New brush

[finotti]

Dear all,

I am very new to wet and DE shaving (about two weeks). I think I've made good choices to start, with EJ 89L, a good blade sampler pack (from West Cost Shaving), Proraso products. The only thing I regret a little was getting a Tweezerman brush (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G647Y8). In my defense was just starting and had found this forum yet... :-)

Now, it is my first and only brush, so I have nothing to compare it to. But, from reading the forum, it seems that it is not a very good choice for someone who intends to stick with wet shaving. So, here are my questions.

• If you know this particular brush, is it worth getting something else?
  
• I've found this http://fidosshavingbrushblog.blogspo...best-buys.html, which was mentioned here. I was thinking of taking his advice on the up to (about) $85 range: Savile Row 3120, Simpson Duke, the Vulfix 2234, Rooney (which model??). Can you compare those? (I assume all are high quality, so it must be a matter of taste. But there should be small differences...)
  
• Any others I should be looking for?
  
• Is $85 enough for a brush that I plan to keep and use for the rest of my life? (God, I hope so!) :-)
  

NOTE: I am function over form guy! I really don't care (virtually) at all what they look like. I care about feel and performance. So, I would rather not pay for cosmetic differences.

Suggestions would be very welcome.

Thanks to all,

Luis

[Greyfox]

Cannot go wrong with the Savile Row or the Simpson Duke in best.

[jbaca]

Im awaiting a shavemac in Bernd's finest badger WCS sells them as well

[beginish]

Honestly, and I can't believe I'm writing this, I would just use the Tweezerman. You will have plenty of time to get new brushes later. Right now I would just get your techniques down with the gear you have.

[JPDyson]

I think the quintessential do-it-all Rooney is the 3/1 in Super. Simpsons Best is very much comparable to that grade as well - the Colonel X2L is a favorite of mine (a silly good value). Savile Row makes great stuff - exceedingly soft. Same for Shavemac. Not floppy, but not as firm as Rooney and Simpsons.

All in all, they're worthy upgrades - great improvement in the feel and performance.

[Dpflaum]

I can second or third any recommendations for a Simpsons in Best. My favorite brush (Wee Scot) boasts this hair and I find it compares favorably to Rooney Super Silvertip.

Luckily for you, they make a lot of brushes in Best well under your budget, provided you don't mind having something in the 18-22mm range. I myself like smaller brushes, so it isn't a problem.

For the $84, get yourself a Case or Special and a Wee Scot!

[BWagner]

honestly, and i can't believe i'm writing this, i would just use the tweezerman. You will have plenty of time to get new brushes later. Right now i would just get your techniques down with the gear you have.

+1

[redrako]

Honestly, and I can't believe I'm writing this, I would just use the Tweezerman. You will have plenty of time to get new brushes later. Right now I would just get your techniques down with the gear you have.

+2

I have a small collection of brushes now, but my first brush, the Tweezerman is still in the rotation. It's like the Model T of badger brushes, it always starts up and gets you to where you need to go.

The good news is as you use it, the bristles do soften with time.

[denim]

I agree that you should hone your technique first. But if you refuse, the Simpsons Colonel X2L kicks butt and only costs $65 at WestCoastShaving. It was my first brush, and remains my go-to brush. Another to try would be an inexpensive boar brush.

[Hassam]

I agree that you should just stick with the Tweezerman for now. I would wait as long as you can before getting another brush. As long as the Tweezerman works, keep using it. Some hate the Tweezerman some love it.

[finotti]

Thanks to all for the replies! As always, people around here have been very helpful.

I am just a bit puzzled with the "wait and work on your technique". I was thinking of working on it with the new brush... Would a new brush be more of a luxury than anything else? Otherwise, since I don't plan to give up wet shaving and prices are not likely to go down, I might as well start with something good.
(That's usually my philosophy for most things... Always use the best tools within the best cost/benefit range.)

Thanks again,

Luis

[steve61111]

shavemac in Bernd's finest badger

+1


I skimped on the brush too when I started. After I upgraded my brush I realized why the quality brushes cost what they cost. Night and day difference. Plus my soap lather was much better and really, even lathering cream, was a big difference. I consider this my most worthwhile upgrade to this point. Never regretted it for a minute. Now, like some of the other gents have mentioned, this is an upgrade that can wait, if necessary. If it's keeping you up at night, thinking about high end badger's, go for it.


Regards,

Steve

[SliceOfLife]

My personal favorite brush for someone who wants something cheap and no nonsense is a custom/restored handle with a 24mm Fan Finest knot (from the golden nib) set at about 46mm loft.

My second choice is a Simpson Berkeley "46" in Best. (I have not tried the Colonel X2L)

If your budget is a bit bigger, I'd spring for a Simpson Chubby 1 in best (~$100-130).

Beyond that my recommendation would be a custom shavemac D01 two band or a Rooney Heritage Stubby XL. (Both in the $150+ camp, though a smallish Shavemac may be a bit under)

[beginish]

Thanks to all for the replies! As always, people around here have been very helpful.

I am just a bit puzzled with the "wait and work on your technique". I was thinking of working on it with the new brush... Would a new brush be more of a luxury than anything else? Otherwise, since I don't plan to give up wet shaving and prices are not likely to go down, I might as well start with something good.
(That's usually my philosophy for most things... Always use the best tools within the best cost/benefit range.)

Thanks again,

Luis

Well, all brushes can generate lather. They each have their own unique characteristics, but they can all lather creams and soaps. With more expensive brushes, you pay for higher grades of badger hair, more dense brushes, handle materials, and the reputation of the manufacturer. Whether it's a $12 synthetic brush from the Body Shop or a $175 Rooney, you'll get fine lather. Tweezerman is a good basic brush and does well by most people. Many of those people choose to upgrade along the way. You can certainly do it now or later, and there have been some great suggestions for alternatives already. At the end of the day, you will notice the biggest difference in how it feels on your face. If you bowl lather, stick with the Tweezerman, since a lot of the face feel of the brush is mitigated by the fact that you'll be mostly painting the lather on. If you're face lathering, you will reap immediate benefits from a higher end brush from the more comfortable face feel.

[redrako]

Thanks to all for the replies! As always, people around here have been very helpful.

I am just a bit puzzled with the "wait and work on your technique". I was thinking of working on it with the new brush... Would a new brush be more of a luxury than anything else? Otherwise, since I don't plan to give up wet shaving and prices are not likely to go down, I might as well start with something good.
(That's usually my philosophy for most things... Always use the best tools within the best cost/benefit range.)

Thanks again,

Luis

Whether a new brush is a luxury of marked improvement is only for you to say.

I was one of the folks who suggested working on technique, so let me expand on my thinking which is based strictly on my own experience, which hardly puts me in the expert category.

You'll see many posts on B&B regarding the use of products and techniques that contain the acronym, YMMV - Your mileage may vary. A key part of B&B is that we all learn from each others' experience.

For myself when was relatively new and no always getting good shaves, it was easier to think that if I just purchased this brush/ blade/razor/creme/ soap I would get a better shave. When in fact, I was not always mixing a good lather and shaving too quickly.

At the end of it all, shaving is about good prep and muscle memory. Remember, men have been shaving their beards for centuries, mostly with lesser quality brushes than the humble Tweezerman..

I think that the other thought behind the recommendations about sticking with the Tweezerman and focusing on technique is there are literally dozens of brushes that you could choose from. Many of them would be better quality by some measure, but until you've become comfortable with good form, you'll get more marginal improvement (albeit, the brush may feel better on your face). Indeed, there are many stories where people purchases something when they were still young as shavers, didn't like the product and picked it up a year later to discover that they love the products.

Additionally, you'll see that as folks run into problem, they resort to a kind of troubleshooting by eliminating variables. and referring to some base or starting point. Until you have some expeince, everything is variable.My baseline always is a Gillette Slim with a Personna blade, Van Der Hagen soap or Prorasso lathered with a Tweezerman or Omega Boar because that's what I used my first year of of shaving.

You'll see that many of us joke about AD's (Aquisition Disorder - SBAD, RAD, SAD, etc. etc. Many of us like to try try new products or collect pieces of the wet shaving universe. You can even see some wonderful photos of beautiful shelves and display cases.

Certainly if you want to pick up a new brush to start with as your base, there's nothing wrong with that. Spend time reading about brushes in the review section, post here about your questions and enjoy.

Of course, YMMV and this new brush may be the best thing that ever happened to you. Good Luck, let us know what you buy and how you like it.

[inspiringK]

If you want an excuse to buy an expensive Badger brush, you have come to the right place.

But, before you are out a hundred dollars, perhaps you should also consider boar hair brushes. You can get a cheap one for $12 and a really good one for $30. They are not loud on this thread yet, but there is a contingency of people who simply prefer boar brushes over badger. Something to keep in mind.

[denim]

Yes, if you just have to try a more expensive brush, there are few people here to tell you no. We're just trying to save you some trouble.

I've been using a DE and these higher grade soaps/creams for a year. Early on, I went crazy, buying lots of stuff. I have enough soaps to last me several years, because I couldn't make up my mind and I didn't want to forget anything. I got a blade sampler and acquired a number of different kinds of blades on my own. I bought one brush, the Simpsons Colonel X2L. I saw lots of people oooo'ing and aaaah'ing over the Simpsons Wee Scot and bought that.

And I didn't have my technique down. I thought I was controlling variables, but people here, one man in particular, was very clear that I wasn't. WAS. NOT. He couldn't make it any clearer. I listened.

Since then, I've mostly concentrated on one razor, one kind of soap (Mama Bears), one brush (Colonel), and mostly have been trying different blades. This has worked for me.

A few months ago, after a trade with a person here on the board with blades I didn't care for for blades I felt were better for me, I got a bunch of the same kind of blade (Sharks). Now, while I work through all the Sharks, I'm varying the brushes a bit. I got a Simpsons Chubby 2 in Best from a member. I got a $10 Omega boar brush.

Now I'm mostly using Cella, another soap/cream you'll hear about, and these different brushes.

My advice is simple: do what you will, but keep in mind what your goal is. Don't make it harder than it has to be.

[finotti]

Thanks for elaborating, guys. It makes much more sense now. I really appreciate your advice. I will hold on for a while.

Best to all,

Luis

[Slash McCoy]

I have a black badger from star shaving supply that I paid I think $8.99 for plus shipping, and it is a fairly nice brush. Holds plenty of water and soap but still scrubby enough to suit my taste. I just looked at their site and they have a similar brush for $11.99 now. The tweezerman is a decent little brush... just doesn't hold a lot of water or soap. Some folks like them for traveling. I have one and I use it on occasion just cause it is a neat little brush.

[mftoms59]

Honestly, and I can't believe I'm writing this, I would just use the Tweezerman. You will have plenty of time to get new brushes later. Right now I would just get your techniques down with the gear you have.

I would AGREE, I started with the Tweezerman which is a TOTALLY SERVICEABLE BRUSH, most people don't like the look/ feel and eventually upgrade. I use Boar and Horse Hair Brushes only but wouldn't think twice about using a Tweezerman if it was all I owned.