How "good" is this EJ?

[saabaru]

I have been searching for some time, sooking for the right brush at the right price for me. I have seen this EJ and was curious how it stacks up against the other more exspensive ones. This one is about $20:

Or this pure bristle for >$7

 

[Vlad]

I would really steer you away from the EJ pure. It's just very rough on the face. Your $20 is far better spent on a good boar brush.

 

[saabaru]

what about the pure bristle? Money is tight and I just plain can not afford a $40 brush, but I want something better than the boar brush I have now.

 

[Patrik]

I respectfully disagree with Vlad - I love my pure badger, though it's a bit different from the one you posted. This is mine:

 

[saabaru]

I am not looking for the crem de la crem (sp?) of shave brushes, I would just like something better than the one I currently have and I don't want to spend a fortune. Is there any happy mediums? Personally I lovethe faux tortise...(see pic of my current brush).

 

[Vlad]

what about the pure bristle? Money is tight and I just plain can not afford a $40 brush, but I want something better than the boar brush I have now.

The only boar bristle I've used is the cheap-o Van der Hagan brush, but I liked it more than the EJ Pure Badger. I would recommend a boar in the $10-$20 price range. If you were willing to spend $20 on a badger, why not get a really good boar? You can probably get one for $20 shipped! And you won't have a "cheap" brush, you'll have a high-end boar!

 

[saabaru]

I thought all boar was the same (I will probably catch hell for saying that). I thought boar was boar and then it was pure badger, best badger, silver tip, super badger, black water badger with wings and 2 tails .... I would like something better qaulity than mine. every and I mean EVERY shave I have, I loose at least 2 bristles/hairs... It is gonig to fall apart soon...

 

[Go West Young Man]

what about the pure bristle? Money is tight and I just plain can not afford a $40 brush, but I want something better than the boar brush I have now.

If you're used to a low quality boar brush, then Tweezerman ($12-15 on Amazon) or Shea Moisture ($9 at some Targets) will blow you away.

 

[dpm802]

I have a C&E Pure travel brush, EJ is the OEM. I was quite happy with it for most of the past year. Granted, its not the softest brush out there, but it did a good job and gave me a great shave every time. I paid $28+tax for it new.

 

[Crixus]

Personally I lovethe faux tortise...(see pic of my current brush).

Saabaru, you have completely lost me here. I don't see any pic of your current brush.

Both the initial EJ brush you are asking about and the bristle brush diagram with the "water resistant handle" are both machine trimmed hair tips, and most likely will begin quite scritchy and remain that way.

 

[mcmulvaney]

I have to echo some of the recommendations for a boar brush in the $10-$20 range. Here's a brief review of one that I recently picked up:

Omega 80266. Loft: 55mm, Knot: 23mm, Handle: 50mm made of white plastic with a black band. The boar hair has been dyed to resemble badger, but that has absolutely no functional value (just aesthetic - if you care).

Boar brushes are typically expected to be somewhat stiffer with sometimes prickly tips when new, and having a bit of odor. Typically, the hair shafts remain stiff but the tips soften up over a period of 20-30 shaves and you can use various means to accelerate both the break-in and the odor elimination or you can just use it.

...notice that I said "typically". In this case I found that the brush had plenty soft tips on my face from the start, ability to load the soap in about 1/3 the time of my other brushes and it developed an outstanding lather on my face - and it can only get better. (And no significant aroma...) All of this from a brush that (with stand and carrying tube) is available for slightly less than $15.

If $15 is too much, its nearly identical cousins (the 10066 and 10065) are available from ShoeboxShaving.com for around $12.50 and the 10066 is only $9 at WestCoastShaving. I don't think that you could go wrong with any of these.

 

[saabaru]

Saabaru, you have completely lost me here. I don't see any pic of your current brush.

Both the initial EJ brush you are asking about and the bristle brush diagram with the "water resistant handle" are both machine trimmed hair tips, and most likely will begin quite scritchy and remain that way.

Sorry Gillette-tech, let me clearify.
For starters, I forgot the word "look" when describing the tortise. The Red/white one is a picture of the burma brush I am currently using. Hope this clears it up a little.

 

[ezeman]

I'm going to go against the trend here and say you should try this brush:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...3598020&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_987wt_912

I have this as well as many boar and badger brushes and I must say I really like this brush. You cant beat it for the price.

 

[andrew98]

^

That's not a bad idea. If you're on a budget, you likely can't do better than that, so I hear.

-Andy