1st brush Required

J

jontymo

Messages
18
Hi Guys

After many good suggestions on here i have ordered most of what is to me my 1st real shaving kit.

The one thing missing is a shaving brush, i was going to order what seems to be the much loved vulfix404 but got confused when people seemed to say it is better for soap rather than creams. I can see me using creams more than soap at first.

I have not got a price limit for a brush although for a first timer don't want to go completely over the top so will someone please give me a bit of advice on what they recommend.

I have only just ordered my kit before writing this post so hopefully will go with someones recommendation and get my brush ordered as soon as and start down the long road of learning to shave properly!!!

Cheers guys, the forum is great.

Jon
 
Jon, contact Neo & Beejay on here. They are both members & both make excellent brushes at a good price. I am sure they will taylor the loft & knot sizes to suit your needs.
 
OK, so you are asking for a brush to use mainly with creams. In that case if you are prepared to spend up to £50, you won't go wrong with a Vulfix 2234. If that's too much you could consider an Edwin Jagger Best Badger - either medium or large are good value in the £25 - £35 range.

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You can buy both direct from the makers or shop around for the best price. Here are links to the makers websites.

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And if you want a custom made brush, get someone to make you a brush using one of these knots set to a loft of 52 mm.

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If you stay with creams and make lather in a bowl and paint it on in to and fro motions you would never need another brush. But now you are here and browsing you will be unusual if you stuck to that.

I've just seen that have started with palmolive cream and the soap stick.

In that case, I still think that the 404 badger/boar brush is your best bet. It will always be a good standby for soaps and do a good job with your cream. Plenty of time to upgrade later.

Let us know what you decide.
 
I can't speak about the 404 from personal experience but this would be best cheapest one you could go for. My first brush was an EJ Best and it was a great starter, soft enough to feel good on the face and it is nicely finished. I would stick with a good cream or if using a soap lathering in a bowl to start with, it is far easier to get consistent and controllable results lathering in a bowl and that consistency will allow you to improve your technique with the DE itself.

This morning I used some Yardley Gold cream and lathered up in my trusty EJ bowl, this produced fantastic lather in seconds. Sometimes when it is so easy to make good lather from a cream I question my soap preference, the truth is I get a better lather with a soap but it is harder to get it consistent. When trying new blades I try to use a consistent and repeatable soap mix changing one element at a time and seeing what effect that has on the end result.

There is no right or wrong and the 404 will work as well on soaps as creams so choose what suits your pocket and what you like the look of.
 
Your Brush is one of the more expensive bits of kit in your arsenal, so imo i wouldn't go too expensive too quickly.
Hell , the vast majority of my brushes are of the sub £10 variety and they all work just fine.. (Not as nice as my more expensive ones obviously, but there's time for that as you get over the initial hurdles)

Id agree with the votes for a 404 , its not to expensive and it does a fair all round job.
 
Here, down the bottom for $48.00. Nice big knot in Finest hair for £30 odd, an ideal cream brush but should be firm enough for soap.
There is also the smaller knotted FB22 for just under $40, should be good for both.

Good value.

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fozz77 said:
Jon, contact Neo & Beejay on here. They are both members & both make excellent brushes at a good price. I am sure they will taylor the loft & knot sizes to suit your needs.
Click to expand...

+1 on this.

Beejay and Neo both have some current offers on the BST section, so take a look there.

A 404 or an omega boar (10005?) get some good reviews and come in under a tenner.

Check out the Fido's Blog (aka.'brush guru'), if you havent already :D

Whatever you get, it wont be your last brush :lol:
 
ok

I have ordered the vulfix 404 for a 1st brush, i want something quick for when my new kit arrives, after that i quite fancy the TSR brush being talked about or if not i will keep an eye on the brushes the recommended guys on here are making.

Suppose its good to build up and have a comparison to appreciate what you have got(once i learn to shave)!!!

Jon
 
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