- Joined
- Tuesday January 13, 2015
- Location
- London
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?
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.
Not too big and not too expensive, after all it might be rubbish right?
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.