Sully,
If I understand you correctly, you're asking about the differences in quality between makers and within brands.
First, some brands are more expensive than others. One would like to think its due to the higher quality, but that isn't always the case. That being said, if you go with Rooney, Simpson's, or Shavemac, you will be getting a well made brush.
Then there are several factors which increase price. Knot Size: More hair, more money. Density: also, more hair more money. Materials: Horn or other fancy materials cost more.
Personally, if I'm going to spend $100+ on a brush, which sadly, most of my brushes are, I want a name brand with "pedigree". I'm sure omega makes nice badgers. I have one of their boars and its decent. But for $175 I'd rather go with the tried and true simpson's or shavemac. In my personal opinion, an omega like that is outside of its market. It doesn't have the same "cachet" for lack of a better word, that Rooney and Simpson's have in particular. Shavemac doesn't have the same heritage as those 2 english brands, but its made a name for itself because of its quality. I think that speaks volumes about their brushes.
Also, there are LEs and the like which cost more money. To me, thats paying for exclusivity, but that most certainly isn't always the case.
To compare 2 brushes, lets take the Simpson's Berkeley and Classic 1. The berkeley has a 20mm knot, and the classic has a 22mm knot. They are hand made, so there are variations. I suspect the classic 1 is closer to 20mm than 22mm. Anyway, the classic 1 is double the price of the berkeley. Why, you ask? Because it has much more hair. This drastically changes the feel of the brush. Some people like that, some don't. It's personal preference. It's not to say that the classic is 2x's better than the berkeley, but the differences in materials mean it is twice as expensive.
Generally speaking, the more expensive models have more attention to detail. You better believe that the people tying the knots on a $250 Chubby are more thorough and careful than on a $35 Special. Some may argue that there should be the same attention to all models, but lets face it, there isn't nor should there be. It's not to say that the less expensive models aren't good brushes or well made, but they will be more prone to having the occasional issue.
If I were you, I would decide what you like in brush, and go from there. If you're looking for a dense, scrubby face latherer, I can give recommendations. If you're looking for a pillowy soft bowl latherer, then you're going to want to go with a different brand and model than I would recommend for a face lathering soaps.
If I understand you correctly, you're asking about the differences in quality between makers and within brands.
First, some brands are more expensive than others. One would like to think its due to the higher quality, but that isn't always the case. That being said, if you go with Rooney, Simpson's, or Shavemac, you will be getting a well made brush.
Then there are several factors which increase price. Knot Size: More hair, more money. Density: also, more hair more money. Materials: Horn or other fancy materials cost more.
Personally, if I'm going to spend $100+ on a brush, which sadly, most of my brushes are, I want a name brand with "pedigree". I'm sure omega makes nice badgers. I have one of their boars and its decent. But for $175 I'd rather go with the tried and true simpson's or shavemac. In my personal opinion, an omega like that is outside of its market. It doesn't have the same "cachet" for lack of a better word, that Rooney and Simpson's have in particular. Shavemac doesn't have the same heritage as those 2 english brands, but its made a name for itself because of its quality. I think that speaks volumes about their brushes.
Also, there are LEs and the like which cost more money. To me, thats paying for exclusivity, but that most certainly isn't always the case.
To compare 2 brushes, lets take the Simpson's Berkeley and Classic 1. The berkeley has a 20mm knot, and the classic has a 22mm knot. They are hand made, so there are variations. I suspect the classic 1 is closer to 20mm than 22mm. Anyway, the classic 1 is double the price of the berkeley. Why, you ask? Because it has much more hair. This drastically changes the feel of the brush. Some people like that, some don't. It's personal preference. It's not to say that the classic is 2x's better than the berkeley, but the differences in materials mean it is twice as expensive.
Generally speaking, the more expensive models have more attention to detail. You better believe that the people tying the knots on a $250 Chubby are more thorough and careful than on a $35 Special. Some may argue that there should be the same attention to all models, but lets face it, there isn't nor should there be. It's not to say that the less expensive models aren't good brushes or well made, but they will be more prone to having the occasional issue.
If I were you, I would decide what you like in brush, and go from there. If you're looking for a dense, scrubby face latherer, I can give recommendations. If you're looking for a pillowy soft bowl latherer, then you're going to want to go with a different brand and model than I would recommend for a face lathering soaps.
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