Thread: Expensive or Cheap?

Hey Gents,
So this afternoon while I was sifting through many shaving webstores looking at brush after brush it came to my mind how crazy some of the prices are. One thing I always wonder is this...Anyone who starts out with shaving this way usually starts with the cheaper stuff from brushes to razors....but after some time im sure most want to uprgrade.....but I wonder, When I look at all these pictures of peoples shaving dens and supplies....Do they only use there really expensive brushes and other stuff now? or do they keep there 1st and most trusty brush in their rotation.....well lets hear it guys!
thanks,
Shayne.

I started with an $8 VDH deluxe boar brush from CVS (white handled version of the black handled brush at Walmart). I later upgraded to a $75 Stevensons silvertip badger brush from SRD. The silvertip brush makes lather at least 5-8 times faster - and makes at least 4-5 times more volume of lather too. These ratios were the same whether I used Williams from CVS, VDH pink from Walmart, Poraso (Bigelow) cream from Body Works (in the mall), or SRD brand soap from SRD.

ps: I did notice that the Stevensons knot shed ~4 hairs per shave for 6 months and then ~2 hairs per shave for another 3 months. Even when new, it was not as stiff as I'd prefer for getting my wiskers that lie flat to the skin to stand up. However, I suspect the lesser stiffness is partially responsible for it's lathering speed.

I'm personally curious how a $50 Simpsons or Rooney badger brush in "best" or "super" compares to the $75 Stevensons Silvertip in terms of lathering speed and being stiff enough to stand up wiskers. All reports indicate that both shed less...

I think you will find those of us with many brushes use them all. Often times when you get a new one you will favor it for a while but after the novelty goes away you use your $40 brushes as much as your $200 ones. My most expensive brush is a custom with a vintage elephant ivory handle and to tell you the truth I mostly look at it because its a silvertip badger and is floppy while my others are mostly two banders or stiffer silvertips.

can't say i own any really expensive brushes.. but no matter how many i try.. i always go back to my favourite.. a $35 simpson wee scot..

currently the brush i'm enjoying is an omega 11047.. it's a mix if badger and boar.. it ran me $13 and i am happy with it.. i enjoy it much more than my $55 two band super badger.

I use my ~8$ VDH boar most often but I have a few others that are shaveworthy and higher priced.
Respectfully
~Richard

I bought a golden nib online and put the know in an antler...I get more complements on that one then most get on their 200$ brushes...Make your own...It is satisfying and easy...Then go out and buy a 14.00 omega boar..It will become your favorite...They are great.

I mostly use two brushes only and 80% of the time is just one of them. They certainly are in the expensive category iirc ~$200, and I've only had one or two more expensive than them. But those I don't use them based on the money they've cost me, just based on what I like best.
There are also some $20-$50 brushes that I'd use before most of my $50-$100 brushes too.

The vast majority of my brushes are moderately expensive ($100 to $150) and they all get use. I sold off my starter brushes, do not miss them, and have not looked back.

Gentlemen:

My modest and modestly-priced collection of shave brushes includes three silver tips, three boars, one synthetic and everything in between. I use all of them, the softer ones with creams and the coarser with soaps.

Regards,

Obie

I started shaving with a cheap drug store boar bristle brush and Williams soap at age 13 and currently use a cheap VDH Delux boar and a good Merkur badger from the Merkur Vision set. I use MWF, Tabac, and Bigalow (Proraso) soap/cream.

The Merkur badger holds more water, lathers faster, and is softer on my face, but the VDH also lathers OK and does not feel bad on my face. I use both brushes in rotation and get a good shave with both brushes.

Only you can decide whether such differences in performance are worth the difference in cost. Subtle differences between similar brushes made by different producers and the various types of brushes from the same producer will affect how you feel about particular brushes upon their use.

It is unfortunate that we can not try them all before a purchase. About the best we can do is read the reviews, pick and try a product, and sell it if we do not like it. A brush with multiple good reviews is at least likely to have acceptable performance.

HTH