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I was looking for a brush and realized I have no idea what to look for. Maybe you guys can help. I am using castle forbes shaving cream.
The brush I have now is a cheap one that came with a bowl and cake of soap. It gets the job done, but it feels like I am putting on the lather with a straw broom.
I am looking for something under $50.
Any suggestions ?
2 days and counting til first straight razor shave...........
Get a Semogue boar from the vintage scent.
Thank me later.
Jims suggestion is good! You could try and see if you can get a New Forest brush, in silvertip or two band aswell. Fantastic value for the money! I think. I've got a fantastic Semogue though, but it's more than 50 usd and I've got several brushes from New Forest and they're all _very_ good for the price.
Frank shaving brush. are good for a reasonable price.
Use more than one year now the other Silvertip am very pleased link < iantang
There are so many choices out there you're head will spin.
You need to decide what's important to you. You want a fancy handle or plain? You want scrubby or soft or backbone or floppy or in between? How big a brush do you want both in loft and handle? How much do you have budgeted? You want boar or horse or badger or synthetic?
Figure all that out and then you can start looking at specific brushes.
I don't speak from experience, but from lots of online reading. A fair starting brush, i.e. "good for all use", should be something like:
- knot from 19 to 25mm, ideally from 22 to 24mm
- loft from 40 to 60mm, ideally from 46 to 54 mm
- shape : bulb is more standard and polyvalent I think, fan is less. And I believe that fan may be better for face lathering or for soap
- hair type : any badger type (from low to high quality and price : Pure Badger, Finest Badger, Silver-Tip Badger)
I can't advise you any brand but you couldn't go wrong with a brush that has these characteristics.
Finally, you can read more on this forum or wiki (Brushes - Straight Razor Place Wiki)
cheers
christophe
If you look at the prices of the actual badger knots, they're quite a small fraction of the costs of luxury brushes. whippeddog.com has some nicely priced brushes in simple handles.
There's also a nice selection and lots of descriptive text at The Superior Shave; scroll nearly to the bottom to hit the brushes.
Badger is softer than boar. The cheaper grades of badger are stiffer than the more expensive ones. Some people like that stiffness. There are zillions of choices because there are zillions of preferences.
Have a read in the Brushes forum, and check out the brush reviews there. Maybe it will make your head spin less. Maybe more. Brushes are the one thing I haven't collected lots of.
Should you choose Semogue (love mine), there is FINALLY a US supplier
Shaving Brushes - Semogue - Lee's Safety Razors
My 620 is on its way. Most popular is the 1305/830. I like to face lather hard soaps, so backbone is big medicine for me. When I saw Obie's review of the 620, that ended the question as to which one. Most prefer a softer brush - which the 1305/830 fills nicely.
A quick look at whipped dog - 'seems like a lot of brush for the $$.
Hello, Tcadien: Yes, that Semogue 620 is a good boar brush. Little thing. I still have mine and use it often. Another brush you might consider, for about $22, is the Omega No. 31025 (red handle) and its counterpart 31064 (black handle). I have this, a 26 mm. boar, I believe, and already it has become one of my preferred brushes. I have found many of the reasonably priced Omega brushes great for starters. Also, I have several Frank brushes that are good for the money. The silvertip is too floppy, though. Iantang's service is superb.
Just ordered a Semogue 620. Seemed like I would like a boar brush. I have a cheap wal-mart brand one that i could only assume is boar, or something comparable, and I like it, except it doesnt build lather well.
Personally I would suggest saving yourself 25.00 more in pennies and grabbing a Rooney 3/1 Super...It's a solid all-around brush.