I have been straight shaving for two years and the most expensive brush I have was $50. I get wonderful lather with little effort.. I thought that was all anyone could ask.
I must not understand something so I am asking.
Stingray
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I have been straight shaving for two years and the most expensive brush I have was $50. I get wonderful lather with little effort.. I thought that was all anyone could ask.
I must not understand something so I am asking.
Stingray
Why do people buy expensive shoes, suits, cars, etc.? Personal preference, I guess. I don't own any $300.00 brushes, I own some in the range $180.00 and below. If I see something I like and I can afford it then I buy it.
Though handmade silvertip brushes are typically on the pricey side, a lot of times you are paying for brand recognition - the name on the brush. IMO that's a large part of why some can be so expensive.
If it is working for you and you are happy with the brush no need to look further. I fact it will save you a lot of dough. Once you try other brushes and actually see the differences between them it can get costly once you start chasing that magic bullet. That is one way to work up to spending $300 on a brush. The other reason is just because you have the disposable income and can.
Bob
Disposable income is the thing. I remember when I used to get the Sunday NY Times and I'd see ads for watches for $15,000.00. I used to wonder who in the world had that kind of money to spend on a watch ?
There is a thread in finer things about shoes, d.m. ellington posted about, John Lobb handmade oxfords, a custom shoe that costs as much as a car. I went to the website and an'off the shelf' pair of their shoes costs $1200.00 USD. My converse all stars ran me $40.00 and I thought that was expensive.
I have spent too much on a shaving brush or two or three though. That was years ago before the great recession turned into the depression. Not much 'disposable income these days. I don't see fancy shoes or shaving brushes in my future.
There is nopractical reason to spend 300$ on a brush.
You still have to use it in the same way you'd use a 30$ brush.
I've seen 17$ horse hair brushes that were very good. But it's a matter of splurging on a luxury item. I've bought a badger Thater from a friend, and it is without a doubt the best and finest brush I've ever handled. Using it is a very nice feeling. So while it doesn't do anything the 17$ brush does, it does is much more enjoyable.
And at that point you just have to decide for yourself if you have some disposable cash at hand which you won't miss, and whether that is worth the added luxury.
By the same token, there is not a single reason to spend 1000$ on a pattern welded blade instead of a simple O1 blade. They'll do the exact same thing, and behave the same in all aspects. It's just a matter of weighing the added 'niceness' versus the added cost.
Because they can...
Simple as that.
I was thinking the same thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaggy8675
You'll see lot's of stuff like that in this hobby, Custom razors over $1500.00, Japanese stones that run in the thousands, and even the NOS Filarmonica razors were fetching around 750.00 at one time.
Them that have-get. Them that don't-ask why.
Because they're magical. Each hair used in the brush grants you 3 wishes.
It's a conspicuous consumption thing really. These are the same guys that smoke only $35 cigars, drink nothing but top shelf scotch, have a huge collection of vintage Dunhill pipes and drink coffee only made from coffee beans that have been passed through an exotic jungle weasel's rectum. They're all running neck and neck with the Dos Equis guy for the title of World's Most Interesting Man. Practicality means nothing to this crowd it's all in how much money you can afford to spend. If I had that mindset and that much money I didn't know what to do with, I wouldn't think twice about a two or three hundred dollar brush. Fortunately I have neither the mindset nor the money so spending $300 for a brush seems pretty assanine but hey, it's your thing, do what you want to do. I'm not hatin'
My personal shaving brush mantra is and always has been "Badgers!? Badgers!? We don't need no steenking Badgers."
If it was a very nice antique silver brush or something and I was rich, maybe, but I can't see how much BETTER it could be to warrant the money.
I have never spent that much on a brush. But I have spent way too much on other frivolous things like gold jewelry, Rolex watches, custom knives, and fine coffee.
I am not rich, but some things make me happier than the money I spend on them...I suspect those that pay big for brushes might say the same sort of thing;)
Old GI, it's obvious you have never experienced weasel sphincter XXX jungle reserve!!! Personally, I think it tastes like crap. I wondered about the high dollar brushes, and came to the same conclusions that have already been stated. I may end up spending three hundred dollars on brushes, plural. The couple I have, I like, they do what I expect them to. But I would like to try a horse hair and a boar only out of curiosity. Insofar as overly expensive items, it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you look playing the game! I guess I could see getting a real nice silver job, maybe with a family crest to pass down through family. But then again, I would just envision a future brat using that old brush to clean the bearings on his skateboard.
IF I spent 300 on a brush there would have to be a very nice looking blonde holding it and applying the soap when I summoned. Then I woke up !
Those who can do it either because they appreciate the quality and craftsmanship or because they din know how to asses quality and therefore equate higher price to better product.
Those who can't are the same as the above but generally tend to know, through research, that the higher priced one is in done way superior.
I was generally happy using my pure Crabtree & Evelyn brush while my Simpson chubby 3 Manchurian was in transit. Now I'm more than happy, I'm ecstatic.
Don't get me wrong. The CT&E was great. Nice knot, good quality pure hair, sturdy handle. But its not as robust as a Simpson.
The way I see it there are three basic reasons people spend alot of money on anything. First to some people whats alot of money to you is chump change to them. When The Donald bought his new 757 jet with custom interior do you think if he wanted a little puddle jumper Cessna for 3 million that would have been alot of money to him? Then there are regular folks who feel it's important to spend big money they don't have on things expensive. Either it makes them feel good or you say wow that guy must be loaded and that makes them feel good. Then there are folks who spend big on certain things and are skinflints with everything else whether they can afford it or not.
Of course being Thebigspendur, I don't have to worry about such things. My staff already knows what I like and they do the legwork and get what I want. Years ago I used to light my Cuban Cigars with thousand dollar bills and then they stopped printing them and I had to stoop to new lows by using 100 dollar bills. Life is tough I tell you.
Seriously, with some bushes it's not just the front end but the handle might be made from some exotic material and be hand turned or the knot hand made and the badgers might have been personally hunted down from the wilds of Siberia and that costs money.
I think my most expensive brush is a Plisson and it cost me not too far off from $300 and you know what? it ain't worth it. But I didn't know that when I bought it.
Because it is half as much as the $600 brush! ;)
Yeah...I have a $20 casio watch In fact it is Identical to th one I gave 45 for 10 years ago...the battery costs more than a new watch.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
Sstingray
Man...that sounds like one of my replies. Is being a smart A** in our nature or is it learned?Quote:
Originally Posted by cheetahmeatpheonix
Stingray?
YOu win for the best response!
After I posted this thread I thought about the $600 Escher and the many expensive razors I have bought but they don't count...THEY WERE WORTH IT!!
Stingray
It's a personal choice. I own an expensive Plisson brush and it is a great experience. Expensive brushes are usually made from exotic materials. Mine is a beautiful grey horn handle with the softest tipped badger hair you could image. I don't question other peoples choices and how I spend my money is my own choice.
People spend money on things because things make them happy, in a way that money (in, and of itself) cannot. Fine craftsmanship and design are worth money, and we engage in hobbies like this one in order to appreciate such things. There should be no shame in that.
At the same time, many of us reject the popular culture of excess and consumption; and we seek simpler, older traditions like wet shaving. Accordingly, it seems wrong to spend lots of money on something like a brush. As other posters have said, money is a matter of perspective, and we can agree on this forum that technique rules anyway.
So, what does it matter? I think the SOTD threads prove quite well that enjoying a fine shave doesn't mean spending a fortune. It means getting into the spirit of things and practicing one's skills.
I bought the AOS Pure Badger brush and they keep pitching me the Silver Tip. I love my brush. Is the extra $ worth the difference?
This makes me wonder as I am in the hunt for a new brush but I really can't spend much on it. With the replies I am guessing people here have their favorites that they didn't spend too much on. What are they?
I bought a Pure badger and love it. I picked up a Vintage Everlast pure badger on ebay for like 20$ plus shipping it is yours if you like. Cheaper way to find out what is worth spending $ on. I saw somewhere the vintage brushes are worth $ but I dono. Picked it up for a extra and have never used it still. I love my Aos Brush though.
So there's less $$$ for our kids to inherit.
My father never used a SR or passed down a brush to me. I wish he did.
I'm sure there is a reason they keep pushing the silver tip and if I had to guess it would probably be commission. I'm sure it's great and if you have the disposable income, I say go for it. But my current brush cost around $40-50 and I think it's great.Quote:
Originally Posted by JulioFundora
That is what I thought. He kept going on about how they hold more heat etc. etc.,
I had one of the AOS salesman only telling me that the difference in badger hair types was how many years they would last. That was before I tried a straight and learned much about shaving, but I knew he had no idea when I heard that response!Quote:
Originally Posted by JulioFundora
It felt better just not 100$ better imo.
I've got an Acca Kappa $240 brush and no it isn't worth it but it looks good and I got it dirt cheap.
Some expensive products are not meant for sale, they are there to raise the roof on how much a product can cost.
It's easier to sell brushes for $100 if people know they can be up to $500, then $100 is "cheap".
I just treated myself to a Simpson Manchurian badger brush and can say it is the nicest brush I have used both for how it lathers and looks. Is it twice as good as my $100 SOC 2 band badger? No but it is better. Is the SOC 2 band badger 5X better than than my Semogue 1350 boar? No but it is better. All three will do the job of working up a lather nicely. A brush does not have to cost a ton of money to do a good job and if you are happy with it don't let anyone push you into upgrading.
Bob