Considering a Badger

What kind of shaving brush do you use? Tell us all about it!
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stagger
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Considering a Badger

Post by stagger »

I have been a member here for a little over 5 years and for most of that time I have used a Semogue 1305 boar brush, which I love. Works very well with both soaps and creams, and it fits my face well. But lately I have been considering a badger brush. My first brush was a cheap badger and it performed like a cheap brush. That's why I purchased the Semogue. Now I would like to try a higher end badger brush and have been looking (repeatedly) at the Kent BK4. I just wonder how it would compare as far as use with both creams and hard soaps goes, to the Semogue 1305. The Kent is pricey enough that I just don't want to pull the trigger only to find that I've made an expensive mistake. Your thoughts please, gentlemen?
Regards,
Mark -
brothers
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by brothers »

Mark, you've made a wise choice with the BK4. It seems to be just about everyone's choice for the reasons you've stated you're interested in getting a badger brush. As I was reading your post, not reading ahead, I was going to recommend it, and then there it was! :)
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
Rufus
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by Rufus »

The BK4 works very well with soaps and creams, either lathered on the face or in a bowl. I don't know the specific brush you have, but in all likelihood it may have more backbone than the BK4. I find the BK4 very luxurious and ideal for me as I don't like brushes with lots of backbone or that are overly dense, e.g. the Simpson's Chubby1.
Bryan
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by Thalay Sagar »

Phenomenal brush that crushes both soaps and cream- but is it the right brush for you? For one, the BK 4 won't be as firm as your boar but will be as soft at the tips. What is it that you like in a brush?
Best,
Chris

“Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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Squire
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by Squire »

Mark, the Kent BK4 works very well for me with both soaps and creams. Of course this is not to say you would find the brush's performance worth the extra expense, that's an individual judgment call, but if I could only have one brush it would be a BK4.
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Squire
CMur12
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by CMur12 »

Mark, any badger brush you buy will behave differently from what you are accustomed to with your 1305 boar and will require some adjustment. So be prepared for that and don't be surprised when you realize it's a whole different animal. :) Badger brushes vary tremendously, so one brush won't tell you what all is possible within the badger gamut.

I bought a lot of different badger brushes in my quest to find just the right one, and I spent a lot of money in the process. I settled on Semogue badger, but lately, with changes made to my lathering technique, I have rediscovered the 1305, myself.

The Kent BK4 is a popular brush and I think it would be a good choice.

- Murray
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by brothers »

When I discovered there was such a thing as badger brushes, and guys were saying they were good for shaving, I wasn't finding much joy with my cheap-o bristle brush, my very first step into real shaving, right after the CO Bigelow from Bath & Body works. I decided to give it a try. So I got a Tweezerman (also cheap-o), even at that very low level of sophistication, it was quite clear that the badger was an entirely different experience. So skip the Tweezerman, of course, and get the BK4.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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stagger
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by stagger »

I am humbled by the wealth of shaving knowledge and experience amongst the five people who have responded to my post. Thank you all so much for your input and advice. It sounds as if the BK4 may indeed be the next brush for me. And Chris, what I am looking for in a brush is fairly simple. I would like it to be pretty much the same size in the handle as my Semogue 1305, soft but with a little backbone to work my Tabac into quality lather, and under $150. And if it fits my face as well as the Semogue then so much the better. And I guess if I am gonna pull the trigger on a BK4 I might as well go whole hog and find someone to hone my straight razor so I can give my face the royal treatment it deserves. LOL
Regards,
Mark -
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by Thalay Sagar »

Excellent, Mark. Get at BK 4- you should love it. And if you don't you'll be able to sell it easily Used mine with Tabac this morning- wonderful lather.
Best,
Chris

“Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
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jww
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by jww »

Mark -- I own both a 1305, which I agree with you is an outstanding performer with both creams and soaps. I also recently acquired a BLK 4 (the black-handled version) and it is undeniably my favourite brush overall now. My wife commented the other day that I own 8 or 9 brushes and that surely that's not necessary .... well, we all know the obvious wet shaver's response to that don't we.

Back to the Kent ..... I was at 6 or 7 years at least in my deciding to pull the trigger, picking up a Duke 2, C&E (i.e. EJ OEM) Super Badger, an Omega 10098 and others in the process/journey. For me, the Kent much tops them all as an all-round, reliable performer regardless of what I lather with - including out-performing the Semogue, believe it or not. Hard to say that for any other brush. My 1305 still gets plenty of use, but I do find myself turning to the Kent almost exclusively since I picked it up on my trip to England a month and a half back.

You will not regret the investment.
Wendell

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stagger
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by stagger »

jww wrote:Mark -- I own both a 1305, which I agree with you is an outstanding performer with both creams and soaps. I also recently acquired a BLK 4 (the black-handled version) and it is undeniably my favourite brush overall now. My wife commented the other day that I own 8 or 9 brushes and that surely that's not necessary .... well, we all know the obvious wet shaver's response to that don't we.

Back to the Kent ..... I was at 6 or 7 years at least in my deciding to pull the trigger, picking up a Duke 2, C&E (i.e. EJ OEM) Super Badger, an Omega 10098 and others in the process/journey. For me, the Kent much tops them all as an all-round, reliable performer regardless of what I lather with - including out-performing the Semogue, believe it or not. Hard to say that for any other brush. My 1305 still gets plenty of use, but I do find myself turning to the Kent almost exclusively since I picked it up on my trip to England a month and a half back.

You will not regret the investment.
Wendell, I was sooo much hoping that you would see this post and chime in, as I knew you had both brushes ie...the Semogue 1305 and the Kent. Thank you very much for your response. I have asked my wife to see if ol Santa might find it in his heart to drop off a ceramic bowl of the Fat this year. Hopefully I have been a good boy. [-o< If this occurs, I will have to place the Fat on the opposite side of my sink from my Tabac so as to avoid conflict between the two but this won't be a problem. One question tho, is there a "break in" period for the Kent before it reaches its zenith or is it pretty much what it is going to be from the get go? I know that with my 1305 it took about two weeks for it to hit its stride.
Regards,
Mark -
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by Thalay Sagar »

Mark, there is no break in with the BK 4.
Best,
Chris

“Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
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Squire
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Re: Considering a Badger

Post by Squire »

Don't recall any break in period with mine either.
Regards,
Squire
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