to break in - 830 and 620 they're fully broken within a month, maybe less. I think is a very solid brush, should last many many years, like many good boar brushes do (for Pete's sake, i'm still using my C40 i have forever!).
As far as synthetic goes, i have no clue... they rather new, i don;t think one can truly compare the longevity vs. a boar. I have a Frank Shaving Pur Tech - suppose to be a Muhle knock off. I used it for the first time a few days ago, i was impressed! Feels like a badger, good lather but there is something i can not quite put my finger on it, something doesnt feel quite the same... i guess i have to use it some more to figure it out.
If you can afford a SOC, by any means get it, no doubts about it!... just be patient to break it in and you'll be a happy camper for many years to come.
I have no idea where the Portuguese get their boar from but i'm quite sure they don't kill boars for their fur... it just doesn't make sense.
 
Top Bottom