My brushes

[tommyers]

I guess, all together, I have about 9 or 10 serviceable brushes; they are:

(2) Ever-Ready 500PBT (one still sealed in the original box)
Ever-Ready 750PB
Vulfix #406 22mm Best Badger
Shavemac #22709 Finest Badger
Superior Brush 22mm Super Badger
Dan Capshaw Custom Thuya Burl custom 22mm Silvertip
Waterford Crystal badger brush
Wedgwood China badger brush
Savile Row 3118 18mm Silvertip

The Ever-Readys are really very nice little brushes considering what they cost in their day ($5.00 and $7.50). An E-R 250PB was my first brush back in the mid 50's, and I used it for many years, so I bought these three brushes mostly for old times sake. I found them all in unused condition.

The Waterford and Wedgwood brushes I really only bought for display purposes. (I can't imagine cleaning the soap scum out of that cut crystal handle after each use.) They look elegant on an open shelf in the bathroom.

The Dan Capshaw custom brush is a great brush, but with it's lovely wooden handle, I generally only use it for display.

That really only leaves about four brushes which I consider practical for everyday use. Out of these four, I seem to find myself reaching for the Superior and the little Savile Row most often. These are both great brushes bought at reasonable prices. I like the Shavemac also. I'm not particularly fond of the Vulfix; as with many other folks, I find it to be a little floppy.

Regards,
Tom.

[rocketman]

Nice brush collection!! You seem to be very well set up for a shave. You shouldn't really run out of options. I hear folks really enjoy the Shavemac brushes. I have seen a few Savile Row silver tips and those look like great brushes. I have never tried a Vulfix (or the others for that matter!) but I hear ya on the floppy thing - not always a desirable trait in a shaving brush. My primary badger is a simple Crabtree & Evelyn Best Badger. It is a nice brush actually, and I like it, but it is too floppy really for me. I tend to round out the herd with boar and vintages just because I haven't got round to dropping much dosh on brushes yet.

It is nice to snoop through somebody else's list though - thnx!!

[wchnu]

Veddy nice collection there Tom. Thanks for sharing.


Fuzzy

[dslazar9]

I found a guy in California who makes great brushes for reasonable prices. I got a 24mm Silvertip Badger Brush with a snake wood handle. It looks great, works great and was about $70.

[tommyers]

I'm not sure if that is who you got your brush from, but Dan Capshaw of Mt. Tam Woodworks, is from Mill Valley California. The custom brush he did for me is an excellent brush and is of exquisite workmanship. The last I heard, however, is that he is not taking orders for brushes any longer. apparently his business was getting to be more than he chose to handle.

Regards,
Tom

[cmur12]

Tom, that Savile Row 3118 seems to have developed a bit of a following.

Interesting your point about brushes kept largely for display. I have several brushes that I haven't used for a long time that add to the visual appeal of the "collection." One is a perfectly symmetrical Shavemac 177, but I use only fan-shaped brushes now. I still debate whether I should keep the ones that have fallen into disuse.

My favorites have become those made by the tiny Semogue factory in Portugal. I have (and use) them in all grades of badger and in a nice assortment of boar.

- Murray

[sired8]

Tom,

Nice collection! Have you considered Vulfix 404 Grosvenor? It's mixed boar/badger loft. Good backbone and lathers nicely!

[tommyers]

Apr 4, 2010 0:58:43 GMT -5 cmur12 said:

Tom, that Savile Row 3118 seems to have developed a bit of a following.

Interesting your point about brushes kept largely for display. I have several brushes that I haven't used for a long time that add to the visual appeal of the "collection." One is a perfectly symmetrical Shavemac 177, but I use only fan-shaped brushes now. I still debate whether I should keep the ones that have fallen into disuse.

My favorites have become those made by the tiny Semogue factory in Portugal. I have (and use) them in all grades of badger and in a nice assortment of boar.

- Murray

I can easily understand why the SR 3118 has so many fans. Frankly, when I first bought it, I was afraid that it would be a little small but, actually it has convinced me that, if anything, most of my other brushes are bigger than necessary. That little 18mm brush seems to be able to put the lather where I want it without unnecessary mess on parts of my face that don't need lathering . . . Great little brush.

You and a lot of other folks have got me interested . . . I think I'm going to have to look into Semogue.

Regards,
Tom

[cmur12]

Tom, I've never handled an SR 3118, but it seems to have a popularity that no other single model in the line enjoys. There appears to be something special about that one model.

If you consider purchase of a Semogue brush, I would recommend the following:

Badger: I would recommend the silvertip models in standard density (unless you really like dense brushes). These would be, starting with the least expensive, the 2015 (wooden handle), 730 (short acrylic handle - probably my favorite), and the 2040 (tall acrylic handle). They all have the same brushhead.

I also have the pure and best badger models, and they work great for bowl-lathering (which is what I do), but I don't think they would have the universal appeal of the silvertip models.

In boar, I would recommend the 1305 or the slightly denser 830. These two are made of the line's highest-quality boar bristle. The 2000 (barber model) is larger and has very close to the same quality bristle. I have the 2000, the 1305, and the 830. I haven't used the 830 yet, but I love the 1305.

- Murray