First badger shave

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I started with boars, tried synthetics and never looked back. Just thought I should try a badger for you know science like, so got meself a Berkeley 46 in Best.
Not too big and not too expensive, after all it might be rubbish right?

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After a few hand lathers to clean it I had my first shave with it using a Edwin Jagger 3ONE6 and Polsilver SI.

Great shave. I like it. Obviously it is somewhat small. It has great density but splays nicely with a wee bit of pressure, and swoops round the face beautifully. Very nice backbone, noticeable and enjoyable throughout when loading and face lathering. I like to put a fully saturated brush direct to the Tabac puck and give it the beans. This brush holds water just fine. The tips I find hard to describe, probably because I've not used a badger before, so my terminology may be off but here's my impression.

A bit pokey and stiff, not uncomfortable but very present. Combined with the backbone, they allow a very nice scrubby and, I think scritchy is the word you guys use, experience. Not scratchy, maybe scratchy, but that would mean uncomfortable I assume. So scritchy then as I found the experience enjoyable and not painful or unpleasant. I like it and can see why some folks don't and would want softer tips. Maybe the tips will change with use but I sincerely hope that scritchy feel remains present, as to me that gives this brush it's character and makes it different to my other brushes.

The brush cost me around £42 delivered, direct from Simpson. I'm very happy with the purchase and have nowt bad to say about the brush, and will happily use it alongside my synthetics. I have deliberately avoided trying to compare it with a synthetic, as I just wanted to focus on my impression of it as my first badger brush shave. I won't be jumping down that particular rabbit hole, or badger hole, but it's great scrubby wee brush and I'm glad I have it. (y) (y) (y)
 
I started with boars, tried synthetics and never looked back. Just thought I should try a badger for you know science like, so got meself a Berkeley 46 in Best.
Not too big and not too expensive, after all it might be rubbish right?

View attachment 56023

After a few hand lathers to clean it I had my first shave with it using a Edwin Jagger 3ONE6 and Polsilver SI.

Great shave. I like it. Obviously it is somewhat small. It has great density but splays nicely with a wee bit of pressure, and swoops round the face beautifully. Very nice backbone, noticeable and enjoyable throughout when loading and face lathering. I like to put a fully saturated brush direct to the Tabac puck and give it the beans. This brush holds water just fine. The tips I find hard to describe, probably because I've not used a badger before, so my terminology may be off but here's my impression.

A bit pokey and stiff, not uncomfortable but very present. Combined with the backbone, they allow a very nice scrubby and, I think scritchy is the word you guys use, experience. Not scratchy, maybe scratchy, but that would mean uncomfortable I assume. So scritchy then as I found the experience enjoyable and not painful or unpleasant. I like it and can see why some folks don't and would want softer tips. Maybe the tips will change with use but I sincerely hope that scritchy feel remains present, as to me that gives this brush it's character and makes it different to my other brushes.

The brush cost me around £42 delivered, direct from Simpson. I'm very happy with the purchase and have nowt bad to say about the brush, and will happily use it alongside my synthetics. I have deliberately avoided trying to compare it with a synthetic, as I just wanted to focus on my impression of it as my first badger brush shave. I won't be jumping down that particular rabbit hole, or badger hole, but it's great scrubby wee brush and I'm glad I have it. (y) (y) (y)
Pleased you enjoyed your first badger shave, do you think you will be wanting to try a Silvertip badger brush to get a feeling for super soft tips against your skin? :) P.
 
I recently tried my first synthetic, complete opposite to you. While synthetics lather better, the experience using the badger (mostly soft silver tips for me) far exceeds the synthetic brush. It's the experience that changes shaving from a chore to something enjoyable.

I recently purchased another badger (30mm knot) which is best badger, it starts scritchy, but does get better. On a large knot, it's not great to have too much scritch (IMO). Although the synth is soft to the touch, in use a silver tip seems softer. Not great for loading soaps, unless you rub the soap on your face first.
 
I recently tried my first synthetic, complete opposite to you. While synthetics lather better, the experience using the badger (mostly soft silver tips for me) far exceeds the synthetic brush. It's the experience that changes shaving from a chore to something enjoyable.

I recently purchased another badger (30mm knot) which is best badger, it starts scritchy, but does get better. On a large knot, it's not great to have too much scritch (IMO). Although the synth is soft to the touch, in use a silver tip seems softer. Not great for loading soaps, unless you rub the soap on your face first.

I avoided making comparisons between badger and synthetics. Most of what I have read about synthetics is bollocks anyway. I don't care who prefers what. That is understandable. I do take point when people claim synthetics are rubbish though, because that is false. I only bought a badger so I can have an opinion. I've only ever tried one brush that was rubbish. It was a Progress Vulfix 660 synthetic. I threw it in the bin.

These brushes all do the job and do it well. The rest is just personal preference. I have a £10 brush that works as well as the £40 Berkeley or my £90 Chubby 2. That £10 brush is synthetic but that isn't me praising synthetics, it's just a fact.

You're totally correct about the enjoyment factor. My £10 brush isn't as enjoyable as my £90 brush. Luxury comes at a price.
 
Hey, I noticed that Kent have a second synthetic brush now (I know you like their little Silvertex brush) with fibre that looks more like PurTech. It's on the same good looking handle as they do a silvertip badger. I know if I was so inclined towards both synthetic fibre and horrid sods of angry badger skin, I'd like both in my collection:


... the badger comes in a larger format as well (BK12). Kent would be able to confirm which of their silvertips is the same size. The description feels like it's a medium.
 
Paul I came across the Infinity+ a while back. The pic I saw had the same fibres as the smaller one. It's still described as silvertex but that pic does look different so who knows. John Lewis were selling them and there was a thread on them somewhere with unfavourable reviews. I'll give it a miss thanks.
 
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