High End Brushes: What am I Missing?

[Spang]

I'm a hobbyist brush restorer, so my brushes are pretty much all vintage handles with knots from various vendors, mostly TGN finest and V. Sheng silvertips, along with a couple of Omega boars. I find these brushes to be very good performers, and of course the vintage handles are very cool (and cheap if you shop around). In all, I have no more than about 30 bucks invested in any of my brushes.

Though I've never owned or used one, I do admit to being intrigued by the Simpson, Kent, Shavemac and other high end badgers. I appreciate an excellent performing brush, but is the multiple in price over a good knot and vintage handle really justified? What am I missing?

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

I find there is a difference in face feel between many top end brushes and some of the more economically priced ones, although it's more than possible that some users might actually prefer the characteristics of the cheaper ones. Also, there are brushes at the lower price points that buck the general trend by having the firm backbone and soft tips typical of many high end knots, while some of the really expensive ones are so extreme in nature they might not be liked by many users.
Nor is it just about face feel and performance — some knots are very expensive because the badger hair in them is very rare, or at least the manufacturers claim so. It's all a bit of a minefield and there's no right or wrong answer. If you are happy with the knots you use, that's fine. If you want to splash out on a Simspon's Manchurian, Shavemac two-band silvertip or M&F finest, that's also good.

 

[BigJ]

Doubt that you are missing anything! IMO the point is to find what makes you happy and stick with that.

I tried a fair number of brushes to find that I am a 'mid range' Simpsons guy (mostly). I still enjoy my old blond boar from time to time. Compared to other hobbies that I have tried, these brushes are bargain. YMMV for sure!

 

[Jcodqc87]

I honestly prefer a well broken in boar brush. I have an omega that I picked up at a drugstore with a tub of proraso and I still prefer it to all the other badger and synthetics I got since.

 

[jar_]

Over half of my brushes are knots that are over a half century old themselves. If you take care of a brush and don't let soaps dry in it they last near forever.

Use what pleases you. It's your face, not community property.

 

[Graydog]

Great advice from those above, use what works for you and don't think that anyone has invented
a brush above every other brush .

 

[JRRIII]

+1 on using what works for you. I shaved for many years with just a cheap boar brush and never thought anything about it because it worked and I was satisfied with it.

Until very recently (within the last couple months) I had one high end brush that I admittedly never used and was only partially impressed by. I had another artisan made brush (one which I would consider pricey and not far away from the cost of some of the makers OP listed) that probably had a generic silver tip knot I am sure the artisan got inexpensively which I was also not impressed by, and as a result never used. I then went to the maggard's marble synthetic and I LOVED it. I used it exclusively for what seemed like forever. I still enjoy using it when I travel, and did so recently.

To tie this all back in to the sentiments of many other in this thread; use what works for you and what you like. I was recently overtaken by curiosity and was willing to try my luck one more time. I never thought that brushes from the makers which you mentioned were really worth it, I only decided to take the gamble the last knowing I could resell it if I didn't like it. Fast forward one month later, I now have a few brushes by the makers you mentioned/high end makers. These brushes have really multiplied my love for wet shaving. I would say that they totally live up to the hype, cost, etc. that people in our community give them. I personally have found what works for me now and don't see myself being able to return to anything else full time.

 

[Merkuryrising]

Use whatever works for you I honestly just got into collecting brushes over the last week or so, so I can't really comment on what is what but I do know that I will not spend over $50 on a brush with one exception. If it's an artist that I really REALLY like I will support them but mass produced $100 plus brushes? Gimme a break

 

[bkatbamna]

I have a dozen high-end brushes and honestly, once they are loaded with soap, they don't feel different than the stirling finest badger 26mm brush that cost me 1/8th as much on average.

 

[Merkuryrising]

I have a dozen high-end brushes and honestly, once they are loaded with soap, they don't feel different than the stirling finest badger 26mm brush that cost me 1/8th as much on average.

Right this is what I mean. I have one badger so far it's a fine 20mm and what I had to go through to not gag everytime I used it was a total pain in the you know what. I mean it's not a bad brush and it does exactly what it's designed to do I just prefer synthetic plissoft style knots over badgers and I will not use boars period. Do high end badger knots not have that smell to them? Or do you have to destink them as well?

 

[jar_]

No brush I have ever bought in over a half century has smelled bad.

 

[celestino]

It is all very subjective and you'll get many different opinions. However, to truly understand the questions you are inquiring about, there is no other way than to try some of the different brushes being offered.
Having stated this, you aren't really missing out on anything as you can find some great knots offered on ebay from a few of the Chinese vendors that compare favourably to the higher ends brushes.

Good luck.

 

[Merkuryrising]

No brush I have ever bought in over a half century has smelled bad.

You have been extremely lucky then because both boars and the badger I bought all had a terrible smell. It wasn't until I got them wet for the first time though.

 

[Cino]

I have a bunch of different brushes, including synthetics, boars and badgers. The brands include Shavemac, Simpsons, Thater, Omega, Semogue, and Razorock. The cost per brush runs from $6 to well over $100. I can say that while the really expensive brushes are awesome, so are the $10 and $20 brushes. Semogue and Omega boar brushes just keep getting better and better every time I use one. For me, the variety does the trick. If I could not afford an expensive brush, I wouldn't buy one and I wouldn't miss it. Just give me a different good brush every day and I'm happy as a pig in poop. A $200 brush, while nice, will never make me give up on the $20 boars. There are also plenty of good badgers to be had for south of $100.

My theory is, if good $20 boars could only be had for $150, people would pay it. Not too long ago people were paying $80 for $10 Plisson style brushes. If you have the disposable income for a Shavemac or Thater, give it a try, they are nice, but not worth financial hardship.

 

[bberg100]

My #1 is a Semogue 830 boar. Next in line is a handful of cheap Omegas. I have a TGN Silvertip I mounted way too floppy, like a sponge on the face with no backbone. A Stirling Kong synth is OK, but I find all the synths I've tried tend to dribble all over the place. I have a Rudy Vey coming with a Shavemac Finest knot. Will be easily triple what I've paid for any other brush. hoping it is worth the $$$.

 

[Pat Puma]

No brush I have ever bought in over a half century has smelled bad.

I've had 8 or 9 badgers and only one had an animal smell, but it wasn't a big deal. Three or four uses and it was gone. That brush has a pretty inexpensive Virginia Sheng 2 band. My two faves are an Elite Razor Manchurian and a new Paladin. Both are pretty expensive new, but I got the Elite used (barely) for a good price. If you have handles the Elite knot is available without a handle for about $55. The BST sections of forums like this one are the way to go to get good shaving stuff. I have a couple of brushes that would be well over $100 new, but cost me way less. One was a brand new unused Chubby 2. I have found that I prefer the ones that would cost more, but whether or not it is worth the extra $ would depend upon your finances and how much you actually pay. If you get something like a Paladin and don't think it is worth it you could get most of your money back by listing it for sale in the BST.

 

[jar_]

You have been extremely lucky then because both boars and the badger I bought all had a terrible smell. It wasn't until I got them wet for the first time though.

And extremely lucky over an extended period too it seems.

some of the older brushes; all at least a half century old:

some newer brushes; all less than a quarter century old:

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Next time try this. When you get a new brush fill a basin with warm water, a hand full of borax and Dawn dish detergent. Soak and swish the brush in the solution for about five or ten minutes. Shake out and then squeeze dry in an Egyptian cotton towel followed by a series of 20 east west stroke then 20 north south strokes repeated four times. Let dry for at least two days.

And to keep them clean and fresh, repeat the shake out and then squeeze dry in an Egyptian cotton towel followed by a series of 20 east west stroke then 20 north south strokes repeated four times after each use. Let dry for at least two days before you use it again.

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[Hoka Hey]

My #1 is a Semogue 830 boar. Next in line is a handful of cheap Omegas. I have a TGN Silvertip I mounted way too floppy, like a sponge on the face with no backbone. A Stirling Kong synth is OK, but I find all the synths I've tried tend to dribble all over the place. I have a Rudy Vey coming with a Shavemac Finest knot. Will be easily triple what I've paid for any other brush. hoping it is worth the $$$.

I've got Shavemac's in Finest, Silvertip, and 2 band. I think the Finest is actually my favorite. The 30% Pure gives it a little face feel, which I like.

One thing you get with a Shavemac is a 2 year guarantee. Are spendy brushes a requirement? No. I've shaved with this. (It was a double dog dare!)

 

[BigJ]

No. I've shaved with this. (It was a double dog dare!)View attachment 824995

YIKES!! You are tougher that I am!

 

[Raven Koenes]

YIKES!! You are tougher that I am!

It was a "Double Dog Dare" though! He Hadda do it!