shavemac pure badger

[Rufus]

For some time I've been thinking of ordering a shavemac pure badger brush; probably a 22/50 fan-shaped knot. I'm hesitating because I have yet to understand how prickly and stiff the shavemac pure badger is. Currently I have a Somerset-era Simpson Duke2 with a pure badger knot that I quite like; it has a bit of prickle, but it is not unpleasant; however, I find the loft a bit on the low side. I own 4 shavemac brushes and like them all: Beehive bulb-shape finest, 410 bulb-shape 3-band silvertip, 410 flat-shape 3-band silvertip, and TSR 2015 Xmas LE bulb-shape 2-band. I only lather on my face and use creams predominantly. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience with the shavemac pure badger, particularly on its prickle and stiffness/backbone.

[Janus]

I did own a shavemac pure badger brush years ago, a bulb shaped one, but it was far too prickly for me. Quite stiff, too, if memory serves. Face lathering was out of the question and even applying lather from a bowl was uncomfortable.

The only pure badger brush that I have these days is a Vulfix Grosvenor 404b and that I can recommend (not to be confused with the Grosvenor boar/badger mix brush). A terrific lather maker, not too prickly, quite dense for a Vulfix, not floppy at all and a very comfy handle to boot. A real workhorse of a brush:

http://www.maguiresbarbershop.co.uk/pro ... ing-brush/