plisson vs. ???

I am looking at getting my first nice brush. Currently I've been using a boars hair cheapo from Wal Mart. I really like the look of the Plisson brushes, especially the brass handled ones. My question here is on badger hair grades.

I understand the ordering of the grades but I have seen some talk of the higher grades not lasting as long as the lower grades. Can anyone with personal experience with these brushes expound on this at all? I'm wondering if the highest grade is not going to last as long what is the highest grade that will give me the longest use?

Also, can anyone tell me anything bad about the brass handles from plisson? Do they get affected by the watery environments?

What I'm looking for is a real heirloom quality brush. Something thats going to last me a long time and I'm willing to shell out some money. That being said, can anyone recommend something besides Plisson? Are there any really cream of the crop custom brush makers out there?

Gosh, lots of questions. I just don't see many tutorials on the brushes like there are for stuff like honing, stropping, shaving, etc.

Thanks for the help. I'm really enjoy being part of the forum.

Robert

Any quality brush be it a Rooney or Simpson or Plisson or some of the others will last you most of your life no matter the grade. Its not the hair that wears mostly lesser brushes have poorer construction and hairs will simply fall out. As long as you take care of it you will be OK. I would imagine the brass has a lacquer coat on it otherwise it would tarnish.

Plisson has a rep as the Rolls Royce of brushes but much has been said on that subject. I have a HMW and yes its a nice brush but personally I don't think it's worth the premium over the other popular brands but that's my opinion. Just be aware there is no standard for hair grading so each maker can call their grades whatever they want. It's a matter of having confidence in the maker. With the main companies you know what you get. Yes there are custom workers who do gorgeous work the only issue is that all the effort is expended in the handle and the business end is usually, but not always generic Chinese badger. Personally I'm more concerned with the business end than a fancy handle.

I'm sure others will come along with their words of wisdom.

I have a Plisson labelled "pure badger" that I bought in August of 1991. It loses a hair from time to time, but not often. It is still going very strong; I have used it almost every day since I bought it. The Plisson replaced a Caswell Massey brush that was badger, but I don't know what grade. That one lasted from 1971 to 1991 and still had life left in it. The 1971 brush replaced a pretty worn brush that I took over from my father and probably dated from the late 40's. It was actually almost worn out. If you buy a good brush, you'll probably never need to buy another one.

If you consider the brands generally considered to be the top of the line you would find some differences and a lot of similarities. Different handle materials speaks for itself. You will pay much more for real horn than injection molded plastic, but it won't be because of the brushes durability. As thebigspendur points out, the knot does more to affect the brushes performance than the handle and you will pay more for best quality badger than for the lower grades. Like many things, the law of diminishing returns is well illustrated in brushes (as it is in many things). I have a couple of horn handle HMW Plisson brushes. Great brushes, but clearly their price is not directly in line with their performance improvement over a lower grade brush.

So, whether it is a Plisson, Rooney, Simpson, Shavemac, Vulfix or a custom you should look at buying a premium brush as an investment in something you like to use, addresses your aesthetic and that has qualities (beyond pure performance) that you appreciate. They are all very well made and great performers.

There actually are a ton of options for a really nice brush. Beyond just the maker you have a lot of decisions regarding size, handle shape and material, grade of badger. BTW, the brands I mentioned would be a decent start if you want a list of the top brush makers. Me? I like Rooney, Plisson and Simpson. I'm no expert, I have just bought what I like. You will get a lot of opinions about what are the best brushes.

I've only got one brass handled brush and it is a beauty but handle heavy. As I've said before of my two HMW Plissons, both horn handles the three band is very soft while the two band is nice and prickly. To be honest my Rooney Finest is every bit as good and costs less. Plisson Europeon whites are great too and also cost less than the HMW. With brushes you pays your money and you takes your chances. Once you use it you own it. :) It is a good idea to know what your preferences are in the characteristics of the brush before you go for it. The vendors can often steer you in the right direction.

I don't speak from experience here but comparing apples to apples. Considering just the hair in a Plisson 16 HMW two band and a Rooney medium finest two band what is the difference in performance? I know that a horn handle is very nice and should be considered in the purchase of a brush but a top of the line Rooney in 24mm knot runs less than $300.


Take Care,
Richard