So dang many choices so if I were to choose 'tween these 3...

[MikeDS]

...which would be "best?"

They're all similarly priced. I got a Parker piece of poop boar hair that's already falling apart as my first brush. Please advise. Thanks!

Omega 63167 Stripey 100% Pure Badger

Omega 63171 Stripey 100% Pure Badger

Omega 13109 Creamy Curved Handle Pure Badger

Found 'em all on Amazon. I'm not sure that would be my final vendor but it's easy to find/review them there.

 

[njpaddy]

I started with the Omega Stripey 63171, but found it way too floppy and two months later upgraded to a better brush and gave the Stripey away. That was a wasted $30. Let us know what your budget is. From what I spent on a couple of cheap brushes, I could have gotten a great one to begin with.

 

[MikeDS]

I started with the Omega Stripey 63171, but found it way too floppy and two months later upgraded to a better brush and gave the Stripey away. That was a wasted $30. Let us know what your budget is. From what I spent on a couple of cheap brushes, I could have gotten a great one to begin with.

I'd say $45 or less.

 

[Vlad]

Wish I could talk you out of a pure badger. At that price point you're getting a really low-end badger. I would recommend getting a good boar instead, and you'll be very happy with it. It's just my opinion, but I bet 75% or more of the guys here would agree with me.

 

[hometownhero]

Why not restore a vintage handle they are cheap and new knots are also cheap then you can get a better grade of hair then pure for less cash.

 

[MikeDS]

Wish I could talk you out of a pure badger. At that price point you're getting a really low-end badger. I would recommend getting a good boar instead, and you'll be very happy with it. It's just my opinion, but I bet 75% or more of the guys here would agree with me.

Oh you can definitely talk me out of pure badger. My heart's not set. I just read some reviews of those and everybody seemed to like them. Plus remember I'm new. I don't really know what's good or bad except that the one I currently have sucks.

 

[MikeDS]

Why not restore a vintage handle they are cheap and new knots are also cheap then you can get a better grade of hair then pure for less cash.

That sounds cool but I know I'd never really take the time to do that. This new shaving obesession takes up what little free time I already had!

 

[danparker77]

Wish I could talk you out of a pure badger. At that price point you're getting a really low-end badger. I would recommend getting a good boar instead, and you'll be very happy with it. It's just my opinion, but I bet 75% or more of the guys here would agree with me.

+1 I think the Omega boars (10049, 81052, ........) are great brushes for a small amount of coin.


Dont forget about the B&B "review" section. Lots of good info in there.

Omega 49 review

Omega 81052 review

 

[Go West Young Man]

I used nothing but pure badger for the first 2 years of shaving with a brush, and I wish I had gone up a notch or two in quality earlier. The price differences aren't that big, but the performance and feel between pure and best or fine is really noticeable.

 

[kbuzbee]

Oh you can definitely talk me out of pure badger. My heart's not set. I just read some reviews of those and everybody seemed to like them. Plus remember I'm new. I don't really know what's good or bad except that the one I currently have sucks.

Semogue also gets great reviews for their boar brushes. You'll find several in the reviews section. Bruno at Vintagesents.com carries them and is well regarded here.(see his section in "vendor" username Leon.

I don't own one. Went pretty much to Silvertip and have been very happy there but the general comment is a high end boar beats a low end badger on both performance and cost. There is a breakin period of a month or so for the tips to soften up but after that, you should be good to go. If I were starting over, I'd probably start there (but I'm not I LOVE my silvertips!)

Edit - good review going on here:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=176264

Good luck!

Ken

 

[hometownhero]

That sounds cool but I know I'd never really take the time to do that. This new shaving obesession takes up what little free time I already had!

Dosent really take much time at all. About 5-15 min to drill the knot and fill with epoxy then let it dry. then about another 5-15 min to drill the depth out and epoxy the knot in. This is just a suggestion as it is a lot cheaper. heck you can get a silvertip for ~$20

 

[njpaddy]

I'd say $45 or less.

If it was a little higher, I'd highly recommend a Simpson Colonel X2L for $65 at West Coast. That was my latest brush and it's great with soaps or creams and bowl or face lathering. I think it's a better all-around brush than my more expensive Rooney Super. I'm not sure what's available in the $40 range. There's a Rooney Pure and Edwin Jagger in Best, but I don't know how they are. You could search the Brush Forum. I know I saw some recent mentions of the EJ Best. Based on my experience, I think if you bought the Omega, you'll be shopping around again in a couple of months like I was. Of course if you liked your boar, you can get a good Semogue for around $30. I had a Semogue 830, but didn't have the patience to break it in and sold it.

 

[baquah]

I know I saw some recent mentions of the EJ Best. Based on my experience, I think if you bought the Omega, you'll be shopping around again in a couple of months like I was.

My mileage differed...I gave away a small EJ best badger in favor of an Omega 81052 boar. It cut-down soaps much better for me, feels just as soft and has some backbone. Still waiting on that B&B Semogue to show up, though.

I'd vote for a good boar (Semogue 1305 or Omega 81052; you decide from the reviews) before a "pricey == good" badger (purely from a pocketbook point of view). If that thought strikes you as odd, my brush-radar is picking up a Simpson's Berkeley which is about in the budget and has been readily discussed recently (and if it has the same quality as their G3 Eagle, wow!)

 

[AJMiami]

Simpson Berkley