n00b mistake

[Tyrconnell]

I've been shaving with a double-edge for over five months now and I decided it was time to upgrade my brush. I started off just after Christmas with this starter-pack
http://www.men-u.co.uk/store_product...iew&prodid=185
It is pure badger and it was a good one to start on. I didn't like the colour of the handle - I felt it was very flat-white-and-boring. So I wanted to get something more interesting. I thought the only thing that really mattered for brushes was the quality of the bristles and as long as I got another pure badger I'd be laughing. Wrong. I got this brush
http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk/...Tortoise-Shell
I've tried shaving with it twice and it is very unsatisfactory. What I know now but I didn't know when I bought it is that the loft and knot are very important. On the new brush the loft is longer and the knot is narrower. This makes the brush a lot more floppy and not at all as satisfactory to use as the men-u brush (although the length of the handle is an improvement)

Now - in my defense there is zero information on the vendor's site or manufacturer's site about the loft and knot for this brush. So even if I had I known what I was looking for the information isn't there. If there had been I might have become aware that this was a consideration before making a purchase. Do you think it is worth asking for my money back?

[AFG]

Buying a brush sight unseen is often a crapshoot even for experienced users. Its up to you as the buyer to ask questions to determine if the brush has what you want. I don't know of any seller who will take back a brush because the buyer did not like the way it performed. Now you know that you need to determine what you like in a brush and some of the things to look for to see if it will perform the way you want. Almost everyone here has bought a brush that did not work out the way we thought it might so you can take some consolation in that.

[mayhem]

It certainly is pretty.. I bet once you can post on the BST you'll find someone who will take it off your hands.

[chris.hale]

I could be wrong but judging by the price, colour, and the fact that it's described as "bristle" I don't think that the first brush is badger. Boar maybe? The reason I mention it is that if it is a boar brush and you like it, you may be best looking for another boar as the characteristics are different from badger and may suit you better.

[denim]

Yeah, looks like a boar with a stripe added to me.

[Brent]

I suppose there is no harm asking for your money back. I imagine though, they're not going to take it. Due to it not being defective and the fact that they can't resell due to germ concerns they most likely say no. But heck, no hurt in trying I suppose. And as said someone might like it from the BST as a starter brush or if they really like floppier brushes.

[njpaddy]

Buying a brush sight unseen is often a crapshoot even for experienced users.

+1. You never know until you use it. I've spent $100 on brushes with the specs I wanted, then turned around and sold them after only a couple of shaves.

[Mspec]

Will it change for the better after break in?

[chuckr9]

Will it change for the better after break in?

+1 give a little time....

[Tyrconnell]

@chris.hale and denim

Well I thought it was pure badger until about five minutes. So I looked it up. This site seems to imply that it is synthetic: http://www.men-uusa.com/new.html
but this review mentions that Men-U make two very similar brushes one of which is synthetic and one of which is boar
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...g-Brush-Review

I think I must have the synthetic because one thing I did know was that boar smells really really strongly. From what I've read online it would be very difficult to ignore the smell. I did notice a slight odour from the newer one (the one that definitely is badger) but I don't remember smelling anything from the original brush. So presumably synthetic?

[Haggises]

The same looking brush on the men u USA site says "pure boar bristle"
the synthetic doesn't have the same banding.

[bkfist]

@chris.hale and denim

Well I thought it was pure badger until about five minutes. So I looked it up. This site seems to imply that it is synthetic: http://www.men-uusa.com/new.html
but this review mentions that Men-U make two very similar brushes one of which is synthetic and one of which is boar
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...g-Brush-Review

I think I must have the synthetic because one thing I did know was that boar smells really really strongly. From what I've read online it would be very difficult to ignore the smell. I did notice a slight odour from the newer one (the one that definitely is badger) but I don't remember smelling anything from the original brush. So presumably synthetic?

Boar doesn't have to smell bad. My Semogue had no appreciable odor at all. Every Omega, on the other hand, that I've came in contact with smells like they didn't even bother washing the poo off the bristles before shipping the brush.

[Tyrconnell]

I've looked it up some more and while the two brushes are identical-looking the price-difference tells the story. I do have the boar brush. Now problem is that I seem to really like boar-brush but I think it is harder to find boar-brushes with beautiful handles. Oh well - I suppose it'll have to be a labour of love :-)

[leonidas]

...the one from Traditional Shaving Company is a very nice looking brush...........

........... wish i had known that one existed before i bought mine..........

[Prof. Moriarty]

Grab yourself a Semogue SOC or 1305, or maybe an Omega. Both make excellent boar brushes, are fairly cheap, and have good looking handles.

[Tyrconnell]

oh - cool - thanks Prof

[Prof. Moriarty]

No worries mate, if you are in the UK check out shaving.ie for Semogue. If you want to look at Omega look at Connought (only place I know that sells Omega).