Are Pure Badgers really that bad?

There is a Lot of High Priced & Overpriced Crap Badgers Out there..Simpson for One..They Got Popularized in Forums & the Prices went Crazy for Years..That Said..I have Never Came Across a So Called Rough Badger Brush Yet.,Forum Talk Can Lead Folks into FALSE Expectation's..Just Like Politicians..:D:D:D

Billy

I 've seen people buying 300$ brushes and myself, i have given quite a lot of money since i started wetshaving (i have had acquisition disorder about everything), but, i am not going to buy expensive badger brushes, i don't care how much better they are supposed to be. I mean, i get the same lather with my 6 EUR Omega boar brush, which is my favourite brush. I don't intend to pay 50 or 100 EUR for just 1 brush. For badgers, so far i paid 60 EUR, but i get 3 brushes with that (1 pure and 2 best badgers). 1, will probably end up as backup, since i don't want to have an excessively large rotation. I don't intend to spend more.

I LOVE this boar model , handle is extremely ergonomic,perfect size brush for me, i will use this model in my rotation till i die and i find it ridiculous to pay more than 30 EUR to get an "amazing badger", when i have already this "amazing boar" for 6 EUR each, including its own stand. I even tried it in facelathering and if you load it with a generous soap dose and don't overwork the lather on your face, it carries enough lather for 4 passes (as i always do).

I 've read about Simpsons, they have good reputation, however i 've seen some people having big shedding problem, but i don't like the looks of them and the handle. And between giving 50 EUR to get a Simpson Best badger and giving 20 on AliExpress to get a Yaqi 2 band, i 'd do the latter, anytime.
 
If you're happy with your brush that's all that matters.

Personally I didn't think high-end badger brushes were worth it until I tried one, and I'd have a good boar or synthetic over a cheap badger any day of the week.

I think that there are various grades of how much hardcore one is about wetshaving. There are those who are in a neverending quest for the "perfect brush", because it has become something like a hobby or collectionism. I just want a bit of variety with something that works satisfactory. For instance, i started with Proraso brush. I never clicked with it. When i moved to smaller 24x55, it was instant satisfaction. Bought them in quantities as spares (ironically, i have found in english, irish and even american shops, Omega brushes that i can't find in Italy!).

Same thing goes for badgers. The only thing that i know for sure that annoys the hell out of me, is a brush that has little backbone. Because already my 24x60mm Omega, is at the limit of flopiness for me. I find the 24x55 much better. With the pure, the only annoyance, is that if i use circular motion it's prickly. I mean, my Omega 24mm boar is way better. If i get the best badgers and they prove that they have enough backbone, i am settled. Ultrasoft brushes that have no spine don't interest me.
 
I think that there are various grades of how much hardcore one is about wetshaving. There are those who are in a neverending quest for the "perfect brush", because it has become something like a hobby or collectionism. I just want a bit of variety with something that works satisfactory. For instance, i started with Proraso brush. I never clicked with it. When i moved to smaller 24x55, it was instant satisfaction. Bought them in quantities as spares (ironically, i have found in english, irish and even american shops, Omega brushes that i can't find in Italy!).

Same thing goes for badgers. The only thing that i know for sure that annoys the hell out of me, is a brush that has little backbone. Because already my 24x60mm Omega, is at the limit of flopiness for me. I find the 24x55 much better. With the pure, the only annoyance, is that if i use circular motion it's prickly. I mean, my Omega 24mm boar is way better. If i get the best badgers and they prove that they have enough backbone, i am settled. Ultrasoft brushes that have no spine don't interest me.

Me neither, a nice dense two-band badger has backbone though and lovely soft tips.
 
Me neither, a nice dense two-band badger has backbone though and lovely soft tips.

Well, the only way i see me getting a 2 band, is from Yaqi, since i will simply not pay over 60 EUR, to get something that my boar brush does for 6 EUR. But since luck brought me to order already a Yaqi best badger and an EJ Best badger, if these 2 feel satisfactory, i don't see me ordering another badger for a long time.
 
Well, the only way i see me getting a 2 band, is from Yaqi, since i will simply not pay over 60 EUR, to get something that my boar brush does for 6 EUR. But since luck brought me to order already a Yaqi best badger and an EJ Best badger, if these 2 feel satisfactory, i don't see me ordering another badger for a long time.

You can get along quite happily without badger, it's not compulsory to have one. I have a few really quite expensive ones and I still get most use from my synthetics.
 
You can get along quite happily without badger, it's not compulsory to have one. I have a few really quite expensive ones and I still get most use from my synthetics.

I just like variety a bit. Not too much though, because each brush has its quirks. I think the boars are actually the quirkest kind i 've tried, which is also why i decided to stick to 1 main type. Now that i have thoroughly used it, i know it like the back on my hand.

I only have Omega S-brush as synth for now, but i have ordered a Yaqi plissoft. However, after reading many reviews, i have a gut feeling that i won't like the plissoft much either. Because what i dislike in the S-brush is 1) the unnatural springyness, 2) the feeling that the hair is "plastic" , 3) the weird water retention or rather non retention. And it seems from reviews, that plissoft has still these, albeit in lesser degree. If so, this will be my 1st and last plissoft and i will keep a rotation of 2 boars, 2 badgers and 1 synth and that will be the end of story.

Properties like "the plissoft makes lather easier" or "uses less soap", i find them secondary to the 3 characteristics i mentioned. Because, if you can make good lather with boar, then anything else isn't a problem and i am young enough to not having problems with rotating my hand in a bowl and with 50 unused soaps/cremes, using "less" soap is the last of my concerns.

So somehow, i have the feeling that i will end with natural hair brushes mainly. That said, if something happened and best badgers and above became superexpensive and the only thing left was the EJ pure badger i have, i would gladly buy it again and be happy.

So, no big deal. In the boar, i like the backbone and that the brush seems indestructible. And well, even if you destroy it, it's 6 EUR! In the badger, i like the way the hair bends when doing painting strokes (it has a sort of smoother bending) and that it appears to carry more lather, although, the boar seems to release the lather more readily (this can be both good and bad, depending on what you want to do. If you like overworking the lather on your face, easy release may mean you will be left with little lather for 3rd or 4th pass. The key is not to overwork it).
 
I just like variety a bit. Not too much though, because each brush has its quirks. I think the boars are actually the quirkest kind i 've tried, which is also why i decided to stick to 1 main type. Now that i have thoroughly used it, i know it like the back on my hand.

I only have Omega S-brush as synth for now, but i have ordered a Yaqi plissoft. However, after reading many reviews, i have a gut feeling that i won't like the plissoft much either. Because what i dislike in the S-brush is 1) the unnatural springyness, 2) the feeling that the hair is "plastic" , 3) the weird water retention or rather non retention. And it seems from reviews, that plissoft has still these, albeit in lesser degree. If so, this will be my 1st and last plissoft and i will keep a rotation of 2 boars, 2 badgers and 1 synth and that will be the end of story.

Properties like "the plissoft makes lather easier" or "uses less soap", i find them secondary to the 3 characteristics i mentioned. Because, if you can make good lather with boar, then anything else isn't a problem and i am young enough to not having problems with rotating my hand in a bowl and with 50 unused soaps/cremes, using "less" soap is the last of my concerns.

So somehow, i have the feeling that i will end with natural hair brushes mainly. That said, if something happened and best badgers and above became superexpensive and the only thing left was the EJ pure badger i have, i would gladly buy it again and be happy.

So, no big deal. In the boar, i like the backbone and that the brush seems indestructible. And well, even if you destroy it, it's 6 EUR! In the badger, i like the way the hair bends when doing painting strokes (it has a sort of smoother bending) and that it appears to carry more lather, although, the boar seems to release the lather more readily (this can be both good and bad, depending on what you want to do. If you like overworking the lather on your face, easy release may mean you will be left with little lather for 3rd or 4th pass. The key is not to overwork it).
Remember Spock's advice; "Live Long and Accumulate".

If you shave for over a half century and just get one or two brushes a year you will find that one day you realize you have a whole herd of brushes.
 
Received the EJ Best Badger (large). 23mm with about 50mm loft. I only gave it a bath in shampoo and hair conditioner, haven't really used it yet. But first impressions are: Seems less dense than the pure badger (but may be an optical illusion because the pure is very dark so might seem denser), seems floppy, tips more prickly than my boars but not annoying. Did i mention floppy? As soon as i got it wet, the whole loft bent down and as i splayed it against my palm, the knot would like permanently deform. This thing doesn't have half the backbone of the pure badger. When it was dry the hair seemed also softer. I am not sure i will like it. And if this is floppy, God help me with the Yaqi best badger that is supposed to have higher loft! :eek:

Anyway, now i 've put it to dry and to the last post of my rotation. So in 7-10 from now, i will know for sure. But, i may end up liking the pure badger more than this. BTW, the pure badger doesn't bother me now. Either it has broken in a bit or i simply became accustomed to it.

Anyway, now i have the rotation with 2 boars, 2 badgers, 1 S-brush. Waiting for the 3 Yaqi synths and 1 Yaqi best badger to arrive to decide the final rotation of 5.
 
My only badger is an EJ horn pure that came in a set with a stand and Mach3 handle, similar style to posted upthread.

Not a massive fan, haven't used it in ages eve though it is one of the nicer looking ones. Floppy for lathering off soap and prickly for lathering on face.

I'm tempted by the Maseto finest as my 2nd badger, someone tell me these are a lot different?

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk
 
I think, i would have preferred the backbone of the pure badger with the less prickly tips of the best badger. However, now that the best badger is almost dried up, i think the backbone is acceptable. Thing is, i am used to boars, so everything less, seems floppy now. But, i think i can use it and it feels softer than the pure badger. Also bigger. As a matter of fact, i don't think i would like bigger than that.

Anyway, i think i can live with the EJ pure and best.
 
I have a Simpson Duke 2 in pure badger and like it very much. It does have a wee bit of prickle, but not enough to bother me. My favoured badgers are Simpson best, shavemac finest and shavemac/Thater/VP Leonhardy 3-band silvertips, but I find my pure badger to compliment them quite well. In fact, once I've sold a few more brushes I'll buy a shavemac pure. As concerns boar, I find my Semogue OC boar and Omega B&B Essential boar feel quite different to the Simpson pure. I should add that I prefer the Simpson pure to my Muhle silvertip fibre and Kent Silvertex.

This morning I ordered a shavemac pure badger set in a Ruberset 200-2 handle from Brad Sears. Pure badger is the Rodney Dangerfield of brush knots, but I regard it as one of the wet shaving world's best kept secrets along with shavemac finest badger.
 
After my chinese order debacle, where i am pretty sure my 1st order with Yaqi Best badger + plissoft is stolen at the post office, i am seriously considering to order another EJ Pure Badger + EJ best badger , so that i will have 1 spare from each. I can find them right now at bargain prices, very similar to what cost me to order a brush from China. This might not last forever, so maybe it's prudent to stock up and be done with brushes.
 
EJ Pure Badger 20mm vs EJ Best Badger 23mm

And the winner is...the Pure Badger by a landslide!!! :eek::eek::eek:

I am sorry to have to admit that i wasted 25 EUR, but i tried the Best Badger today with the Proraso croap. I don't know where the soap was going, but i had to reload the brush 3 times. I started with the intention of bowl lathering. I ended up facelathering. It's like the brush is eating the soap.

Worse, while dry it seems to have some backbone, once wet, it becomes a mop. I mean, with the slightest pressure, it splays 180 degrees and i feel like i am shaving with a woman's brush. The brush covers my entire cheek. Even funnier, if you soak it and pull it out of the water, it bends under its own weight. You fling it left, the whole loft is displaced to the left and stays there like frozen! You fling it right, the whole loft goes right and stays there!

Now i know why badgers don't exist in italian shaving tradition. I also understand why people talk of "lathering with a pillow". Turns out, i don't like it. And i am afraid that this actually isn't a bad best badger and that the Yaqi i ordered will be worse, because of the higher loft.

Seriously, instead of 2 boars, 2 badgers, 1 synth, i may change my rotation in 2 boars, 1 pure badger, 2 synths, when the Yaqi synths arrive, if they have more backbone than this. And leave the 2 best badgers collecting dust...

I should have known. Obelix never chased badgers... :oops:
 
A shame but as you have found badgers vary so, so much... if you want a badger with backbone maybe look for a Maseto 2 band finest, that will make your boars feel floppy!

If you'll never use the best badger perhaps try to trade it for something else that you will use on ilrasoio?
 
A shame but as you have found badgers vary so, so much... if you want a badger with backbone maybe look for a Maseto 2 band finest, that will make your boars feel floppy!

If you'll never use the best badger perhaps try to trade it for something else that you will use on ilrasoio?

I think i am done with badger experiments. I will wait to see the Yaqi best badger, but, i think this is it. I mean, my boars work perfectly for 6 EUR and use one model to great satisfaction. I 've given 65 EUR for 3 badgers, i can safely say that i prefer my 6 EUR boar to the 2 that i 've tried until now and i prefer the EJ pure to the EJ best. So, enough experiments. I 'd rather waste more money trying a Semogue. If i want another badger, i will buy the same EJ pure and that's it. It has enough backbone and the hair is different than the boar, so this gives the variety i wanted.

I will probably use the best badgers in a loose rotation, only with creams. Because with the croap, i 've had trouble that i 've never had before. I am not registered in "rasoio" and even if i were, i like my internet privacy, so i don't trade/sell/buy.

I think, that the brush is so spineless, that even though the tips looked as if they were full of the croap, the soap was ending up deep in the knot, because of 1)the knot splaying so much, 2) the lack of backbone which makes that the lather stays deep instead of being "propelled" back to the surface from the elastic response of the backbone.

Anyway, it's actually for the best! This badger, killed my badger Brush AD! One thing less to worry about! :D
 
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