Suggestions on shaving brush under $50...

[warhawk]

Hope all is well with U and your families. I am currently using the badger brush (Shea Moisture) from Target. It serves a good purpose but it's the only brush I have ever owned. I am looking to find a good quality brush for under $50. Should I get a badger or boar? Thanks in advance for your thoughts, suggestions, and opinions.

WARHAWK

 

[xraygun]

Simpsons Berkeley in Best Badger from West Coast Shaving is the ticket. Use the BANDB code for 10% off. Fantastic all around brush.

 

[Joe Edson]

Simpsons Berkeley in Best Badger from West Coast Shaving is the ticket. Use the BANDB code for 10% off. Fantastic all around brush.

This - I have many high end brushes, but for the price the Berkeley can't be beat. I picked one up recently for travel and other reasons and it is a great, great brush in that price bracket.

 

[Bobtrumpet]

Simpsons Berkeley in Best Badger from West Coast Shaving is the ticket. Use the BANDB code for 10% off. Fantastic all around brush.

+1

I just bought one. Just under $50 including shipping and the BANDB code. If you order more stuff and get to $80, shipping is free. I just wanted the brush, so the code basically paid for shipping. The Berkeley 46 is a terrific brush.

 

[Joe Edson]

+1

I just bought one. Just under $50 including shipping and the BANDB code. If you order more stuff and get to $80, shipping is free. I just wanted the brush, so the code basically paid for shipping. The Berkeley 46 is a terrific brush.

You can also get one at thesuperiorshave.com for $52 shipped. Gives you the added benefit of picking the brush yourself as Jarrod individually photographs his brushes. I'm willing to pay a little more anytime for this type of service allowing me to hand pick the brush I want.

 

[VerbaVolant]

Vulfix 660S Medium

This is the best value in the badger knot. It has the right backbone, density and it is filled with Super Badger hair. It is soft but not floppy. The handle is very comfortable with nice curves.
Vulfix 660S works very well with creams and soaps, and due to its size, suitable for both face and bowl lathering.

At $35 plus shipping (that would be around $43 shipped) I do not know a better brush. Period.

 

[Songwind]

I was going to mention the selection of nice Simpson brushes in Best, but I see I'm late to that party.

I'm coming to the end of a week of testing the Muehle Silvertip Fibers brushes, and they are excellent. You can pick on up at Shaving.ie for less than $40.

You can also pick up just about any nice boar or horse hair brush in your budget - probably two.

 

[beginish]

The Berkeley is great, but you should take a look at the truly great Semogue and Omega boar brushes, as well. For $50, you can pick up a couple to try some different options.

 

[rob74]

I would throw in that you might look into purchasing a vintage brush and reknotting it with a Finest Badger Hair knot from "The Golden Nib". It is my understanding that their knots are comparable to the knots in the high end brushes, and the total cost would be well below your budget. There is a lot of info in the Brush Restoration subforum.

 

[timj219]

For $50 you can get a budget badger or any boar from Omega. My own badger cost $56 (commodore #1 from superior) and I like it but I understand most people find it too small. I think it's fair to say that about the berkeley too. Since you already have a badger maybe the boar would be good to try. Mine is an Omega 20102 pro size ($15-$20) and I like it.

 

[Absolute Mustard]

$50 is a tough pricepoint if you want a good badger. Unfortunately you get what you pay for in that department

A good boar (Semogue) can be had for about $20, and you can decide if that is for you or not. It wasnt for me, so I went back to badger...but it will be hard to find a good badger under $50

 

[dom1357]

cheap brushes....in the 2 year's i've been wetshaving, i've only used cheap brushes. The tweezerman is good, but probably the same as your current brush. Currently I'm on a Semogue kick. I have the 1305, which is great. Once broken in, is softer than pure badger and works great with creams and soaps. I had great luck with a Frank Shaving brush on ebay as well, but a lot of other people knock it because it doesn't have a fancy name on it. I would say you can't go wrong with the 1305 though, solid brush.

 

[fcdiscus]

I can highly recommend the Vie Long Horse hair brush- my overall favorite.

 

[Neognosis]

Simpson has a few brushes at around 50 dollars that people seem to rave about: the Berkeley and Case come to mind, maybe try one of those?

 

[OldGreyGuy]

The Berkeley is great, but you should take a look at the truly great Semogue and Omega boar brushes, as well. For $50, you can pick up a couple to try some different options.

This.

I have both badgers and boars, and I find that certain brushes are better for differetn soaps. I really like boars with the Italian soft soaps like Cella, for example.

Try some different ones, not all faces and styles are the same.

 

[nannahill]

I got this one a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Jagger-1ej946sds-Traditional-English/dp/B002QHYYR0

Comes with a stand and is right at $50 and change. I've used it several times and have no complaints. No shedding, soft, good all round brush.

 

[GDCarrington]

Warhawk, have you ever considered an synthetic for under $50.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/287195-H-I-S-Synthetic-Brush?highlight=

 

[Slash McCoy]

For that budget, you can get a huge silvertip, if you don't mind a Chinese molded handle brush. A 30mm FS Silvertip will lather like its posessed. Even a 26mm is bigger than most silvertips selling for twice as much. Fit and finish, attention to detail, individualized craftsmanship, lathe turned handle, you don't get them with a FS brush. But you get a lather monster that won't let you down. The knots are very dense and have decent backbone from halfway out on into the handle, while still having a nice silky feel to the hair tips.

If the craftsmanship angle is important to you, more so than size, I think the Simpson is your brush. If you just want max functionality and crazy lathering, go with a FS brush.

I would not mess with a boar at this point. Unless you would buy a boar in addition to a badger. You might like the scrubby feel of a boar, but nobody will claim that a boar will lather like a comparable badger. And it won't be all that much cheaper than a black or pure badger. Just remember, if you get a boar, hold your judgement for after it has been used for a month or so. There is a significant break-in effect, and boars soften up a LOT from the brand new state.

 

[xraygun]

Great advice, but as the the Chairman of the Weird, get a Berkeley in Best Badger from WCS or The Superior Shave. "enact bookend power now"

 

[rxonmymind]

Semogue 620.