Recommend inexpensive shaving brush for newb.

[EscapeVelocity]

Coalescing information...

Omega x4
Semogue x3
B&B Essential Boar x2
Vie-Long Horsehair x2

Start with Boar
Dont buy cheap badger

Frank Shaving Synthetic
Whipped Dog SilverTip

 

[Ducati Scotty]

The B&B boar is about as fine a brush as you can get for $20. I'd say try a boar brush first. They are a bit stiffer and easier to learn to lather with than a badger, great value for the money, and also a bit more resilient and forginving of a new shaver's treatment while learning. If you don't like it I'm sure you'll be able to sell it in a heartbeat here on BST for most of what you paid for it. If that's more than you'd like to spend try any other boar brush from Omega. Great value for the money and almost all the boars are under $20.

Scott

 

[rickboone1]

There's a place down near the market downtown there that sells some wet shaving supplies. They sell Crabtree & Evelyn products.

Will be trying shaving soap. And also be using synthetic gels.

Im thinking maybe a synthetic brush and a badger brush. Dont know about boar or horse.

Just tentatively trying it out, not jumping in with both feet.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Coalescing information...

Omega x4
Semogue x3
B&B Essential Boar x3
Vie-Long Horsehair x2

Start with Boar x4
Dont buy cheap Badger x2

Frank Shaving Synthetic
Whipped Dog SilverTip

Im going to pick up some Williamson Mug Soap and a Palmolive Shaving Stick.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

There's a place down near the market downtown there that sells some wet shaving supplies. They sell Crabtree & Evelyn products.

I dont get Downtown Charleston much. I actually live about an hour south of Charleston on a sea island.

 

[nwjs]

Get a Semogue or Omega boar... that'll be the only brush you'll need for years. The voices that'll be telling you you need more brushes are lying...

 

[EscapeVelocity]

How about the Semogue 1250? or Omega Pro 48? or a Vie Long Horsehair? Or a vintage Ever Ready?

 

[Big Jim]

I'll add the vote for a Whipped Dog Silvertip. For $26.00 you can get one of the best brushes you can get.

The 20 mm Silvertip knot I bought to restore my old Erskine may be the best brush I have. It is certainly the least expensive of the brushes I prefer to reach for.

 

[gmgaj]

$10, omega. I have a pro 49 and it is a terrific brush.
$20, semogue. Don't have one but have heard great things about them.
$30, whipped dog silvertip set 10mm extra deep. I'd personally stay with 20 or 22mm. I've restored several brushes, and the WD silvertips are my favorites).

From experience, I would say to stay away from VDH (mine absolutely sucked), and tweezerman (the omega is a better brush for equivalent price).

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Coalescing information...

Omega x5
Semogue x4
Whipped Dog SilverTip Badger x3
B&B Essential Boar x3
Vie-Long Horsehair x2

Start with Boar x4
Dont buy cheap Badger x2
Synthetic not getting much love

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I see a pattern developing and have some good information to make a semi-informed purchase - or at least follow the wisdom of the crowd.

 

[shevek]

I was in a similar position looking for a starter brush a few weeks ago and i ended up getting the semogue 1305 for $18. It's absolutely perfect in my opinion. I think it's great for bowl lathering and the bristles have a good balance between soft and firm.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

I was in a similar position looking for a starter brush a few weeks ago and i ended up getting the semogue 1305 for $18. It's absolutely perfect in my opinion. I think it's great for bowl lathering and the bristles have a good balance between soft and firm.

I was looking at that one as it seems to be the most popular Semogue, however I was thinking maybe the 1250 instead as it seems similar minus the faux badger finish (and is also a few bucks cheaper).

 

[xillion]

The B&B boar brush is an Omega so take that into account when coalescing the information.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

The B&B boar brush is an Omega so take that into account when coalescing the information.

Thanks for that information.

Semogue = Made in Portugal
Omega = Made in Italy
Vie Long = Made in Spain
Whipped Dog = Made in USA

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Coalescing information...

Omega x5
Semogue x4
Whipped Dog SilverTip Badger x3
B&B Essential Boar x3 (Made by Omega)
Vie-Long Horsehair x2
Frank Shaving Synthetic x2

Start with Boar x4
Dont buy cheap Badger x2
Synthetic not getting much love
All you need is one of these high quality inexpensive brushes and it will last a long time and perform well

Semogue = Made in Portugal
Omega = Made in Italy
Vie Long = Made in Spain
Whipped Dog = Made in USA

Semogue 830 & 1305
Omega Pro 48

 

[celestino]

Semogue 830 and Frank Shaving synthetic. Great brushes.

 

[Mdkmdk]

I just have to give my vote for the tweezerman. For $13 you can test out using a brush without spending much. It's a fine brush, does its job. If you like using brushes, buy a nicer one later (I guarantee you will buy many!) and use the tweezerman for travel, packing it in a toilet paper tube.

 

[showle]

I believe the silvertips at whippeddog.com are the best value for the money out there...but thats just my opinion!!

 

[Rufust445]

The brush I've been using exclusively for the past few weeks is the Nr. 7 from bestshave.net. It is supposedly horse hair, but close inspection shows a few token horse hairs in mostly boar bristle. I'm trying prolonged use to see how it breaks in. So far it works nicely with soaps, creams, bowl lathering, face lathering. The knot isn't the densest, but it splays nicely for face lathering, and density is more even than the Nr. 6 brush from bestshave that gets most of the attention. Quality control is better, with the plastic handle, as well.

At $2.55, you could order two, plus some blades and soap or cream for the same shipping charge. Turkish post takes 2-3 weeks.

I tried my father's Surrey (VDH) boar a few times, but it took more than 24 hrs. to dry. The bestshave Nr. 7 seems to take just a few hours to dry. The Surrey handle was refitted with a 23mm. synthetic knot from TGN. It has VERY soft tips and makes great lather, in a bowl, but not on the face.
I've also tried a 20mm pure badger from TGN, but I like the way the Nr. 7 or the TGN synthetic give up the lather better.