Non China made brushes?

[Brindle619]

I have a friend who is leaning over the edge peeking down the wet shaving rabbit hole. BUT! He wants non China made BUT on a budget. Lol. Can anyone reccomend a starter kit where the equipment isnt from China? Yet isn't going to break the bank for him?

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[Strayhair]

Badger or boar brushes? Badger hair is 100% going to be from China. Boar bristles also come from China, but can also come from other countries too because they're not endangered. I suggest Semogue's offerings in boar. Most of them are 22 dollars and under. They also make the Owners Club Boar for 45 dollars in cherry wood.

 

[Brindle619]

Badger or boar brushes? Badger hair is 100% going to be from China. Boar bristles also come from China, but can also come from other countries too because they're not endangered. I suggest Semogue's offerings in boar. Most of them are 22 dollars and under. They also make the Owners Club Boar for 45 dollars in cherry wood.

Thanks for the reply. How about synthetic?

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[Strayhair]

The Maggard synthetics get recommended a lot on the forums. The only one I have is a Kent Infinity Silvertex. The box says made in England, but I don't know if that covers both the bristles and the handle. I don't know too much about synthetics though. They seem great for travel since you can run them under a sink and then shake them dry fast afterwards.

 

[Brindle619]

The Maggard synthetics get recommended a lot on the forums. The only one I have is a Kent Infinity Silvertex. The box says made in England, but I don't know if that covers both the bristles and the handle. I don't know too much about synthetics though. They seem great for travel since you can run them under a sink and then shake them dry fast afterwards.

I actually prefer synthetic over badger now. My go to brush right now is from maggard. Unfortunately they are China made. He may have to spend the big bucks it looks like. Thanks for your help.

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[NinthSphere]

Uh...something from Vie-Long?

 

[adamchur]

Buying everything separately usually costs less than buying a starter kit
IMHO - One of the best non Chinese made brushes on the market is the Vie Long
I use a Vie Long 4101 Professional, which is 60% Boar + 40% White Horsehair
They also make Boar, Pure White, Brown & Black Horsehair, Badger, Silvertip Badger and Synthetic
They are all made in Spain
I got mine from here
http://stores.ebay.es/id=974727317?ssPageName=STRK:MEFSXS:MESST&_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2653

This is his range of brushes
http://www.ebay.es/sch/Brochas-de-afeitar/168191/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=&_ssn=onogal2010

He also sells a few Semogue brushes from Portugal.
I've got no experience with Semogue, but I've read good reviews

 

[tetraodon]

omega are made in italy, but the hair, and most likely the knots are sourced from china. not from china and on a budget can be pretty hard to attain.

 

[Brindle619]

Semogue boar unless your buddy has something against Portugal as well.

Lol

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[Brindle619]

omega are made in italy, but the hair, and most likely the knots are sourced from china. not from china and on a budget can be pretty hard to attain.

Right?!

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[Brindle619]

Buying everything separately usually costs less than buying a starter kit
IMHO - One of the best non Chinese made brushes on the market is the Vie Long
I use a Vie Long 4101 Professional, which is 60% Boar + 40% White Horsehair
They also make Boar, Pure White, Brown & Black Horsehair, Badger, Silvertip Badger and Synthetic
They are all made in Spain
I got mine from here
http://stores.ebay.es/id=974727317?ssPageName=STRK:MEFSXS:MESST&_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2653

This is his range of brushes
http://www.ebay.es/sch/Brochas-de-afeitar/168191/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=&_ssn=onogal2010

He also sells a few Semogue brushes from Portugal.
I've got no experience with Semogue, but I've read good reviews

Thanks!

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Badger&Blade ~

 

[Badgerstate36]

Any badger hair brush that you find is going to have hair that comes from China. Synthetics are another option but where are the bristles made?
Some options would be Omega (Italy), Muhle and Shavemac (Germany), Maggard and Wolf Whiskers (USA). I'll throw another one out there: Bare Knuckle Barbery. The handles are made in Wisconsin and they use Maggard knots. Ive got a few of their brushes and the quality is second to none. The knots dont have as much loft as Id like but they certainly build lather well and are beautiful brushes. The service is a bit slow though, expect to wait a few weeks for your brush and he pretty much makes the brush when you order it.

 

[Brutus]

How about synthetic?

Can be very good.

German made Mühle Silvertip Fibre[emoji768] synthetic brushes took the lead in synthetics when they came out and I am not aware that they have been surpassed yet.
(I do not recommend Mühle/HJM "black fibre" brushes which at best I find average.)

Italian made Omega Hi-brushes produce acceptable results too.
(Omega S-brushes are made to more replicate boar brushes.)


Semogue Owners Club (SOC) for very nice boar brushes that require little breaking in.


No matter where you buy a badger brush from, it will be hard to find a badger brush where there badger hair verifiably did not come from China.

Good Luck.

 

[Brindle619]

Tnx!

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[captp]

Plisson MIGHT not be all sourced from China. I think their HMW is European, but I'm not sure. But you will pay a serious premium for those brushes.

 

[mmsantos]

Semogue, all of them are made in Portugal and handmade

 

[Floyd Eye]

I recently bought one of those Omega S synthetic brushes. The ones that look like boar. NOT the Pro, the other one. I love that thing. Lathers as good as any brush I have tried, is very easy to clean, made in Italy and it cost me $12.

 

[slyfox279]

Does he just want American made? If not I don't get why he's against Chinese made stuff

 

[CaptainGreybeard]

German made Mühle Silvertip Fibre synthetic brushes took the lead in synthetics when they came out and I am not aware that they have been surpassed yet.
(I do not recommend Mühle/HJM "black fibre" brushes which at best I find average.)

Yes, Mühle STF brushes are excellent, no doubt, and they are made in Germany. In fact, shaving brushes used to be Mühle's core business before they expanded into classical shaving gear, so it is still their key competence:

http://www.muehle-shaving.com/en/Sh...e-handle-material-high-grade-resin-black.html

The M size (21 mm ring size) STF brush is available with either a black, ivory or horn brown resin handle. The 21 mm ring size is perfect for lathering up in the face and or a medium-size mug.


Very good synthetic brushes are also available from Plisson, a renowned French shaving brush manufacturer. They are very soft and make excellent lather. I've had one for 1.5 years and am extremely happy with it:

http://blaireauxplisson.com/en/39-shavingbrushes-fiber

 

[BBQ Hooligan]

Stirling has a synthetic for about $13, pretty sure they are made in the USA.

https://www.stirlingsoap.com/synthetic-shave-brush-22mm-x-51mm-lil-brudder/