Thread: Brush Suggestion?

Originally Posted by Artompkins

I also am a "newbie" to this world. I currently have a Van Der Hagen Badger brush (not silvertip). It is a nice brush, but I am beginning to think I would rather have stiffer bristles, or a small brush. Especially for application on my upper lip. Anyone have any suggestions? Are silvertip brushes any stiffer, or thinner, or do they generally get thicker/wider and softer?

Badger seems to come in three grades. The name of the grades changes from
maker to maker so pay attention. There are a couple shapes from a fan to a bulb
some short some longer and thus softer.

The best not to be confused with "Best" badger seems to have very thin tips
and a nice even taper. The thin hairs of boar or badger seem to cut the bubbles
in half over and over to build the lather. The finer tips slice and dice the smaller
bubbles better making a thick dense lather at the same time that they have
a better (smoother) feel on the face.

The better boar brushes are as good as and in some cases better than
the entry level badger brushes. If you like a good scrubby brush the
best brush for your $$ may be boar. If you like a soft gentle brush
to build a lather in a bowl and then paint the lather on a tender face
the more expensive badger brushes shine brightly.

Stiffness can reflect the bristle, the density or the loft of the knot. A short
tight knot will feel stiffer. A knot with a lot of loft will feel softer. A long
bristle boar may feel smoother than a tight short badger knot.

The expensive badger knots are built from the longer guard hair fur
and have stiffness at the same time as they have length.

Some have split ends, and the result is a fine dense lather from a
brush with backbone in some cases or so some say.

Within limits the expensive knots are worth every penny IMO. the expensive
handle material is a personal thing but what ever the material, the key is that
it feels like and to some degree looks right.

Brushes last a long time.... shop to get what you want. I like my
SRP group buy brush a lot. It is not perfect -- so I am sure I will find
myself getting another brush some day but it is darn close to perfection.
I wish I had purchased both shapes... but then I might have no BAD left.

No matter the brush try lathering bowls of different sizes and a couple
of different soaps as well as a gallon jug of distilled or deionized water.

Some guy on Badger and Blade has a web site with near 100 brushes
compared and discussed...