Badger Brush Advice Needed

tim33z

King of 'Spoilers' 2019!
Grand Society
2018 Sabbatical Fail
Joined
Nov 30, 2017
Location
Melbourne
Good evening good gents of P&C,

The time has come where I have an itch to get a decent badger brush.

I think it’s partly down to seeing so many nice looking handles everywhere.

I’m after advice on a few matters:
1) knot type- silvertip, finest, Manchurian etc. what is a good option these days?

2) knot size- my current synthetic brushes are all 26mm so since I like this size, is it a given to go with the same for a badger? The last thing I want is a brush that’s too floppy, so what loft height is suggested?

3) Handle specs- looking on Etsy there’s a few handle makers that state the handle has a socket depth of about 16-17mm. Is this pretty standard? If no, what should I ask for?

4) As many brush makers will not ship to Australia if it includes badger hair, my options are to get a handle sent here and then send it to Tony Forsythe fo fit the knot. This is where I’d like to hear from those of you on here who can recommend something suitable from Tony. I’m the first to admit I know bigger all about badger brushes.

Go easy on me...
Thanks!
 
@Tony Forsyth would definitely be a great possibility and I will let him describe your options

Otherwise: my other personal vote would be a Paladin - get one with a mail forwarder like shipito, easy. Choose a handle you like, look at the various knots they have and the knot notes from Ken - you might not get 100% your desired handle shape/color combo, but you will be very happy .)

Of course you could save your pennies until the charity auction in July and get a super super special brush...if you can wait that long...
 
Couple of qualifying questions.

Face or bowl lather
Preference for feel (enjoy scrubby or want pillow soft)
Budget
Handle colours or shapes preference

Shavemac 2-band silvertip, paladin, Declaration Grooming, Sabini blonde, even Bob Quinn elite are all great knots and options.
 
Couple of qualifying questions.

Face or bowl lather
Preference for feel (enjoy scrubby or want pillow soft)
Budget
Handle colours or shapes preference

Shavemac 2-band silvertip, paladin, Declaration Grooming, Sabini blonde, even Bob Quinn elite are all great knots and options.
Thanks mate for giving me some info to respond to. I’m pretty much a novice on badger brushes.

Mostly face latherer but occasionally I’ll use a bowl.
Is there something mid range between scrubby and soft? Do they differ a whole lot? Or what is most commonly liked around here?
Budget for the finished knot maybe up to $200 so looking online at handles I’d be thinking around or just over $100 for the knot including fixing it in place.

Can one go wrong with a Paladin brush?
 
Thanks mate for giving me some info to respond to. I’m pretty much a novice on badger brushes.

Mostly face latherer but occasionally I’ll use a bowl.
Is there something mid range between scrubby and soft? Do they differ a whole lot? Or what is most commonly liked around here?
Budget for the finished knot maybe up to $200 so looking online at handles I’d be thinking around or just over $100 for the knot including fixing it in place.

Can one go wrong with a Paladin brush?
Paladin are great brushes. You won’t get much change from $300 aud shipped for a 26mm. Shavemac will set you back about the same and can customise a little with Bernd, and are also a great brush. Elite Razors supplied the knots for the P&C LE brush. They’re a good knot and you can set at around 1.8:1 loft ratio if you want a good blend of splay whilst not being floppy for a fan (closer to 2:1 if you get bulb). Soft tips and when set at the right loft not floppy.

Yeah, knots vary a LOT :) my capt America brush from Tony is super dense (we asked the supplier for the most dense softest knot they had). It’s nice and soft, but chews the soap and a lather hog. Wish I had set the loft higher to free up the lather a bit. Alternatively Tony has quite a few knots sampled from China and can sort you out with a beautifully crafted brush. You can get some testimonials from members who own his brushes. Just have a quick scan through sotd and flick a couple ims off.
 
I'm a massive Simpsons fan, and because you are buying from overseas, you can knock off VAT (our GST equivalent). This is about 20%. Shipping is reasonable too. Their Best hair knots are really great in my experience, but for me I'm a Manchurian fan, I prefer the slightly stiffer shafts, as I pretty much always bowl lather. Another look in could be the super special that they currently have on an Old Vulfix T8. This also has a 26mm knot, as per your liking. My other suggestions would be the Emperor 2, or Tulip 2, both with silvertip (very soft) or the Astor, with best.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses on here.
Pleased to announce that a Paladin PK-47 26mm is on its way to my den.

You will be very pleased - only problem: you will then understand and want more :D
 
Following on...
the paladin auction brush very quickly went past my assignment budget.

So in the end, I now have an Ivory 28mm pk47 2CLNA6 whatever that means on order!
 
Following on...
the paladin auction brush very quickly went past my assignment budget.

So in the end, I now have an Ivory 28mm pk47 2CLNA6 whatever that means on order!
That was quick! It took me ages to work out the the best method of having it shipped here through a mail forwarding company.
 
That was quick! It took me ages to work out the the best method of having it shipped here through a mail forwarding company.

I went with ShipTo as they don’t have an annual membership fee. Although I see their DHL
Rates hurt! Oh well.
 
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