Looking for a new brush reccomendation.

[mfgorilla]

I'm pretty new here and I just started with a new safety razor. I have, however been using a shaving brush for a little over a year now. I got a tweezerman brush off of Amazon and have been really happy with it. Earlier this year I got a synthetic brush at the Body Shop with hopes of making that my travel brush. Didn't work. I can't stand how stiff the bristles are on that brush and how hard it is to get a good lather on my face with it.

So, I'd like to get some help picking out a brush that would be like the tweezerman, but nicer so I can make the tweezerman my new travel brush. Any suggestions out there?

Thanks
J

 

[Snargle]

What budget amount are you looking at? Do you want to stick with boar or move up to badger? A good boar brush (Omega, Semogue) will run you $10-30; a decent badger brush would probably be $30 minimum, with the sky the limit!

 

[dushea]

Also, what do you like/dislike about your current brush? Size of the knot, size of the handle, stiffness of the hair, softness of the tips; these are the things you'll want to consider.

 

[mfgorilla]

I thought the tweezerman was a badger brush and I think i'd like to stick with that. I like the size/shape of it but I'm willing to experiment a bit. I might like something a bit softer, but mainly I'd like something that performs about the same but put together a little better and maybe a little nicer looking.

 

[seanusa]

Maybe a Simpson special in best?

 

[Snargle]

I thought the tweezerman was a badger brush and I think i'd like to stick with that. I like the size/shape of it but I'm willing to experiment a bit. I might like something a bit softer, but mainly I'd like something that performs about the same but put together a little better and maybe a little nicer looking.

I stand corrected. The Tweezerman brush is badger hair, although it's not one of the higher grades. My first decent badger brush was a Frank Shaving brush (they're manufactured in China, but are generally good quality and an excellent bargain.) I got mine direct from China via an eBay seller. I'm sure others will chime in with their recommendations shortly!

 

[The Accountant]

Check out the badger brushes from Larry at Whipped Dog (http://whippeddog.com/). Great prices, great products and great service for everyone from newbies to old hands. There will be time enough to get crazy and buy expensive brushes but you can get a great brush at a great price from Larry.

 

[dpmtherrien]

Be sure to check out the Vulfix line in best or super badger. The 2234 is an excellent all around brush.

 

[dushea]

If your budget is a little tight, Whipped Dog brushes get a lot of praise for the price. How much are you looking to spend? Do you face lather? Bowl lather? Use creams? Soaps?

 

[mfgorilla]

I'm not on a budget but I'm not going to shell out huge $$$ for the fun of it either. I bowl lather with shaving cream right now.

 

[jzuzphreek]

I've had my eye on a VintageBladesllc.com brush for a while. They start at $30. From what I've heard the tips are gel like in their smoothness, but the brush still has great backbone and is terrific for face lathering/bowl lathering, hard soaps/creams... whatever you can throw at it.

 

[seanusa]

If your not on a budget and bowl lather with cream maybe the Kent family can blow your mind...... not at all like a tweezerman though
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[mfgorilla]

That kent looks interesting until I see the price tag. I'm not on a tight budget but I'm not dropping that much coin without a solid reason.

Anybody out there have any opinion on this one from Edwin Jagger?

 

[dushea]

I'd say most would agree that a pure/black badger wouldn't be their ideal brush as they tend to be quite scritchy and not very dense. Whichever way you go, I'd recommend going either best badger (less expensive) or silvertip (more expensive) for an upgrade if you want to stick with badger hair.

 

[dushea]

If it doesn't weird you out much, keep an eye on the BST. I regularly see EJ best or Simpson Best brushes out there for 40 or 50. It sounds like that's about what you want to spend; you'll get a ton of bang for your buck going that route.

 

[montroseman]

My favorite brush, and one of my least expensive is the house brand from Vintage Blades. I have their largest knot 23 or 24, and like it better than my Rooney R23, 22 mm whipped dog re- knot, Semogue SOC boar, and Simpson Wee Scot. It is soft, loads well, no scritch and has enough backbone.

 

[takeshi]

I'm not on a budget but I'm not going to shell out huge $$$ for the fun of it either.

Give us a dollar amount. "Huge $$$" is highly subjective.

I'm not on a tight budget but I'm not dropping that much coin without a solid reason.

...as is "solid reason". One person's solid reason is not necessarily the next's. It's really up to you to determine your solid reasons and to convey them to us so we can make recommendations. That approach is going to be more productive than picking a brush and polling for opinions on the brush.

I'd recommend trying different brushes (i.e. don't look for something like the Tweezerman) to determine what you prefer. Try a different grade of hair, different knot size, different density, etc. If any brush doesn't work for you, you can BST it.

I'd say most would agree that a pure/black badger wouldn't be their ideal brush as they tend to be quite scritchy and not very dense.

It really comes down to personal preference. There are those that prefer scritch and those that do not. There are those that prefer dense brushes and those that do not. It's all a matter of finding the right brush for the individual.

 

[Caz1982]

If I were you, I'd go with something like this Vulfix Pure Badger. http://www.amazon.com/Vulfix-2006B-...id=1373763209&sr=8-275&keywords=shaving+brush

It's a step up from the Tweezerman, but still fairly cheap.

I'd always suggest climbing up the ladder slowly; it's an economics thing. You've already started out cheap, and are pleased with the low-grade brush. So take the next step, and you should be pleased with that increase in quality, then you can go on to something a little better, then a little better... you can stretch this out for years until you get to a Kent or a Simpson. Going straight there right off the bat denies you the pleasant sensation of climbing the ladder of better and better shaves.

 

[wagstaff]

Whipped Dog, Silvertip, drill the knot deeper (ask Larry at Whipped Dog about it). Or a JL Petree horsehair, on sale/clearance at Bullgoose. Or one of the latest generation synthetics by Muhle (or Jagger). Or Simpsons (probably Colonel X2L for you) in Best off B/S/T if you're patient.... at least those are all things to ponder and stimulate questions. There indeed aremany many variables and other options. If I were committed to an upgrade from Tweezerman in badger, and that's all I was sure of, I'd go Whipped Dog or B/S/T. But that might not be what you should do.

 

[mikeal]

If no one has said so yet, consider contacting Rudy Vey. He custom makes wonderful brushes at reasonable prices and can help you figure out whatyou want.