Question from a newbie

[Gobucks01]

Hi everyone,
So I have a question or 2 about a shaving brush. I have learned the best way to understand an get the most out of things is to ask people who know no matter what.
My question's are how long does a brush last? And what is the most important thing about the brush?
I have a very low price brush I bought from sterling soap for about 10 bucks and used it for the last week and noticed it is getting it wear fast!!
I am smart enough to realize a better brush should be more then 10 bucks!!
So what suggestions for mid price 30-50 bucks would you suggest?
I do enjoy the soap and love the lather and scent everyday!!
Thanks again for your input!!
Have a great day.

 

[lvanerstrom]

I think a good brush should last several years at least, even with regular use. Most people have more than one brush so the longevity goes way up.

The most important thing to me is comfort while using it so for me that means a very economical handle and very soft bristles.

Parker brushes are a good mid range I think.

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[Lightcs1776]

I haven't tried Stirling's brushes, so I can't compare them to other brands. A good badger brush will generally cost $30 and up. A good boar brush can be found for less than $20. I have a Semogue 1520 that I really like. A good synthetic brush can be found for less than $15,sometimes less than $10 on sale.

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[emwolf]

My favorite brushes have been less expensive models. I have a 4 year old Delong Silvertip that cost $30 and is one of the nicest brushes I've ever used. I have a Plissoft Monster Synthetic which was under $20 that is a dream to use. I've got a Vie Long horse hair that was under $20 and is still a good brush (but losing some hairs after about 2 years). I'm still trying to find the boar brush that sends me.

 

[jar_]

Many of the brushes I use are well over a half century old.

 

[BigJ]

A good brush should last a long time. I have a number that I rotate, so really cannot say how long any would last with daily use. Given your price point I would look at some of the boar options, probably from Semogue or Omega. You may well be able to pick more than one.

 

[sjerquinn]

Which Stirling brush is it? What do you mean by "wear fast"? Just trying to understand your experience better. It could be that your brush is getting through its break-in. Or if you've only had it a week and the wear you're experiencing is not typical to that particular brush, maybe you got a lemon and Stirling can remedy the situation for you. I've had nothing but stellar CS from Stirling and if there's a problem with your brush, I'm sure they'll take care of you.

 

[Gobucks01]

I do think it is just breaking it in? As I said i am new at this and really had no ideal they last so long.
I do love Sterling and have ordered from them twice. Super fast love the free sample they give you. And have herd so many positives things about them.
I will use it for a while now and think later getting a badger one just to see the difference. This is it :
BOAR BRUSH - 24MM X 57MM

 

[sjerquinn]

Boars do have a bit of a break in period. It took my Omega a couple of months to break in. You're only a week into use so you're in for a treat once it starts performing to it's full potential. I've heard great things about that brush and it's really the only other boar I'm interested in owning.

 

[Gobucks01]

Thanks so much to everyone help.
Still learning but LOVING wet shaving.

 

[azwetshaver]

Oh yeah, that boar brush will change more so than any other type of brush. That is actually one of the romantic allures of boars. They break in and over time become very soft. The more you use it the softer it gets. Some say as soft as any Badger. I haven't used a boar that long to find out.

Your brush should last years. As you use a boar, the tips will start to split. This is normal and this is what makes them soft. All the tips don't split as once. This is what causes the longer break in period. At around 50 uses, it should be pretty broken in. If you want to try a Badger go for the Stirling Finest. Nothing but great reviews of that brush. If not, keep using your boar. It sounds like it's breaking in nicely if you can see/feel a difference.

 

[dfoulk]

After about a month of using that boar brush the tips will split and it will become softer and more comfortable to use. So you have that going for you. Boar brushes can be had in the $15 to $20 range making them a very good value. I much prefer badger over boar myself and they're much more luxurious to me.

As far as the boar vs. badger thing goes silvertip badger brushes are significantly more expensive. You'll find most of the cheap ones to be scratchy, may shed and are of a lower quality. It's not abnormal for a higher quality silvertip brush to run in the $200 plus range. Most of the decent ones start showing up in the $60 plus range however if you know which ones to buy you can find a very good silvertip brush for less than this.

A quality badger brush can easily last ten years or more, so the cost isn't really as high as one might think once it's spread out over it's lifespan. in your price range, I'd recommend the Stirling Silvertip Fan brush which will run you about $43 delivered to your door. It's an excellent brush that performs well above it's price point. Stirling items are usually a very good value. It has a lot of the qualities that I look for in a higher end 2 band silvertip knot. It exhibits good backbone while still being really soft and has zero scritch. Really a very nice brush and an excellent value. The handle is a bit big for the brush which is the only knock I have against it. Also note that the butterscotch handle is really a brighter orange color and not a traditional butterscotch. I do own this brush in butterscotch and I'd choose it in black if I had a do over. Personal preference but to me the black looks a bit more classy.