looking to buy a brush, need help please

[stevethetree1991]

Let me just go straight down the checklist here...

1. I have a cheap ($12 CAD) omega boar brush, and a TBS synthetic brush. the boar is too stiff and scritchy, but does hold water, and the synthetic is very dry, but pretty soft.
2. I have typically used soaps in the past, but i'm open to creams. I prefer face lathering.
3. I'm looking for a good badger brush (silvertip), one that I can stick with for a long time. "My first real brush". I'm not looking to start collecting brushes, so I would like to get a high quality badger brush that I will be completely satisfied with, so I don't have to buy any more. I would like it to be softer than my boar hair omega, and hold water better than my TBS synthetic for sure.
4. I really don't care too much about what the brush looks like. Something neutral would be nice (black/white/faux horn/black). No chrome or hot pink...
a nice, thicker handle would be nice I suppose, but not absolutely needed.
I would much prefer to pay for quality hair than a quality handle, as long as the handle won't be damaged by water (again, long lasting).
5. I don't mind paying up to $85 for the brush, give or take, as long as it will last me many years. I also don't mind getting a cheaper brush that will fulfill the above needs (brush needn't be a status symbol).
6. A regular-sized brush is fine. It doesn't need to be large, but preferably not small.
7. Some brushes that I was interested in (not married to them though)
Semogue 2015
http://www.fendrihan.com/semogue-2015-high-density-silvertip-shaving-brush-p-823.html?cPath=116_3_97

Vulfix 2233 (or brushes of the same ilk)
http://www.fendrihan.com/vulfix-2233-super-badger-shaving-brush-p-278.html
some other vulfix brushes seemed to have pretty good value for the quality of hair, too. Let me know what you think.
8. I'm telling you, this will be my last brush. SBAD hasn't gotten a hold of me just yet!

Thanks so much for your help, folks. There's so many brushes out there, I really don't know which ones are worth anything, your experience and knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mr Pseudo]

I have a vulfix. It is really good but I dont have many others to compare it to. Everything I read before I bought it said they are the value for money brand, though.

 

[john parker]

My Grosvenor LE is a beautiful brush. It has a lovely two-band super knot with a loft of about 50mm. Performs wonderfully well with soaps and creams (I face lather); soft tips with good backbone and dense enough. Handle is traditional with good heft. I personally can't think of a reason to get another brush, except to rotate with time to dry. Cost is about $95 from BullGoose.

 

[Masterkova]

Regarding your point #3, silvertip is not necessarily better, particularly if you are more of a soap user. My first brush was a silvertip and it is my least used brush as I discovered I prefer soaps and face lathering.

I would recommend the Simpson Colonel in Best which is in your price range. It's a great all around brush, good for soaps or creams, face or bowl, medium loft, density, etc. It may be the only brush you ever need. But if you decide you want something different, it provides a great base for comparison (higher or lower loft, softer or scratchier feel, floppier or denser knot). Once you've used it a while, you'll know what to buy for your next brush (and there will likely be a next one...).

 

[beginish]

In your price range, I would suggest the Rooney 1/1 in Super or the Simpson Duke 2 in Best. The Rooney clocks in at $75 and the Simpson is $85.

 

[California Cajun]

Let me just go straight down the checklist here...

1. I have a cheap ($12 CAD) omega boar brush, and a TBS synthetic brush. the boar is too stiff and scritchy, but does hold water, and the synthetic is very dry, but pretty soft.
2. I have typically used soaps in the past, but i'm open to creams. I prefer face lathering.
3. I'm looking for a good badger brush (silvertip), one that I can stick with for a long time. "My first real brush". I'm not looking to start collecting brushes, so I would like to get a high quality badger brush that I will be completely satisfied with, so I don't have to buy any more. I would like it to be softer than my boar hair omega, and hold water better than my TBS synthetic for sure.
4. I really don't care too much about what the brush looks like. Something neutral would be nice (black/white/faux horn/black). No chrome or hot pink...
a nice, thicker handle would be nice I suppose, but not absolutely needed.
I would much prefer to pay for quality hair than a quality handle, as long as the handle won't be damaged by water (again, long lasting).
5. I don't mind paying up to $85 for the brush, give or take, as long as it will last me many years. I also don't mind getting a cheaper brush that will fulfill the above needs (brush needn't be a status symbol).
6. A regular-sized brush is fine. It doesn't need to be large, but preferably not small.
7. Some brushes that I was interested in (not married to them though)
Semogue 2015
http://www.fendrihan.com/semogue-2015-high-density-silvertip-shaving-brush-p-823.html?cPath=116_3_97

Vulfix 2233 (or brushes of the same ilk)
http://www.fendrihan.com/vulfix-2233-super-badger-shaving-brush-p-278.html
some other vulfix brushes seemed to have pretty good value for the quality of hair, too. Let me know what you think.
8. I'm telling you, this will be my last brush. SBAD hasn't gotten a hold of me just yet!

Thanks so much for your help, folks. There's so many brushes out there, I really don't know which ones are worth anything, your experience and knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

This is what I think is the greatest bang for the buck: http://www.vintagebladesllc.com/vshop/xcart/home.php?cat=153

I love mine!

 

[Loric]

If you dont mind setting your own knot, I would throw the TGN 22mm Super Silvertip (not to be confused with the vanilla Super grade) set at about 45mm loft. Its an outstandingly soft knot with good density, and when set low is a very scrubby soap brush.

After that a Simpson in best (Duke or Classic) or a size one Rooney are both great options.

 

[stevethetree1991]

Interesting. Thanks a lot for your input, folks.
Nobody recommended any Semogue models like I had looked at, is there any particular reason for that? Are they floppy, therefore not great for soaps or something?

 

[Shavely Manden]

If you dont mind setting your own knot, I would throw the TGN 22mm Super Silvertip (not to be confused with the vanilla Super grade) set at about 45mm loft. Its an outstandingly soft knot with good density, and when set low is a very scrubby soap brush.

After that a Simpson in best (Duke or Classic) or a size one Rooney are both great options.

I was thinking something similar, but if he's used to something scrubby like a boar (and is mainly using soaps), wouldn't a TGN Finest be better for the money than a Silvertip? 100% agree about the Simpson's Best, though...I'm thinking of selling off my G3 Eagle (since bowl-lathering seems to be more my thing than face-lathering), but it's going to get replaced with a Harvard H4 if I do...that hair is wonderful stuff. Plus, the Simpson's brushes are a nice, neutral faux ivory. (And a classy faux ivory, at that.)

(BTW, even though TGN is what people mainly talk about, the same guy sells the same knots in finished brushes at his other site, Penworks.us. You don't have to be a DIY brush guy to enjoy TGN. Just something I thought a newbie might want to know...I didn't realize this till recently.)

Interesting. Thanks a lot for your input, folks.
Nobody recommended any Semogue models like I had looked at, is there any particular reason for that? Are they floppy, therefore not great for soaps or something?

I think most folks know Semogue mainly for Boar brushes, and you'd mentioned a Badger brush. Not that there's anything wrong with Semogues, just most folks have more experience with them more through the SOC or 830 than their badger line. (BTW, the SOC is an amazing brush at an amazing price. But you're not looking for a boar at the moment.)

 

[Ski-Patroller]

Regarding your point #3, silvertip is not necessarily better, particularly if you are more of a soap user. My first brush was a silvertip and it is my least used brush as I discovered I prefer soaps and face lathering.

I would recommend the Simpson Colonel in Best which is in your price range. It's a great all around brush, good for soaps or creams, face or bowl, medium loft, density, etc. It may be the only brush you ever need. But if you decide you want something different, it provides a great base for comparison (higher or lower loft, softer or scratchier feel, floppier or denser knot). Once you've used it a while, you'll know what to buy for your next brush (and there will likely be a next one...).

+1 for the Simpson Col. X2L

I have a number of brushes including the Simpson Col. X2L, B&B 2009 SE Kent and TGN Best Badger, Silver Tip and Finest. The Col. is my favorite, probably followed the TGN Finest and the Kent. I use soaps almost exclusively and generally bowl lather, but work the lather on my face quite a bit.

 

[stevethetree1991]

And the "Best" quality brushes aren't too scritchy right? I mean, I certainly wouldn't mind switching to creams instead of soaps if I could then enjoy a soft face massage while lathering with super badger hair.
But if there really isn't that much difference, then best would be fine. I've just never had any kind of badger, so I have no idea what the difference in feeling would be between pure/best/super.

 

[D/E Bob]

Go to TGN's website, buy a Silvertip Grade A knot in 22mm, and a handle of your choice. When the package arrives a few days later, epoxy them together and for a whopping $45 bucks you will have a brush (at least IMHO) as good as any of the $150 + brushes. Tony at TGN will be more than happy to help you as he has myself three times already. He will even drill the handle to a custom depth for you so you can set the knot at your desired height. After using one of those expensive name brand brushes, I find the TGN knots are every bit as good, at 25% of the cost! I think you would be very happy.

 

[Shavely Manden]

And the "Best" quality brushes aren't too scritchy right? I mean, I certainly wouldn't mind switching to creams instead of soaps if I could then enjoy a soft face massage while lathering with super badger hair.

It depends on the brand of Best. Most Bests are probably scritchier than you're looking for, but some (including Simpson's) are actually really soft. Simpson's Best is just scrubby enough to feel it at work (what I'd call a "soft face massage"), but still soft enough to feel really, really luxurious. Really soft silvertips (like my Kimson or New Forest 2211) are so soft you really can't feel them at all. (I've never tried Simpson's Super, so I can't compare.) If you're afraid of too much scritchiness from Simpson's Best, you might try a brush that isn't the very densest they've got (a Chubby or similar will probably feel scritchy just because of the sheer mass of hair).

And, really, you can lather just about anything with any brush; I've lathered MWF with uber-soft silvertips and gotten good results with some work. It just doesn't feel as satisfying as really laying into it with my SOC.

 

[California Cajun]

I was thinking something similar, but if he's used to something scrubby like a boar (and is mainly using soaps), wouldn't a TGN Finest be better for the money than a Silvertip? 100% agree about the Simpson's Best, though...I'm thinking of selling off my G3 Eagle (since bowl-lathering seems to be more my thing than face-lathering), but it's going to get replaced with a Harvard H4 if I do...that hair is wonderful stuff. Plus, the Simpson's brushes are a nice, neutral faux ivory. (And a classy faux ivory, at that.)

(BTW, even though TGN is what people mainly talk about, the same guy sells the same knots in finished brushes at his other site, Penworks.us. You don't have to be a DIY brush guy to enjoy TGN. Just something I thought a newbie might want to know...I didn't realize this till recently.)



I think most folks know Semogue mainly for Boar brushes, and you'd mentioned a Badger brush. Not that there's anything wrong with Semogues, just most folks have more experience with them more through the SOC or 830 than their badger line. (BTW, the SOC is an amazing brush at an amazing price. But you're not looking for a boar at the moment.)

I agree on the Semogue 830 brush. It is boar but behaves like a high-end badger and better than a cheap badger.

The Rooney I referenced earlier is my second-favorite brush (my favorite is a Rooney Heritage), and the best compromise I know between performance and price.

 

[Rivguy]

My Grosvenor LE is a beautiful brush. It has a lovely two-band super knot with a loft of about 50mm. Performs wonderfully well with soaps and creams (I face lather); soft tips with good backbone and dense enough. Handle is traditional with good heft. I personally can't think of a reason to get another brush, except to rotate with time to dry. Cost is about $95 from BullGoose.

+1 on the Grosvenor LE. It is one of the best brush values and a pleasure to use with either soaps or creams. I think that if you do choose to get one, it will become a favorite. Simpson two band in Super Badger for under one hundred dollars is an outstanding value in my view.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Loric]

I was thinking something similar, but if he's used to something scrubby like a boar (and is mainly using soaps), wouldn't a TGN Finest be better for the money than a Silvertip? 100% agree about the Simpson's Best, though...I'm thinking of selling off my G3 Eagle (since bowl-lathering seems to be more my thing than face-lathering), but it's going to get replaced with a Harvard H4 if I do...that hair is wonderful stuff. Plus, the Simpson's brushes are a nice, neutral faux ivory. (And a classy faux ivory, at that.)

(BTW, even though TGN is what people mainly talk about, the same guy sells the same knots in finished brushes at his other site, Penworks.us. You don't have to be a DIY brush guy to enjoy TGN. Just something I thought a newbie might want to know...I didn't realize this till recently.)

I had thought about the Finest, but he said he wanted a silvertip so I omitted the thought. And the last time I looked at Penworks I did not see a Super Silvertip, so again I omitted it. If Penworks has some in stock now, that would be a better option. Thanks for reading the spirit of his post not the letter!