Help pick my 2nd ever brush

[Sleepy]

Hi guys,

I’ve been DE shaving for 18 months using a Body Shop synthetic brush and I’ve been pretty happy with it. But I’ve recently been given £50 (about $75USD) and would like to buy a ‘proper’ brush. And I'm hoping you'll be able to help me pick.

I use creams and like to face lather. My face isn’t too sensitive. I live in London, so I’d really like a British-made brush. I know Vulfix, Simpson and Rooney are the obvious manufacturers, but I’m a bit daunted by the huge ranges they produce - how do you pick? Will any small best badger brush make me happy, or are there some which are much better than others?
Should I splurge one brush, or maybe buy two cheaper ones?

I’m pretty broke most of the time, so I can’t buy a ton of brushes searching for the perfect one. So I'm hoping you guys can help me pick a great brush that I'll love and cherish!

I’d be grateful for any advice you have.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Derty]

Simpson Colonel X2L.... Seriously I was very surprised my the quality of this brush for the price. I didnt think it was going to be as soft or as dense as it was. This was my first and sure to not be my last Simpson.

 

[rsaltonstall]

From what I have read here at B&B the Simpson's Colonel is suppose to be an excellent brush. You may also want to look at the Duke and Commodore lines. The majority of the brushes in these lines would all be on or below 75.00 USD. Other options in best are the Berkeley, Special, and Case; these will all be well below your price cap. A best in Simpson is suppose to be of the highest quality--the top of the line best grade when compared to the competitor's best grade.

For Rooney you may want to look at styles 1 and 3 in size 1 in silvertip grade (also called "genuine silvertip"). These would be below 65.00 USD. If you upgrade to super silvertip, you are looking at 75.00 USD. I have read, however, that the difference between super silvertip and silvertip for these brushes is minimal and you may not tell the difference.

 

[rsaltonstall]

Will any small best badger brush make me happy, or are there some which are much better than others?

Since you face lather you will probably want to stay away from brushes with large knots (24mm and larger) and high lofts (50mm and higher). The brushes I mentioned earlier all fit this standard.

 

[natchez]

I will add another suggestion- I am not sure if any "New Forest" brushes are available now, but for the price this is by far the best brush I have- New Forest 2201. See the reviews here http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=158571&highlight=forest

I wish I had bought a few more.

 

[Sleepy]

Thanks for the advice guys, and for the useful information too, rsaltonstall.
I think I may give the Colonel a whirl!

 

[SliceOfLife]

You can't go wrong with the Denser "Best" simpsons. A 24mm+ TGN Finest/Grade A set deeply (<50mm) in a custom handle is another excellent choice. Those would be my choice for a sub $100 brush. They'd stay my choice right up until you could afford a Custom D01 Shavemac in 23 or 24mm.

 

[gobeavs]

I just got a Duke 2 in best from westcoastshaving.com and it's awesome.