Wow - what a difference a decent brush makes!

[HesNot]

Years ago my father taught me to shave in a 'proper' way (to us here at least) with a mug, soap and a DE razor. My stuff was all hand me downs from the old man - Old Spice mug, unknown brush and a Gillette adjustable. I stuck with the soap/brush through college and into post college (but succombed to the Trac II/Atra/Sensor trilogy) but eventually went to canned goop like so many others in the interest of convenience.

A year or so back I decided that my unhappiness with the Sensor/Goop shave led me back to wetshaving. I'd long since misplaced or gotten rid of my stuff so I acquired a Gillette adjustable here and dropped by AOS and got their mini kit to see if I still liked it. I've been using that small brush for some time and it has worked OK and will now become my travel brush (sure wish I still had that C&E travel brush my dad had...).

But I acquired a Rooney 3/1 best badger here and gave it a run this morning, and holy guacamole was that a luxurious experience by comparison! I know this is obvious to some but for a guy who has never used an even decent brush by B&B standards, well it was a bit of an epiphany. It made my shave so much more enjoyable, and so much more comfortable.

I didn't think a brush was that critical an element, but for anyone who is on the fence about whether it is worth investing a little bit more in a nicer badger brush - well it is worth every penny!

 

[petr]

I've been researching those old brushes that every man used. No wonder they broke away from using a brush.

 

[alabamalawyer]

Congrats on the new brush! You made an excellent choice with the Rooney.

 

[Hercule]

I've been researching those old brushes that every man used. No wonder they broke away from using a brush.

Would be interesting to hear what you've found so far. I suspect that the trend away from using a brush was not because of equipment.

H

 

[HesNot]

It is an interesting question. The brushes I had were not his favorites I suspect - he had a nice C&E brush I seem to recall - but mostly I think used the various drug store types. I remember mine shed like crazy and didn't hold a ton of water. It certainly wasn't as plush as this Rooney or my mini AOS badger for that matter.

Convenience and shaving as a chore - rather than an opportunity for a bit of luxury and getting in touch with your roots (something Peter Mayle espoused and argued for) - likely drove/drives much of the equipment choices. Not to mention King Gillette's unique business model (most recently replicated by the ink jet printer industry). But if more people experienced a really nice shave, including a quality cream/soap and a nice badger brush it might give folks a reason to come back. My choice was more a dissatisfaction with current technologies and less a fondness for the quality of the shaves of my youth. But perhaps paradoxically the equipment now seems much nicer than what I used back in the day...

 

[kevinm]

.........Convenience and shaving as a chore - rather than an opportunity for a bit of luxury and getting in touch with your roots (something Peter Mayle espoused and argued for) - likely drove/drives much of the equipment choices. Not to mention King Gillette's unique business model (most recently replicated by the ink jet printer industry)......

Very true and well put.

Unfortunately, there are so many people (maybe the majority) who just wouldn't care enough to alter their course. We here, on B&B, are in general a self-selected minority who do care, not only about shaving I suspect, but about many other small aspects of our routine lives.

 

[goby]

I didn't think a brush was that critical an element, but for anyone who is on the fence about whether it is worth investing a little bit more in a nicer badger brush - well it is worth every penny!

Is doesn't need to be badger... it could be a SEMOGUE!!!

 

[Rivguy]

Enjoy your new brush, and yes a nice brush does make a difference in the quality of the shaving experience. A fine brush makes most soaps and creams perform better and adds to the pleasure of shaving.

Happy shaving,

Doug

 

[ducatisteve]

I totally agree. After using a handful of cheap pure badger brushes I got my Savile Row 3824 from QED and now I have gone from getting a good shave to really enjoying my great shave.

 

[jmadison76]

I was just searching the forum and was going to post a question on how important a good shaving brush is compared to having a good soap/razor/blades when I found your post. Thanks for answering the question for me. Now I just have to decide on the brush to get with so many choices its hard to pick one.

 

[SkipH]

I managed to get in on the overruns of the custom Simpson Eagle 3 in Best Badger, and it has been quite an experience. My previous brush was a Col. Conk Badger with the metal handle. It was a good brush but not in the same league as the Eagle 3. It does make a difference. Wet shaving is something that is generally a 'lost art'. Men don't have the luxury of pampering themselves the way women do (please, this is not sexist). Shaving is one of the few ways that a man can. It is not so much a chore or daily task as it is a way to enjoy a bit of luxury. I have friends who use electric razors (I really hate to call them that), that don't really understand wet shaving. Unfortunately my father didn't really know how to shave properly so I learned the bad techniques, canned goo, lots of pressure with a DE which led to razor burn and lots of irritation. That is the primary reason I grew a full beard, which I still have. I do enjoy shaving now, even if it is my neck only. I have been back to DE razors since March of this year, although I have used a brush and soap for the past 10 or so years. and it all makes a difference.

 

[jamesdr]

I started out with a tweezerman badger brush and that was all i knew. It worked for me for a while but i had thoughts of another brushes. I bought a Savile Row and Shavemac and i was blown away by the change in my shave experience. I agree that wet shaving is one of the only remaining areas where man can pamper themselves. Though we will not call in pampering, but "Exercising our manliness through calm collective wet shaving precision." Plus other reasons to! Either way I enjoy the variety of different brushes, just as i enjoy using different soaps and creams.

 

[beandoc]

A year or so back I decided that my unhappiness with the Sensor/Goop shave led me back to wetshaving. I'd long since misplaced or gotten rid of my stuff so I acquired a Gillette adjustable here and dropped by AOS and got their mini kit to see if I still liked it. I've been using that small brush for some time and it has worked OK and will now become my travel brush (sure wish I still had that C&E travel brush my dad had...).

The small AOS brush is the one I have been using for several years, and it has been good enough to get by. I have been wanting a new brush for SO long, and your post might push me over the edge toward buying one!

 

[jmadison76]

I agree that since I have been using a brush and shaving soap my experience at shaving has been more enjoyable. BTW I have been using a shaving brush and shaving soap for the past 6 years even thought I might ben considered a newbee on these forums becuse I don't post that often, I don't know how much a brush has to do with the quality of shave you get. I believe it has more to do with the soap (most important in the quality of shave) and the water you get from the sink. I just moved temporaly to Florida and the my quality of shave went down because of the water, not because of the brush I am using or the soap, but because of the water from the sink. The only thing I can think of to change right now is the soap because changing brushes wont matter that much. I just bought two of Frank's brushes from ebay. I don't think it will change my quality of shave experience but it might change how I experience shaving. If that make sense.