I refer to some shave brushes as "generic" because they are budget brushes, and they usually carry the name of a retailer that sells other brands of merchandise as well as their own store-brand, of course (sometimes generic is also known as store-brand). Many generic brushes are great deals, and some are high-quality. Now, you won't see many generic Silvertip brushes on the market because the whole point of a generic item is to keep the cost and price low. If a generic brush's cost is similar to a brush that belongs to one of the bigger brands, people might buy the bigger brand's brush instead because they know more about the bigger brand. For example, some people might rather have a Best Badger brush from a well known brand instead of a generic Silvertip Badger brush for the same price.
It is hard to tell if a generic brush (even if it is labeled Silvertip) is high-quality. That uncertainty plays a role in people's choices because they don't know exactly what they're buying. Some generics are merely private labels, while some are original creations. Private labels are products one company makes for another company under contract. Usually, it is hard to find out which company actually made the product. If you know which company actually makes the brushes for another one on the list, please chime in. This is part of why I love these forums. There is a wealth in information to be read. One must definitely sift, but all the data is there. However, I couldn't find a list of generic shaving brushes and their brands on this forum (B&B).
I have been looking at some generic brushes to buy and try out because I love quality, but not the cost involved. If I wasn't in college, it wouldn't as much of a problem. Currently, I have a T&H Classic in Medium (Rooney 3/2 equivalent, but supposedly about 15% denser). It's a great all-rounder, but for soaps and face-lathering, I would like to try something a little smaller like a Simpson Duke 2 while still retaining the quality of a Shavemac or Thater without breaking the bank. Also, I don't particularly want another Rooney at this time since I already have one, and I would like to try others. I might list my problem in another thread for some suggestions. So anyway, this got me thinking that there must be some lower cost options out there.
I felt that a list was missing, so that is why I am creating this post. I will list the generic brands I know off the top of my head, and other's can list brands I have left out below. I will amend this post to include those that other people mention. I will try to include website information as well for easy access. If anyone wants to add anything extra like sharing briefly that you had good experiences with certain brands, etc. I am sure myself and other readers would appreciate it. Just remember, there are other forum topic threads to discuss product reviews in greater detail. You can provide a link if you like, and I may add that in later. This topic's purpose is mainly to let people know their cheaper options other than the big brands like 30 Degree, Art of Shaving, Baxter of California, Dovo, Dr. Dittmar, Edwin Jagger, Gold Dach's, FM Brush, Kent, men-u, Merkur, Muhle, Omega, Parker, Pils, Plisson, Proraso, Rooney, Savile Row, Semogue, Shavemac, Simpson, Thater, Thiers, Vie-Long, Vulfix, etc, etc, etc. You get the idea. And now, what everyone's all been waiting for:
The Generic Shaving Brush List
I should mention Frank Shaving. While technically Frank does not have a generic brush, FS is a Chinese budget manufacturer that makes discount brushes for retailers to sell. I mainly see their brushes sold on eBay stores that ship from Hong Kong, and I sometimes see them sold from retailers like Lee's Safety Razors or The Shave Shed. I am sure there are other discount brands out there, but I see FS mentioned regularly at B&B as an alternative, so I thought I should mention it here since it is generally regarded as a good value. However, some recent reports say FS may currently be having some QC issues.
It is hard to tell if a generic brush (even if it is labeled Silvertip) is high-quality. That uncertainty plays a role in people's choices because they don't know exactly what they're buying. Some generics are merely private labels, while some are original creations. Private labels are products one company makes for another company under contract. Usually, it is hard to find out which company actually made the product. If you know which company actually makes the brushes for another one on the list, please chime in. This is part of why I love these forums. There is a wealth in information to be read. One must definitely sift, but all the data is there. However, I couldn't find a list of generic shaving brushes and their brands on this forum (B&B).
I have been looking at some generic brushes to buy and try out because I love quality, but not the cost involved. If I wasn't in college, it wouldn't as much of a problem. Currently, I have a T&H Classic in Medium (Rooney 3/2 equivalent, but supposedly about 15% denser). It's a great all-rounder, but for soaps and face-lathering, I would like to try something a little smaller like a Simpson Duke 2 while still retaining the quality of a Shavemac or Thater without breaking the bank. Also, I don't particularly want another Rooney at this time since I already have one, and I would like to try others. I might list my problem in another thread for some suggestions. So anyway, this got me thinking that there must be some lower cost options out there.
I felt that a list was missing, so that is why I am creating this post. I will list the generic brands I know off the top of my head, and other's can list brands I have left out below. I will amend this post to include those that other people mention. I will try to include website information as well for easy access. If anyone wants to add anything extra like sharing briefly that you had good experiences with certain brands, etc. I am sure myself and other readers would appreciate it. Just remember, there are other forum topic threads to discuss product reviews in greater detail. You can provide a link if you like, and I may add that in later. This topic's purpose is mainly to let people know their cheaper options other than the big brands like 30 Degree, Art of Shaving, Baxter of California, Dovo, Dr. Dittmar, Edwin Jagger, Gold Dach's, FM Brush, Kent, men-u, Merkur, Muhle, Omega, Parker, Pils, Plisson, Proraso, Rooney, Savile Row, Semogue, Shavemac, Simpson, Thater, Thiers, Vie-Long, Vulfix, etc, etc, etc. You get the idea. And now, what everyone's all been waiting for:
The Generic Shaving Brush List
- Above the Tie — View Brush(es)
- Badger & Blade — View Brush(es) (L.E.)
Thread(s): 1
- Classic Shaving — View Brush(es)
Thread(s): 1
- Fendrihan (CA) — View Brush(es)
- Grooming Lounge — View Brush(es)
Thread(s): 0
- Italian Barber (CA) — View Brush(es) (L.E.)
- Men's Biz (AU) — View Brush(es)
Thread(s): 0
- QED — View Brush(es)
- Royal Shave — View Brush(es)
Thread(s): 1
- Safety Razors (UK) — View Brush(es)
Thread(s): 0
- The Shaving Shack (UK) — View Brush(es)
Thread(s): 0
- The Traditional Shaving Company (UK) — View Brush(es)
Thread(s): 0
- Vintage Blades — View Brush(es)
I should mention Frank Shaving. While technically Frank does not have a generic brush, FS is a Chinese budget manufacturer that makes discount brushes for retailers to sell. I mainly see their brushes sold on eBay stores that ship from Hong Kong, and I sometimes see them sold from retailers like Lee's Safety Razors or The Shave Shed. I am sure there are other discount brands out there, but I see FS mentioned regularly at B&B as an alternative, so I thought I should mention it here since it is generally regarded as a good value. However, some recent reports say FS may currently be having some QC issues.
Last edited: