JL,

This could be the biggest can of worms you have ever seen. First, a link:

http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3556

Reading that will make your head swim! Let's cut to the chase. Basically, there are three different types of badger brushes: pure, best and silvertip. You'll also see this referred to as best, super and silvertip. Best being the "low" end and silvertip being the "high" end. I've got all three. When you compare a badger brush to a boar or synthetic brush, the first thing you will notice is their ability to hold water and heat. Also, they are softer on the face, with the less expensive brushes normally being a bit more "prickly". With badger brushes, there is no "grading" system, so manufacturers have come up with their own names for the different grades. Having covered that, the next thing to consider is knot size. The larger the knot, the larger the brush. I just sold a 30mm knot (it's in the pic below, on the left) because it was too large for me. And I am a big guy. I still have brushes that are 20mm, 23mm, 25mm and 26mm, and I have a 24mm on order. Personally, 26mm is plenty large. I enjoy all of these brushes. I like the softness of the silvertips, and they are outstanding with creams. I like the smaller knots because they tend to work better with soaps and they are generally more stiff. With bigger knots, you get more bristle loft, meaning a taller brush. When you move to a taller brush, you run the risk of getting a brush that will be "moppy", which can make applying lather more difficult. Realize that you are probably not going to be happy with just one brush. It's a fact of shaving. I have reached the point that for new guys, I recommend an Edwin Jagger brush that is sold by Crabtree & Evelyn. It is a bit on the small size, but it generates great lather, is not moppy, and if you decide it is too small, will be a great travel brush. It is a great brush, and at $35 bucks, a true bargain. I would just as soon use it as one of my $100 Shavemac brushes. It becomes a brush that you can compare others to, and still not break the bank.
It's the brush in the middle. I fouind that you can research brushes until you are blue in the face, and everyone has an opinion about which is best. But until you actually pick up a brush and use it, and use it several times, you won't know your preference.

If you can provide a price range that you actually want to stay in, that will make it easier to recommend a brush. It's doubtful that you will find a $70 brush and a $160 dollar brush made of the same materials. You may find comparable knot sizes, but there will be a difference. The $160 range should be a silvertip. The $70 range will probably be a super. At this point, this is probably as clear as mud. And it will probably remain that way. Tony Miller, the "stropmeister" here uses a Burma Shave...about $5-6 bucks at Wal Mart. Tonight in the chat, Bill Ellis, known for his razor restoration and a custom knife maker, acknowledged that he uses a Tweezerman, a $10-12 brush. Both are well respected in straight razor world. Both using bottom line brushes. It boils down to what you like. And only you can determine that.

RT