High-End Razor or Brush?

[mattps1]

forgot to add straight razor is another kettle of fish entirely if your spending there!

 

[Roy]

SV make great soaps, but they make really wonderful brushes. Soft and luxurious, beautiful handles. No loss of hair unlike the Chubby3 3 I have.

 

[ajkel64]

One of each will suffice.

 

[Tester28]

My priority is always the razor followed by the blade and soap.
A brush makes very little difference to the shave no matter how hard I
try to persuade myself otherwise.

 

[romsitsa]

A brush won’t last forever, even if it’s synthetic, a razor will.

 

[Cannon Cocker]

I have far too many soaps, which may be because I never had a desire to collect a ton of brushes or razors. I really enjoy the uniqueness of each scent and performance, and they are all reasonably priced in the grand scheme of things. I'm currently using a RR Game Changer .86 razor and a Fine Stout synthetic or Semogue SOC boar. Gave my brother my Merkur 37c Slant when I convinced him wet shaving was the way to go, and in the past half a Merkur Futur.

For a while I've wanted to go high-end on a brush or razor. In my opinion, I'd rather spend the money up front and get something nice, as opposed to incrementally spending the money until you end up buying it down the road anyway. I'm not big on neon colors that seem to be the rage with brush handles these days, but occasionally see artisans put out some vintage handles I like. Call it being lazy, but not interested in being on a waiting list for months to acquire unless I'm convinced it's worth the wait. Still, the Fine Stout isnt a very pretty synthetic and not the most ergonomic handle. There must be a big gap between this brush and other synthetics or badger hair brushes out there, right?....right? My only other experience with a badger brush was from a 2008 B&B group buy, which tells me it's a Finest Badger Hair Brush. Certainly the badgers coming out now will also be much better. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

The RR Game Changer seems to be doing a good enough job for the price, considering it's 75% cheaper than the others I'm considering. I sometimes wonder if the jaw and jaw line would clean up easier with a more high-end razor that's more aggressive. An OC is probably what I'd like to use next. I spend so much time debating between the manufacturers I just don't pull the trigger, and then congratulate myself for saving $250, only to restart the cycle.

I guess my question for everyone is this: if I'm going to spend the dough on a high end brush (Brad Sears, M&F, Simpson, Paladin, etc.) or razor (Blackland, Timeless, Karve, Charcoal Goods, etc.), where do you think the money would be better spent?

I haven't read the whole thread, but I have a couple of suggestions.

Brush: The first badger brush I bought was a suggestion from someone I talked to at West Coast Shaving, and that was a Colonel X2L in best. I have over time gotten other badgers far more expensive, but I still really enjoy using the Colonel. You may find it a little to small, so you could also look at the Simpson Commodore X3 which is bigger. Neither of these brushes will break the bank, and are great examples of badges brush hair.

Razors: In your list of high end razors you names Karve. I have a Karve brass with both SB & OC plates B through E. You mention wanting to try an OC razor. With the Karve you can for aprox $22 USD per plate. I started with the SB plate in B & C. From there I ordered the OC plates in B & C also. I then filled it out with D & E plates in both. Keep in mind you could order the Karve brass razor with one plate for $100 CAD which is from $70-$75 USD depending on current exchange and with two plates for still under $100 USD not including shipping.
I have since purchased three other "high end" razors you mentioned and the Karve holds its own with them all. Because of the additional plates I was able to order I have really learned how aggressive I want to go (C&D) B to little and E too much. I also found that I really enjoy OC much more than SB. Even as a learning tool the Karve has been worth every penny.

 

[Old Hippie]

I don't tend to get too excited about brushes. No criticism of those who do, but it's just not me. I have three brushes: a pure badger that I bought right at the first from the cutlery store in my little town that carries a few razors and some accessories. It's OK, nothing to recommend particularly but it paints lather on my head.

I had also heard about boar brushes and so I managed to find one locally. It's a Wilkinson Sword brush -- from the supermarket that carries a few shaving items but mostly carts and goo for those who use them. I've always been amused that they had one brush. Again, OK, but doesn't really blow my kilt up. (But it's a cheap boar brush.) It lives in my jump bag for sudden deployments.

Oh, I have a fourth brush as part of a vintage travel set, but I'd never use it. Feels like boar and is about a hundred years old.

The brush I pretty much use all the time is a RazoRock Beehive synthetic. Needs no presoak, easy to clean, fits my hand and mug, and does what I need it to do.

Razors, now... I'm all about the razors. The most expensive razor I have is the Blackland Sabre. I put that purchase off for at least two years and finally talked myself into it -- but to do so I had to cancel two trips and do some consulting work on the side before I felt like I could spare the cash. I'm really enjoying that razor. I've got a few others that I'd probably go back into a burning house to save: the Sabre, ATT S2, RR Wunderbar, Merkur 37, a couple lather catchers and a Damaskeene. You get the idea.

You're taking a gamble asking about expensive razors. What I like may not be what you like. But I like Gem format and with the Sabre I've finally found a Gem-ish razor that gives me the shaves I've fantasized about. I've been through a few razors and what I think I know is that razors built with some engineering expertise and care can exceed the performance of razors whacked out by the thousands. "Can exceed" but do not always.

I've got an Ever Ready that literally cost me just one percent of the cost of the Sabre, and it's one of my favourite razors. Does the Sabre shave 100 times better than the ER? [Scottish mode ON] "**** No, Mate!" [\Scottish mode OFF] but it has been giving me the best Gem shaves I've ever had, and that makes me happy.

O.H.

 

[gwsmallwood]

Start with the razor. More satisfying. I have a few nice brushes, but they don't 'feel' significantly different than a good Yaqi or WCS brush since I prefer synthetics.