Thread: Badger virgin seeks to get badgerized -- need advice on handles

Originally Posted by SingingSteel

Six months into wet-shaving, I'm having an absolute ball. Ok, so my original motivation -- to free myself from McShaving slavery, find delight in shaving, while controlling costs -- is a mixed success in the budget department. Nonetheless, I soldier on -- with my eagle eye market research/shopping skills and entrepreneurial flair, I endeavor to explore and enjoy some of the near-best stuff out there for prices I can actually live within.

I've essentially got one good brush: an Omega boar knot on a B&B handle -- quite a delight. (Ok, I've also got a BestShave $2.50 horsehair, but that's going to become a gift for a teen newbie.) I'm still a badger virgin, and the itch is growing.

I'm on a very tight budget, starting up a new enterprise, so will probably have at best just one boar, badger, and hopefully horse brush for the next year or so, so I want the best badgery brush experience I can get for up to ~$30.

Leading candidates thus far:

• Whipped Dog $26 Silvertip,
• The Golden Nib two-band finest badger knot (but which?) on a super-affordable yet nice handle yet to be identified. Suggestions?
• The most alluring vision, I must confess: I discovered yesterday what I call a Chubby Manchurian -- a fat (30mm/80mm) knot from Mr. Chen on AliExpress (for all of $19 shipped) on a chubby-alike handle, yielding a 55mm loft and a tight yet beauteous blossom and what seems an excellent combo of backbone and softness and all good badgery things.

I'd love to find the least expensive handle that would fit that knot or someone who'd make one like that pictured, a chubby-homage. Here's the hard part: my handle budget is around $15. Suggestions are very welcome!

The Golden Nib knot is the option I have direct experience with and I have never been disappointed. If they have an affordable handle, there's your fastest answer. I use Devcon glue to attach my knots.

Larry at Whipped Dog is very reputable, but I prefer finest badger to silvertip. Last time I looked, he had silvertip and black badger, and I find black badger more scritchy than finest.

What I have done for my last few brush purchases is purchase an attractive old brush from ebay with the intention of drilling out the knot and replacing it with a Golden Nib knot. The economics depend on how cheap you can get the handle. Look closely at the ebay handle to make sure it is in pristine condition and not cracked or defaced. Another option is a Burma Shave brush which used to cost $5-$10. The knot I had shed hair but you can drill it out and get a good one.