Your top 5 badger brushes for face lathering

[discerningbev]

What say the board?

I have a Declaration Grooming 28mm fan coming that should crack my top 5 and hopefully will be in my top 2.

Mine would be:
1) Paladin Butterscotch El Dorado knot#2CLSA5 bulb
2) Morris & Forndran L7 2 band finest 26mm bulb
3) Shavemac 26mm 2 band Silvertip Fan
4) Paladin Falstaff Somerset knot#2CM2L3 26mm fan
5) Elite Razor Manchurian badger 26mm fan

 

[discerningbev]

Great thread. As a synthetic fanatic who hasn’t had much luck with badgers, I’ll be following this quite intently.

My Rooney and Muhle were big let downs.

Also have a few incoming:

Rudy Vey / Shavemac 25mm 2-Band Fan 2018 Group Buy.
Declaration Grooming 24mm B5.
Paladin Tut with 2CSLE4 26mm knot.

Cheers.

You got some great badgers coming. I don’t see how those will be a let down. Let me know your thoughts when you get them.

 

[BigJ]

Great question!!

My current ‘rotation’ includes the following:
Simpsons 57
Simpsons Duke 2 best
Simpsons Chubby 1 best
Simpsons Tulip 2 super
Simpsons Classic 2

The newest contender is a brand new Rudy Vey Shavemac 2 band.

In addition I have three brushes that get used less often:
Simpsons Wee Scot
Old blond ‘no name’ boar that I have had for decades
Muhle HJM black badger

Many others have come and gone but these are the ones that will stay in my humble den!

 

[ShavePastor]

I only have 3 so maybe I aint qualified enough to answer, but these were bought selectively (budget considering) after much research here. And one was custom made for me by @Graydog.

1. Maseto 30mm Silvertip Fan
2. Yaqi 24mm Silvertip Fan
3. Graydog Olive wood 26mm Maggard 2 band

I know there's a whole lotta other good brushes out there, but these are my top 3 (and only) badger brushes I have. They are all really good face latherers IMO.

 

[jar_]

AS4 (Abraham & Straus Co. ) Best Badger (made by Simpson and based on the Polo handle) likely made before 1970
Peerless (Canadian; they also made shaving brushes in the US) unknown model and just Badger likely from 1960s; the band is silver with no coating and often needs polishing
Dunhill (made by Rooney) Super Badger likely 1960s to 1970s
Macy's Associates ( <E> Diamond E; no one seems to know who <E> was but possibly Erskine) Pure Badger with a hopefully stabilized crack in handle likely 1950s to 1960s
Kent C8 (possibly made by Simpson) Pure Badger made in 1923

From Left to Right:AS4, Peerless, Dunhill, Macy's Associates, Kent:

 

[discerningbev]

I only have 3 so maybe I aint qualified enough to answer, but these were bought selectively (budget considering) after much research here. And one was custom made for me by @Graydog.

1. Maseto 30mm Silvertip Fan
2. Yaqi 24mm Silvertip Fan
3. Graydog Olive wood 26mm Maggard 2 band

View attachment 884790

I know there's a whole lotta other good brushes out there, but these are my top 3 (and only) badger brushes I have. They are all really good face latherers IMO.

Those look Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Jut]

1. Rooney Heritage Stubby 2XL
2. Simpson Chubby 1 Super
3. Simpson Chubby 3 Super
4. Shavemac D01 2 Band Flat Top 20 x 42
5. Simpson Tulip 2 Super

 

[Gunsblazing]

My top 1-5 consists of Paladins and Thater funf brushes. Either or, you can’t go wrong.

 

[DEdestroyer77]

1 - Declaration Brushworks (any)
2 - see # 1
3 - Elite Razor HMW

 

[Acmemfg]

Rudy Vey Custom 26mm D01 “Aloysious Brush”
2018 Rudy Vey Shavemac Group Buy-three band badger
Paladin 26mm Butterscotch Lotus
Simpson Colonel X2L
Paladin 26mm Lapis Chief

 

[Kurtis]

I have a few different variations of Shavemac's Finest knot. All under 50mm and ranging from 20mm to 24mm. These are by far my favorites. A relatively inexpensive knot that doesn't get the credit it deserves.

 

[Marco]

1. Simpson Chubby 1 Super
2. Simpson Chubby 1 Best

3. Simpson Duke 3 Best
4. Simpson Duke 2 Best​

5. Vulfix #18 Pure

 

[njpaddy]

1. Thater 4125/2 2-band
2. Thater 4125/1 2-band
3. Thater 49125/0 3-band (Thater /0 knot is too small & ranks lower than #5 with tallow soaps, but #2 with non-tallow).
4. (tie) Rooney 1/1 and Rooney 3/1 silvertips. Same performance, different handle.
5. Stirling 24mm synthetic Chrome handle (heavy handle makes brush unbalanced, but knot will lather any soap).

Comments:
- 2 of my 8 Simpsons (56 & Special) might have made the list had I not PIF'd them to friends.
- After 20+ badgers, I hated my first two synths. I still can't believe the Stirling knot is this good.
- Tried and didn't like 3 boars.

 

[discerningbev]

Just got a custom Brad Sears Arley 30mm bulb and I have to say it is in my top 2. True yellow blonde badger tips and the tips are softer than my Paladin, M&F, Elite Manchurian, Shavemac. High quality Badger hair! It feels like high quality sea island cotton or pima cotton!

 

[kluber]

I only have one and it’s new.
Simpson Duke in best. Great face lathering brush. Otherwise I generally use synthetics. Found most about the same. Muhle STF and Fine Stout work well too.

 

[dfoulk]

Some of my favorites:

Declaration Brushworks 24mm b4 knot in Rubberset 400 handle
Declaration Brushworks 24mm b2 knot in Rubberset 400 handle
M&F L7 26mm Fan in Finest
M&F L7 25mm Fan in 3 band
Shavemac 2 band (not the d01) 24mm bulb in Wolf Whisker's handle
Elite Manchurian 24mm Fan knot in Rubberset 400 handle

 

[discerningbev]

These beauts might be my #1

 

[Northstonehill]

Great question!!

My current ‘rotation’ includes the following:
Simpsons 57
Simpsons Duke 2 best
Simpsons Chubby 1 best
Simpsons Tulip 2 super
Simpsons Classic 2

The newest contender is a brand new Rudy Vey Shavemac 2 band.

In addition I have three brushes that get used less often:
Simpsons Wee Scot
Old blond ‘no name’ boar that I have had for decades
Muhle HJM black badger

Many others have come and gone but these are the ones that will stay in my humble den!

Hey BigJ - I am seriously considering diving in for a Chubby 1 - What do you find great and less great about this particular model?

Thanks for sharing your expert knowledge with this Semogue boar fan considering widening his scope!

 

[BigJ]

Hey BigJ - I am seriously considering diving in for a Chubby 1 - What do you find great and less great about this particular model?

Thanks for sharing your expert knowledge with this Semogue boar fan considering widening his scope!

Great question! And Semogue makes terrific boar brushes IMO.

My preferences are to face lather with smaller, dense brushes with outstanding backbone. If that is what you want, then the Chubby 1 may well be the answer!

Now, the handle may be a bit ‘chubby’ for some and the brush tends to take a lot of soap to load. These characteristics are not a problem for me, but they may cause problems for some.

Bottom line: Simpsons Chubby series are ‘must try’ brushes for anyone considering an iconic badger IMO!

Hope this helps!

 

[Northstonehill]

Great question! And Semogue makes terrific boar brushes IMO.

My preferences are to face lather with smaller, dense brushes with outstanding backbone. If that is what you want, then the Chubby 1 may well be the answer!

Now, the handle may be a bit ‘chubby’ for some and the brush tends to take a lot of soap to load. These characteristics are not a problem for me, but they may cause problems for some.

Bottom line: Simpsons Chubby series are ‘must try’ brushes for anyone considering an iconic badger IMO!

Hope this helps!

Thank you sir, this helps a lot. As I indeed like brushes with some grit (hence the boar love) I suspect this high density and backbone may well be what I am looking for. Have a couple of other best badgers (Edwin Jagger) and they are just too soft for me when using soaps - as is what I mostly do these days.

And admittedly, I just love highend products and feel a growing need to check the Simpsons out. I am thinking either the Chubby 1 or a Duke but think the Chubby is what I will try (start at the top!).

I also went fast to the top with razors when my first DE was not really fitting my tastes. And that (AS-D2) worked out wonderfully, haha.

So when it comes to this hobby my philosophy is: When in doubt - upgrade!