What is it about brushes?

What kind of shaving brush do you use? Tell us all about it!
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Rufus
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by Rufus »

I too am attracted to shaving brushes. At present I have 27 badgers, 3 boars and 4 synthetics. Obviously, badgers are my first love, but I have to say that a good boar is hard to beat. As yet I haven’t found a synthetic that satisfies me the way my badgers and boars do. In consequence synthetics are strictly for travel mainly because they dry so quickly and are relatively inexpensive. Horse has never grabbed me and I had my last one reknotted with TGN 2 band badger because I liked the handle. I like brushes for their variety, aesthetic appeal and sensory pleasure. In other words they are more than just a tool. To me razors are tools; nice tools, but just tools. I’ve found the shaving creams and aftershave splashes I like and have no urge to explore them further. My love for brushes notwithstanding, I am singularly unimpressed with some of gaudily coloured (e.g. Moonjava) handles that seem to be the rage today; they seem more suited to the window of a sweet shop rather than adorning my shaving cabinet. My favoured handle colours are faux ivory and faux antique ivory, but I do have a soft spot for butterscotch and faux horn.
Bryan
Oscar11
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by Oscar11 »

Curiosity. We'll pay to see the varmint in the side show,
Rufus
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by Rufus »

TRBeck wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 9:27 am For sure curiosity plays a role. So much variation in brushes; good soap lathers aren't vastly different to one another, but good brushes can be.

FWIW, I've narrowed it considerably after messing with different setups the past couple of weeks.

Keepers:
Synbad
EJ Synthetic
Semogue Mistura SOC
Omega 49

Maybes:
Semogue 2000
Antica Barberia Mondial boar
APShaveCo Luxury mixed knot

The rest are being sold or PIF'd, and I may get the list whittled further. I want to use what I have regularly, possibly daily if I can get there.

You’re the first person I’ve come across who has an AP Shave Co mixed badger/boar brush. I’ve been eyeing one myself, but want to get an understanding of its face feel and performance. Of particular interest to me are its backbone, flow through and if it has prickly feel. The only badger/boar mix I have is the Semogue Taj, which has a really nice face feel, but it does goes to my upper limit of backbone. I face lather only and use shaving cream most of the time. I’m thinking of getting one with a fan-shaped knot as this has less backbone than a bulb-shape. What I particularly like about my Semogue Taj is that performs like and has the face feel of Simpson best badger or shavemac Finest badger.
Bryan
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M6Classic
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by M6Classic »

IMG_1262.jpg
IMG_1262.jpg (1005.94 KiB) Viewed 12108 times
Get one of these and accept no substitute. The only brush you will ever want or ever need. Vintage late 70s Plisson HMW set in plexi (size #24). The brush to its rear is an ivory CH3
Oscar11
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by Oscar11 »

I'd have a hard time arguing with your line up. It's solid for sure.
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fallingwickets
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by fallingwickets »

Tim, Buzz (very nice to see you out and about) has spoken. pay heed!! :D

clive
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fallingwickets
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by fallingwickets »

p.s. on a personal level, i think that the 24 is too big for me and so even if i could find one i probably would never use it. I have a stunning example of a chubby 3 that suffers from the same non use due to size.....soaps like MdC etc come in packaging that makes using a big brush almost impossible

clive
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drmoss_ca
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by drmoss_ca »

It's a funny thing, but this last few years I have neglected all my badger brushes and use only an Omega boar brush. It doesn't look so pretty, and there's not much pride of ownership, but I really like it!

Nice to see you, Buzz. I sold my last Leica and lenses this week. 😢
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
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M6Classic
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by M6Classic »

Greetings, Chris! Good to hear from you, too. Leica and Plisson...when they pry them from my cold dead fingers. Any word from Gordon?

Bests,

Buzz
Rufus
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by Rufus »

TRBeck wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 9:37 am Buzz, Plisson is beyond my price range, although I certainly understand its appeal. But I have been sampling through a bunch of potential keepers lately, and it does seem I may be close to being a non-collector (over 3 brushes makes one a collector as I recall). I am looking at keeping one synthetic and two boars. Funny thing: the synthetic was essentially my only brush for about five years, and I never felt like I wanted anything else in all that time. Like most collecting behaviors, talking to fellow enthusiasts triggers and feeds it. I reckon I'll never lose the itch to pick up a natural hair brush now and then, and the badger these days does not behave the way badger did a decade ago. Very treated, very different hair. So boar it shall be.
Your AP Shave Co. mixed badger/boar straddles both worlds. If it’s anything like the Semogue Taj mixed badger/boar you shouldn’t exclude it from your non-collection. Or, if you want to ditch it I’d consider trading it for one of my synthetics.
Bryan
Rufus
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by Rufus »

Tim, that doesn’t sound encouraging, but it is early days. I’ll hold of on a purchase and wait for your further assessment.
Bryan
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drmoss_ca
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by drmoss_ca »

M6Classic wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 6:55 am Greetings, Chris! Good to hear from you, too. Leica and Plisson...when they pry them from my cold dead fingers. Any word from Gordon?

Bests,

Buzz
Not a peep from Gordon (to whom I gave my only Plisson). I fear the worst.
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
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John Rose
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Re: What is it about brushes?

Post by John Rose »

I am perhaps lucky in that I've come to prefer stubby handles, so many otherwise attractive brushes are disqualified.
My least favourite is the Omega 49 Pro, which I find to be clownishly large, in handle and knot. Way too floppy, and best suited for a theatrical prop.

My two favourites are a 24 mm SynBad in a Blue Lagoon handle

and a Stirling 2-Band Synthetic.
Image

Runners up:
Simpson Wee Scot

This APShaveCo Tuxedo knot set in a Barbershop handle.
I bought this before I came to prefer stubby handles, but I like the knot.
I've also refinished it since this photo was taken.
Image
"If this isn't nice, then what is?" - Kurt Vonnegut's Uncle Alex
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