Pure, Best, Super or Silver?

Gentlemen,

I have used shaving brushes for some 30 years or so, everything from 19 mm. knot size to 25, synthetic to silver tip.

What I have come to realize is that I prefer the 19 to 22 mm. knot size brushes, and badgers in the "pure" and "best" range. Experience has taught me to expect little or no difference between "best" and "super" badgers.

I like a good boar brush, too, although the boar brush I now have is a cheapo and I don't particularly care for it. As a rule, I don't fancy synthetic brushes at all.

Currently I rotate 12 brushes in knot sizes from 19 mm. to 25, in pure, best and super badger grades. The brands include Kent, Vulfix and Edwin Jagger, mostly Edwin Jagger — I am quite partial to Edwin Jagger products.

The stiffer brushes, the "pure" and "best" badgers, that is, seem to work much better on my heavy beard than do the softer ones, such as silver tip. I no longer own a silver tip. That is not to degrade the quality of a silver tip, no, of course not. Those are luxurious brushes and everyone should experience them.

Since I also generally prefer shaving soaps to creams, although I don't mean to compare them qualitatively, the stiffer brushes seem to work better for me there, too. This may not be true for other shavers, since every beard is different. My thoughts here are on what I prefer — for me.

Any thoughts on your preferences for you, gentlemen?

Regards,

Obie

I still like the Silvertips, but I like you like a slightly stiffer brush...

I look for an overstuffed, low loft, Slivertip, targeting the 24mm size.... those are my favs...

I just don't have the brush experience for this. I've had three. All are silvertips, but very different.

First was an Edwin Jagger. 23mm knot. The knot came loose, so i drilled it out & dropped the loft by 10mm. It made a much stiffer, scrubbier brush.

Second, a 28mm Dan Capshaw. It has a densely packed knot, & though very luxurious, a little soft for me.

Thirdly, a Plisson size 10 European White. 20mm knot. My favourite , but it is the newest. Bristles are firm, but soft.

I only use creams now, & they all fare admirably here, but the Plisson has a great balance between softness & firmness. I like the firmness!

I like a lot the Finest quality knots that can be had from The Golden Nib and use them a lot in my custom brushes. They are great for both soaps and creams.

I really like boar brushes. I wasn't crazy about the Edwin Jagger Pure Badger I had. I am rather partial to the Edwin Jagger products too. I am considering getting an EJ Best Badger as I have heard very good things about them. I have a silvertip that I am on the fence about and a Vulfix Super that I actually quite like. It is very soft but somehow magically does everything I need it to. Oh, and I have a Rooney 1/2 on the way in Best, so I am definitely looking forward to that.

On the whole, I prefer smaller brushes.

I used to only like scrubby brushes and the only that filled the bill were pre Vulfix Simpson Supers, Rooney Finests and Plisson HMWs. Now, although I still like the scrubby brushes, I've broadened my horizons and also like the softer Best badgers. It can be confusing from maker to maker since there is no standardized nomenclature from maker to maker. The only way to find out what you like it to try the different brands for yourself IME. I tend to like brushes with around a 23mm knot and from 48 to 55 or so on the large size in loft.

I've concluded that I like and can successfully use virtually any brush. From a Rooney 1/1 in Pure to my Plisson HMW 16s and even my Omega Professional Boar and Semogue 1305, I just love brushes. However, if I could only use one brush, it would be my Plisson 16 (any of the 3 :p) because it has plenty of luxury, works great with soaps and creams, and has loads of backbone.

The fact that it's a beautiful 2 band knot with gorgeous horn handle doesn't hurt it's cause though :tu

I only have the one brush so far. Its a Trumpers best badger and I think the knot is about 20mm.

It gives a great lather and I'm happy with it! I'd probably only get more brushes for the handles on them, if they were especially decorative.

I got my grandpa's brush last week. It's pure blond, my guess is boar or synthetic.

http://www.personal.psu.edu/its5014/...s/PICT0007.JPG

Image is the brush compared vs. a Vann Der hagen

Makes lather in 10 seconds vs 1min+ with either of my other brushes.

The difference? The thing is like 5 inches long instead of 2. Leverage makes lathering in a mug or bowl so very much easier... and I don't rap my knuckles a few hundred times doing it.

Hot lather > Cold lather from a nice brush imho.

Hi all,

I've tried numerous "silvertip" brushes and let me tell you, that no two are the same.

A Savile Row is far, far softer and more luxurious than say a Vulfix Simpsons super silvertip.

My Rooney 3/1 was a Super Silvertip and I found its tips prickly. I also find the new Simpsons Supers slightly prickly but that could also be due to their density.

I had a Chubby 2 in Best, and strangely, found it softer than my Rooney and even my Chubby 1 in Super. Go figure!

A Rooney Alibaba in the Heritage "Super" line has incredibly soft tips but good backbone.

So... I don't think it's a simple as just saying "silvertip". There seems to be a lot of variation in the term, depending on the manufacturer, the batch, the gauge of hair and its density and loft. All will effect how it feels on the face.

With all that said, I find the really soft silvertips like the Savile Row very nice to use occasionally but in general I prefer a good scrub with a denser, shorter loft brush like a Rooney/Simpsons, or a Semogue boar brush.

The 1520 is currently my favourite brush of any hair type and price! :)

I think I'd find a Pure too prickly and hard on my face.

John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jhclare

Hi all,

I've tried numerous "silvertip" brushes and let me tell you, that no two are the same.

A Savile Row is far, far softer and more luxurious than say a Vulfix Simpsons super silvertip.

My Rooney 3/1 was a Super Silvertip and I found its tips prickly. I also find the new Simpsons Supers slightly prickly but that could also be due to their density.

I had a Chubby 2 in Best, and strangely, found it softer than my Rooney and even my Chubby 1 in Super. Go figure!

A Rooney Alibaba in the Heritage "Super" line has incredibly soft tips but good backbone.

So... I don't think it's a simple as just saying "silvertip". There seems to be a lot of variation in the term, depending on the manufacturer, the batch, the gauge of hair and its density and loft. All will effect how it feels on the face.

With all that said, I find the really soft silvertips like the Savile Row very nice to use occasionally but in general I prefer a good scrub with a denser, shorter loft brush like a Rooney/Simpsons, or a Semogue boar brush.

The 1520 is currently my favourite brush of any hair type and price! :)

I think I'd find a Pure too prickly and hard on my face.

John

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The problem is that every manufacturer has a different definition for these hair grades. Your Savile Row silvertip is more like a Rooney Finest...

In Essence it is simple: Whatever sort of hair you use is purely what you want to use.
You can perfectly use a boar brush for 60 years and it will do the job just as good as a Silvertip.
Buying an "upgrade" is just because you can. It all works.

I like the old two banders. of course they aren't available anymore and luckily I have a few. Otherwise, either the Thaters or the Simpson Manchurian are pretty good too.

I thought two band badger is another name for finest badger.

My favourite is blonde badger. I have two of them now, one 21mm and one 25mm (the 25 is my favourite). My first brush was a very floppy Muhle silvertip that doesn't get any use any more. I pulled it out the other day and it's not so good for face lathering sticks. I must get around to putting it up for sale ...

One of my favorite things about brushes is how each one interacts differently with different soaps and creams. I like a variety of both in my regimen. Overall, however, I have found the softer, more luxurious brushes to compliment the softer creams while a stout and somewhat stiff brush combines better with hard soaps. I have a handful of each and plenty of soaps and creams to experiment with and, to me, it is an indispensable, invaluable part of the straight shaving experience.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JSmith1983

I thought two band badger is another name for finest badger.

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I think that is what Rooney called them when they sold them.

Each company has different names and some use the same names for different products.

I, too, have purged my silvertips in favor of 2 banders and boars. I appreciate the stiffer loft and enjoy face-lathering often. I tend to think 24mm is best for me. I have a 28 and, while it works great, it seems just too big! Lather waster! :rofl2:

As for the badgers after involving in about 100 knots my opinion is:

Black: tough,great backbone
Pure: not so tough.good backbone
Mixed: not tough,between those above,a nice surprise
Finest: never worked for me no matter the source
Best-Super: "i wanna be soft" but many times failed,not happy with some of them
Silvertip: "my name is soft", expensive although the cheaper can do the job

My personal favorite is Pure Black Badger, in the 22-24mm size. You get some backbone and great performance.

I like silvertips. Premium, Super, Grade A, Standard, all close enough in face feel that I wouldn't differentiate further.

Haven't tried High Mountain White though...