Thread: AoS Brush and such

Sorry if this has been pounded into the ground, but I can't get the search engine here to work for me... Being dyslexic doesn't help...

My place of work seems to only cary Art of Shaving line of shave products. Being less than wealthy I tend to keep an eye out for discounts and other ways of getting stuff at a better price. But I also want good stuff, even if it costs more to get better stuff I'll go that route.

So how do their brushes grade? They all seem to be pure badger brushes at my location and I think I read somewhere that AoS always uses pure badger. So It may be stiffer or scratchy compared to my Altesse silvertip, no clue yet. Soon we get a 40% off day of shopping and that got me to thinking AoS may be worth that kind of discount...

I'd like to know the quality of their products and how you all feel about them.

i have a AOS pure badger brush, its nice use it for soaps everyone once in a while. my girlfriends father has been using the same AOS pure badger brush since the day AOS opened and loves it. They also make Best and silvertip as well as fancy horn handled brushes. In my opinion they make excellent products (im addicted to there sandalwood soap) but for the price i believe you can do better especially with brushes.

If I remember correctly, the AoS brushes are made by Vulfix. You are better off buying a Vulfix from Jim at Vintage Blades. The #2234 has been extremely popular, but tends to be a bit floppy. I like their shaving creams, and understand that their soaps are also great products.

RT

The highest end AoS are actually Plisson High Mountain Whites in horn!

They do cost 600-700 in AoS stores.

Considering you can get a true Plisson for much less, I wouldn't even look at them unless they are on 50% off sale or something. Actually - I won't look at them even then (because I don't want to support a "shaving" company with pretentious and shaving-illiterate salesmen, and also - I do have one such Plisson already and have no intention of getting another one)

Cheers
Ivo

Originally Posted by izlat

The highest end AoS are actually Plisson High Mountain Whites in horn!

They do cost 600-700 in AoS stores.

Considering you can get a true Plisson for much less, I wouldn't even look at them unless they are on 50% off sale or something. Actually - I won't look at them even then (because I don't want to support a "shaving" company with pretentious and shaving-illiterate salesmen, and also - I do have one such Plisson already and have no intention of getting another one)

Cheers
Ivo

I agree with Ivo in that I have mixed feelings about supporting AOS. They are obnoxious. At the same time, they do bring people closer to our way of shaving and you simply can't pay the rents they do without having a mass market appeal.

That said, I do have an AOS "Fine" badger. I think this is the same as your generic "best" grade. The knot is 21-22mm and retailed for $90 (I had a gift certificate). I'd compare that price minus your discount to what you can get from Shavemac or Saville Row. The quality of the brush is decent. It lost a couple dozen hairs over the first month of use, but seems to have stabilized now. It’s nothing special, but it gets the job done.

Jordan

I have never liked AOS even though my first razor came from there. I think they are snotty and don't really know alot about shaving.

I can't really say negative things about AOS. I got the str8 bug when I was in Atlantic City and I was walking at the Piers when I saw their store.. I was quite intrigued and herre I am... I only purchased a sandelwood soap and unscented pre shave oil...

The employees at the stores might not know much, there job is to sell the products but at the same time i believe that if you really want to sell something you should know what its for, how to use it and the benefits of using it.

AOS brushes are overpriced IMO. but at 40% off they would be a decent deal. I have owned a finest badger AOS and it was a solid performer. BTW the AOS Finest I had was not a Vulfix brush at all.
I do not think they are as they are much more densely packed than the Vuflix.

The only reason I got rid of it was my affinity for larger knots 26mm +
(can you Chubby 3 Super)

Not all brushes by AOS are Plissons only the high end ones, the high end brushes (Plissons) are not advertised on their site, they is only available in their stores.

Also AOS had 3 grades of hair pure, finest, silvertip (least expensive to most expensive) very similar to the Shavemac grading scale.

I was trolling craislist Friday and I raninto a ad that had.. A fine badger brush, a AOS brush holder and a lavendar prehsave oil... I hopped on the phone gave the kid a ring... Met up later that evening... Man it is SOFT!!!! He says it was new. I didn't think it was since the stand looked like it has water stains... but I didn't care.. The price was right.. $50.. I gave the lavendar oil to my buddy and I now have a fine badger brush and stand..