Would You Recommend One Over Another?

Hey guys,

I'm a noob here and I thought I had made my decision on the EJ since it would match the DE razor I was going to get but have since become undecided after seeing the other two. Of these three, would you recommend one over another?

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Edw...aving-Brush-Medium-Imitation-Ivory_p_730.html
http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Simpson-Harvard-H3-Best-Badger-Shaving-Brush_p_764.html
http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Simpson-Chubby-1-Best-Badger-Shaving-Brush-CH1_p_281.html

Also, if you have a different recommendation under $130 or so please feel free to post it.

Best,
Tim

Are you using mostly soap or shave cream? face lather or bowl? information please!

Those are all very different. Need more info.

Brush selection is very subjective. Random recommendations won't help you. Don't assume that everyone's needs and preferences are identical to your own, regardless of topic. Provide more details regarding what you're looking for and what you've liked/disliked about what you've used in the past and you'll get recommendations that are more relevant to you.

See also:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/98887-How-to-get-good-brush-picking-amp-buying-advice

I didn't realize there are so many factors. Thanks for pointing that out guys. Here's some info:

1. This will be my first brush
2. I would like to try both soaps and creams but haven't tried either. I'm likely going to do bowl lathering but wouldn't be against face lathering.
3. I'm not sure what I want from this brush as far as feel but I guess I want something that will keep me wanting to use it over and over. I definitely want something that's quality and something that will last for a while.
4. For aesthetics I would want it to be one colour, either ivory or black. I'm not too particular on handle length but would want something that looks more stout like the Simpson Chubby or the Edwin Jagger I posted above.
5. Budget is about $130
6. I would like to get a medium or large size brush but would rather get a medium high quality brush over a large average quality brush.
7. Brushes that have piqued my interest are the ones I posted above. I like the look of the EJ and Simpsons Chubby followed by the other Simpson.
8. This will be my first brush and I'm already feeling the affects of SBAD. I want this to be my only brush at least for a while but I've collected other things and I know I'll eventually have more brushes than I need

All I can say is that I picked up the Colonel for my first brush. I think it's just awesome. Lathering is pretty easy, it has a long handle for bowl lathering, feels great on my face, and it's cheap. I just looked around for a while trying to figure out what I want. I basically went off of looks and price. Everyone mentions YMMV, and with that you have to start somewhere to figure out what's best for YOU. I'm pretty new to wet shaving, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Although I have a great starter brush, I've already bought a Wee Scot and will soon be looking for another brush just to try out. If there's one piece of advice I would give you it would be that you will own more than one brush down the road, so don't dwell on your first one for too long lol.

Thanks for the advice Tex. I'm kind of getting nervous because I'm thinking I should buy 2 brushes as my "first" brush

If you like the look of the Chubby 1, you might want to think about a Duke 3. It will have a similar knot and a longer handle making it better for bowl lathering.

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Simpson-Duke-3-Best-Badger-Shaving-Brush-D3_p_286.html

That Duke looks really good. Thanks for the recommendation!I also checked WCS and liked the handles of the Fifty series.

I don't if I should go with a best from Simpson or a super/silvertip from EJ or another company. Or should I just go all out and get a super for Simpson?

Oh the choices...

timebomb said:

Thanks for the advice Tex. I'm kind of getting nervous because I'm thinking I should buy 2 brushes as my "first" brush

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I would justify that by saying I need two brushes in my rotation. People like to let their brushes dry out completely before using them again as to avoid mold and stench.

And if this is your first brush, you might as well start off with a Best Badger just to get the feel. To be honest, I think they're pretty damn soft lol

A Colonel and a Vulfix 2234 are two brushes I'd suggest you buy at once. They both are great brushes to start with and fit your budget.

Although I would want to buy two brushes I don't think it would do me much good since I only need to shave every three days. Those Vulfix brushes look really good too though and they're a great price.

Try a Duke 2 in Super 2 band, http://www.shaving.ie/products/Simpsons-Duke-2-Two-Band.html
I just picked one up and am very impressed with it. It has plenty of backbone with very soft tips. Face feel is a nice soft scrub with no hint of scritch. It's a quality brush that should last you a long time.

I would go with a Duke 2. It was my first high end brush, and I will always keep it in my rotation. Duke 3 is great as well but I prefer a smaller knot. Every Simpson brush is top notch.

The Duke is getting quite a bit of votes. Can you guys tell me what the difference is between the 2 band and the non-2 band? Also, is it worth getting a "super" over a "best"? I know the "super" will be over budget but if I might go that route if it makes a noticeable difference.

Taking the brushes you provided links to, I'd have to say I'd personally go with the Simpson Chubby 1. Can't go wrong with it honestly. Simpson is considered one of the finest (and most wet shavers would consider Simpson one of the top 3 brands I'm sure) so you would be well served by it I'm sure. I won't bog you down with all of the typical subjective questions lobbed at you because while some of them are legit, most of them don't matter much when you have a Simpson on your list. Put it this way, Simpson got their reputation and can charge as much as they do for their brushes because why?....they're good. Get the Chubby 1 and I'm pretty sure you'll be happy with it for quite some time. Really hope that simplifies a topic we wet shavers tend to over-complicate.

Intrigued said:

If you like the look of the Chubby 1, you might want to think about a Duke 3. It will have a similar knot and a longer handle making it better for bowl lathering.

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Simpson-Duke-3-Best-Badger-Shaving-Brush-D3_p_286.html

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+1 this is excellent advice

Caedo said:

Taking the brushes you provided links to, I'd have to say I'd personally go with the Simpson Chubby 1. Can't go wrong with it honestly. Simpson is considered one of the finest (and most wet shavers would consider Simpson one of the top 3 brands I'm sure) so you would be well served by it I'm sure. I won't bog you down with all of the typical subjective questions lobbed at you because while some of them are legit, most of them don't matter much when you have a Simpson on your list. Put it this way, Simpson got their reputation and can charge as much as they do for their brushes because why?....they're good. Get the Chubby 1 and I'm pretty sure you'll be happy with it for quite some time. Really hope that simplifies a topic we wet shavers tend to over-complicate.

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There are Wikis to explain the difference between 2 & 3 band and Best & Super.. Bottomline get the 3 band super if it fits in your budget. The Best is also a great brush so that's a fine choice too. Dukes aren't regularly offered in super but I believe they have an LE program for them now.

Looks like I'm going with the Duke 3 Best.

I read up on the difference between the two band and three band and would prefer to try out the two band. The only shop online that I've found to stock them is here but they're out of stock: http://www.shaving.ie/products/Simpsons-Duke-3-Two-Band.html

Should I just go with the three band instead of waiting it out? I'm kind of getting antsy

Close your eyes and point a finger! Enjoy the journey!