Good starter brush for a new wetshaver

**webguru24** · 07-23-2006, 04:35 PM

Hello all,

I've been lurking on the boards for a couple of days and am about to enter into the world of wet shaving after using an M3 for the majority of my life. I have been using a cheap $5 Burma Shave brush for a while and would like to upgrade to a nicer, badger hair brush. I've been thinking about buying a Shavemac pure or finest badger brush. What I would like to know is how much of a difference there is between the handmade and the machine made? I don't have a lot of money to invest at the moment and I wanted some opinons from some more experienced people. Thanks.

**Austin** · 07-23-2006, 04:49 PM

Hi Joe and welcome to B&B. I would suggest that you start out with a Crabtree & Evelyn badger brush. You can find them at most malls for about $35. For the price, it's a great starter brush.

**greendyk** · 07-23-2006, 04:50 PM

Joe,

There are many possibilities, and any 10 guys will probably have 10 different ideas, but here's my recommendation: Savile Row 204 or 208 ($44 and $59) from www.qedusa.com Very soft on the face, great cream brushes, outstanding quality for the money . I know this goes against consensus, but I'm not crazy about Shavemac brushes. Had one, sold it.

John

**Kyle** · 07-23-2006, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Austin

Hi Joe and welcome to B&B. I would suggest that you start out with a Crabtree & Evelyn badger brush. You can find them at most malls for about $35. For the price, it's a great starter brush.

Ditto the welcome and the advice.

**webguru24** · 07-23-2006, 05:30 PM

Wow, thanks everyone for the welcome and the advice so far. I'm looking into the closest C&E store at the moment. Thanks again!

**jduffy** · 07-23-2006, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Austin

Hi Joe and welcome to B&B. I would suggest that you start out with a Crabtree & Evelyn badger brush. You can find them at most malls for about $35. For the price, it's a great starter brush.

As a fellow newbie, I took this advice and am ecstatic with this brush. I looked at other brushes at brick and mortar stores and this brush was the equivalent of brushes almost twice its price. I know one day I'll get something more extreme/extravagant but for now, it works very well.

**Joedy** · 07-23-2006, 06:06 PM

I agree about the C&E brushes. I sampled them in hand and feel that they rival my Vulfix Best brush.

-joedy

**Jim** · 07-23-2006, 06:55 PM

Welcome Joe good luck on your badger hunt!

**Jonnybc** · 07-23-2006, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by Austin

Hi Joe and welcome to B&B. I would suggest that you start out with a Crabtree & Evelyn badger brush. You can find them at most malls for about $35. For the price, it's a great starter brush.

This IS the brush to get, for you won't get better value for money.

Welcome to B&B...

**rtaylor61** · 07-23-2006, 11:05 PM

As often as I have suggested the C&E brush, and it is a great brush, I'm going to vote for the Best Badger brush from Superior Brushes. I've been using one for the past few weeks, and find it to have one big advantage. The handle. It's is more substantial, taller, and easier to use. The quality of the Best Badger hair I find to be the equal of the C&E brush. Yes, it's a few dollars more, but I believe it's worth the investment. One more advantage. The handle is virtually bulletproof!

Randy

**guenron** · 07-24-2006, 05:30 AM

Welcome Richard,
With the exception of one suggestion, the brushes suggested by the lads have stood the test of time and are not only very reasonable pricewise, but also represent good value. You can sometimes find something "Better" for a "Few" dollars more, but in the case of the C&E Best Badger and the Savile Row Super Badgers, it is very difficult to find anything as good for the same price, let alone less.
I am sure the Superior is probably a great brush too, but since they are a late comer to this forum, I am reticent to make a purchase based on a few weeks experience by only one of the esteemed exTexans.

**Suzuki** · 07-24-2006, 08:22 AM

My vote is for one of the Saville Row brushes - even the less expensive pure badger brushes are great and are the same price as the C&E - you can also get some of the other excellent products Charles carries at the same time.

Charles will help you pick the right brush and products, offers great service and reasonable shipping prices.

**webguru24** · 07-26-2006, 02:11 PM

Thanks everyone for the replies, this is without a doubt the friendliest board I've been on in a long time. Based on everyone's response, I'm going to order the C&E brush and try that out until I can afford one of the really big brushes. Thanks once again.

**rtaylor61** · 07-26-2006, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by guenron

Welcome Richard,
With the exception of one suggestion, the brushes suggested by the lads have stood the test of time and are not only very reasonable pricewise, but also represent good value. You can sometimes find something "Better" for a "Few" dollars more, but in the case of the C&E Best Badger and the Savile Row Super Badgers, it is very difficult to find anything as good for the same price, let alone less.
I am sure the Superior is probably a great brush too, but since they are a late comer to this forum, I am reticent to make a purchase based on a few weeks experience by only one of the esteemed exTexans.

EX Texan? EX TEXAN??? Pard, them's fighting words. I may not live in Texas at the moment, but I will ALWAYS be a Texan. When you use words like that, you better be prepared to throw down and slap leather!!!

Randy

**Austin** · 07-26-2006, 02:20 PM

**AJS** · 07-26-2006, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by rtaylor61

As often as I have suggested the C&E brush, and it is a great brush, I'm going to vote for the Best Badger brush from Superior Brushes. I've been using one for the past few weeks, and find it to have one big advantage. The handle. It's is more substantial, taller, and easier to use. The quality of the Best Badger hair I find to be the equal of the C&E brush. Yes, it's a few dollars more, but I believe it's worth the investment. One more advantage. The handle is virtually bulletproof!

Randy

Although they have yet to stand the test of time, I would echo Randy's sentiments about Superior Brushes. The handles are truly first rate, and having had mine for over a month and using it regularly it has yet to lose a single hair.

**jbasl** · 07-27-2006, 10:11 AM

I really like my C&E best, but I was talking to Joel and he says the Man-u synthetic brush can hang with the top brushes. The brushes he tested against were really top of the line and way more expensive than the synthetic. I'm thinking of getting one of these (60 bucks with a stand and some cream). If Joel says it can hang with the big dogs, it probably can. If i end up with one, I'll let you know how it goes for me.

Cheers,

John

**Jonnybc** · 07-27-2006, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by jbasl

I really like my C&E best, but I was talking to Joel and he says the Man-u synthetic brush can hang with the top brushes. The brushes he tested against were really top of the line and way more expensive than the synthetic. I'm thinking of getting one of these (60 bucks with a stand and some cream). If Joel says it can hang with the big dogs, it probably can. If i end up with one, I'll let you know how it goes for me.

I have a Man-U Synthetic and it's a very good brush. If it were a bit bigger and a bit better made it would be perfect, the plastic handle really lets it down.

**jbasl** · 07-27-2006, 10:24 AM

But a C&E best badger is also plastic, so you don't really lose anything by getting the man-u if you were going to get the C&E.

Since you have it, do you think it will be as long lasting as a badger brush? Also is the preparation the same (i.e. do you soak it in hot water pre-shave, or are there different prep methods for the synthetic?) Also, whats the size relative to the C&E (if you have one).

Thanks,

John

**Jonnybc** · 07-27-2006, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by jbasl

But a C&E best badger is also plastic, so you don't really lose anything by getting the man-u if you were going to get the C&E.

Since you have it, do you think it will be as long lasting as a badger brush? Also is the preparation the same (i.e. do you soak it in hot water pre-shave, or are there different prep methods for the synthetic?) Also, whats the size relative to the C&E (if you have one).

The handle is really cheap and plasticcy, I'll post a photo over the weekend. The C&E one looks a lot better from the pics I've seen.

It's difficult to tell how long it'll last, I have no reason to think it might not last very long, it hasn't lost a single hair. I go through exactly the same routine with the Man-U one as I do with my badger ones. I put it hair side down in a mug of very hot water for about 5-10 minutes before I whip up a lather.