1. I have been wetshaving for about 3 years and have owned one brush, EJ's Best Badger: http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Edwin-Jagger-Best-Badger-Shaving-Brush-Medium-Black_p_1572.html. It was a great brush to start, and I liked the slight scritch when using it. But it's been shedding hairs faster than the top of my head, and that's a problem. (I take care of it very well, too, so I don't think it's a care issue.) I also find it a tad small. I go clean shaven, face and head, and that's a lot of ground to cover for that little guy. I would like a bit more loft and a bit longer handle, but not much. (Well, I think I want more loft, but that's part of the requested recommendation!)
2. I use creams exclusively--mostly Al's, but also Proraso on occasion--and prefer bowl lathering. Getting two passes on my head and face requires more lather than I can get into this brush. I also find that my facelathering leads to loose, watery lather.
3. I want something that holds a lot of lather, whips up creams quickly and easily, is a bit scritchy (basically, a Super Badger or equivalent feel, although I could go Best Badger again), lasts longer than my EJ, has more loft and diameter than my EJ (at least I think I want that), but isn't so big for a slim 5'9" guy with medium sized hands.
4. I don't care about aesthetics.
5. I would like to stay under $75, but if you can convince me that a $110 brush will change my world, I'd do it.
6. Because I bowl lather, I want something that I can use without too much of my hand getting in the bowl. I also think the feel of 2 more cm on the handle would be nice.
7. I went into an Art of Shaving store, and liked the density and feel of their Super Badger. But I'm sure I'd say the same about most brushes. I haven't really settled on any other ones, and that's because the search is proving daunting. Even after reading sticky after sticky and wiki after wiki, I don't feel like my single EJ has given me enough experience to choose anything. Hence, this thread.
8. I'm a one-product kind of guy. I have one razor (the EJ DE86 http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Edwin-Jagger-DE86-Double-Edge-Safety-Razor-Black_p_723.html) that I love, and use one blade type (the peerless Feather, which, yes, I even use on my head), mostly one cream (Al's Old Bodega, but his Casablanca or Proraso in the summer), and mostly one ASB (Al's Old Bodega, but Al's Mojito in the summer). This will certainly be my only brush, and, hopefully, my last for damn near a decade.
Many thanks for your help! I'm always amazed at the generosity of this community when it comes to helping fellow wetshavers.
Oly
2. I use creams exclusively--mostly Al's, but also Proraso on occasion--and prefer bowl lathering. Getting two passes on my head and face requires more lather than I can get into this brush. I also find that my facelathering leads to loose, watery lather.
3. I want something that holds a lot of lather, whips up creams quickly and easily, is a bit scritchy (basically, a Super Badger or equivalent feel, although I could go Best Badger again), lasts longer than my EJ, has more loft and diameter than my EJ (at least I think I want that), but isn't so big for a slim 5'9" guy with medium sized hands.
4. I don't care about aesthetics.
5. I would like to stay under $75, but if you can convince me that a $110 brush will change my world, I'd do it.
6. Because I bowl lather, I want something that I can use without too much of my hand getting in the bowl. I also think the feel of 2 more cm on the handle would be nice.
7. I went into an Art of Shaving store, and liked the density and feel of their Super Badger. But I'm sure I'd say the same about most brushes. I haven't really settled on any other ones, and that's because the search is proving daunting. Even after reading sticky after sticky and wiki after wiki, I don't feel like my single EJ has given me enough experience to choose anything. Hence, this thread.
8. I'm a one-product kind of guy. I have one razor (the EJ DE86 http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Edwin-Jagger-DE86-Double-Edge-Safety-Razor-Black_p_723.html) that I love, and use one blade type (the peerless Feather, which, yes, I even use on my head), mostly one cream (Al's Old Bodega, but his Casablanca or Proraso in the summer), and mostly one ASB (Al's Old Bodega, but Al's Mojito in the summer). This will certainly be my only brush, and, hopefully, my last for damn near a decade.
Many thanks for your help! I'm always amazed at the generosity of this community when it comes to helping fellow wetshavers.
Oly
