Thread: Asking for shaving brush recommendations

Originally Posted by sharptonn

If a new brush is desired, I would go straight to Maggard's and look at 2-band badgers in a wide assortment. Most everything else as well.
They have a good eye for quality and seem to insist upon it. If you want to reknot something, they have the good knots, FME.

2-Banders are great and 22-24mm are my personal favorites. By all means, find what you like. Omega boars are good. I have 2. Not for everyone I suppose.
Just don't go cheap..

Yes, cheap is not a good way to go. I have before and regretted it every time. That is what's so surprising about Omega. I would normally not buy in that price point. Making that quality for less than $20 is hard to imagine.

I have quite a collection but my favorites are some older brushes I was able to get when the original Best Badgers were available when the critters were still producing a good winter coat. They are special and there is nothing like them available now. Other than that my shavemac with the Ebonite Handle is a go to brush. I prefer around 26mm with a larger handle so the soap doesn't run down the sides like the chubbys and they get slippery.

Hi all, Thank you so so much for your shaving brush insights and recommendations!

I've have had quite a few top end brushes from Simpson, Thater, M&F, Kent and a good few cheap brushes from LS and Maseto which are surprisingly very good.
It's hard to recommend a brush as it mainly comes down to personal preference and no bristle batch is the same.
I personally like a firm brush with good backbone and soft tips. This means I look for a known dense filled brush in a 2 band. A knot of 26mm will give more of a wall of badger face feel than a knot of 24mm. A knot hight of roughly half the diameter is a good indicator of backbone.

Synthetics have come a long way over the last few years and a good synthetic can give an expensive badger a run for the money. This synthetic is my "go to" lately. I love this "soap hog".




Synthetic 30MM and a Loft size 63MM

I was going to mention synthetics, I only have one, a Kent, and find it to be exceptional.

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

I was going to mention synthetics, I only have one, a Kent, and find it to be exceptional.

I will try one, some day, if my silvertips ever wear out. I am 65 now, so it will probably be a very near thing.

Originally Posted by Raol

Synthetics have come a long way over the last few years and a good synthetic can give an expensive badger a run for the money. This synthetic is my "go to" lately. I love this "soap hog".




Synthetic 30MM and a Loft size 63MM

I too have one synthetic and it works well. I hardly ever use it though. I don't dislike it. For me it is a mental block I think.

After looking at a lot of brushes (starting with the ones you all mentioned) I too became curious about synthetic brushes and liked the consistency that manufactured bristles provided. I’ve ordered a Mühle “silvertip fibre” synthetic brush.

I finally tried some Synthetics

Okay I admit I am impressed The Silk Smoke IIRC is the name of the one from AP is my fav out of the 4 I tested but honestly they all work VERY well

The Cost vs Performance ratio is just too good

Not that I am dumping my badgers or my Semogue 1305 Boar anytime soon

But they are worth considering