30 and 2 Surprises

I've got 30 brushes in my collection, I did a count today. Got Rooney, Saponificio Varesino, Thater, Shavemac,
a lot of customs, you get the picture. A lot of money in brushes...  
But I got two that are really, really great brushes that aren't that expensive, newbies and oldies can use a great
Badger always, right? Neither are new, I just sometimes overlook them and grab the "bling". Well I used each 
this week, used the Fendrihan High Mountain Badger, yesterday(Friday) and the Vie-Long 16510 Silvertip today.
These are both 23mm. the Fendrihan is $79.00 and the Vie-Long can be had for $76.00. Need a brush that can
and will stand up to any out there? Try one of these, I think you will be happy with either...  

FENDRIHAN HIGH MOUNTAIN

VIE_ LONG 16510

That’s how I feel about my SOC 2 band. It’s a reasonably priced classic that always performs well.
That settles it. The SOC is today’s brush. Thanks, Z!

At zero dark thirty I look for a shaving brush in the 2nd bedroom but don't turn on the light so as not to wake the wife. Usually I close the door then turn on the light and look at my 14 brushes then choose but yesterday I thought I'll leave the light off and just grab a brush - serendipity. This is nice surprise.

I have a Stirling Finest in 26mm with a dark handle that I would put up against any of my other brushes.  Including my numerous Paladins, my Declarations, and my Varlet as well as my M&F blonde.  Finding these values is what makes this fun.

I have a SOC 2 band in addition to an old Henri et Victoria brush I picked up from BST that the seller thought might have been made by Rooney.  Both are excellent brushes that I tend to reach for less than my plethora of other brushes.

And I am in a similar place with M&F, Paladin, Thater, Kent, Declaration Grooming, Simpsons, Rooney, Plisson, Brad Sears, Rudy Vey, a The Varlet brush coming soon and many other custom and artisan brushes.

(04-13-2019, 09:24 AM)bkatbamna Wrote: I have a Stirling Finest in 26mm with a dark handle that I would put up against any of my other brushes.  Including my numerous Paladins, my Declarations, and my Varlet as well as my M&F blonde.  Finding these values is what makes this fun.

I might have that same Stirling finest:



If so, it's a great brush, but I do like my newly obtained M&F...

Mine is the one with a 26 mm knot in an ebony handle.

Someone has written on a forum someplace( meaning I don't know who or Where) that the Vie-Long badger hair is
purchased from the same supplier and same quality as Plisson. If you think about it, how many suppliers are there ?
Some batches of badger are going to be better or lesser quality. It is a natural product and is subject to so many 
factors....Individual badger Age, Sex, Health, Diet, Habitat, Climate, etc. I would think the suppliers do mix batches
just as winemakers blend many vintages. So, an excellent brush can turn up from a less expensive brush maker
and likewise a subpar brush from a high end maker. I'm only talking hair here, assembly is another factor.

(04-13-2019, 01:35 PM)zipper Wrote: It is a natural product and is subject to so many 
factors....Individual badger Age, Sex, Health, Diet, Habitat, Climate, etc.

Of course, I can speak only for myself, but I want a brush the bristles of which came from a really randy, lusty, horny badger.

(04-17-2019, 07:00 AM)Mel S Meles Wrote:

(04-13-2019, 01:35 PM)zipper Wrote: It is a natural product and is subject to so many 
factors....Individual badger Age, Sex, Health, Diet, Habitat, Climate, etc.

Of course, I can speak only for myself, but I want a brush the bristles of which came from a really randy, lusty, horny badger.

... ….

(04-17-2019, 07:00 AM)Mel S Meles Wrote:

(04-13-2019, 01:35 PM)zipper Wrote: It is a natural product and is subject to so many 
factors....Individual badger Age, Sex, Health, Diet, Habitat, Climate, etc.

Of course, I can speak only for myself, but I want a brush the bristles of which came from a really randy, lusty, horny badger.

Amongst my 30 brushes there is one hidden gem: a Semogue Taj badger/boar mix. The Taj handle is superb, but the knot is truly outstanding. Visually and in terms of performance you’d never know it was a mix. To me it has the face-feel and performance of a Simpson Best badger or a shavemac Finest badger and it cost a fraction of either.

(04-17-2019, 07:00 AM)Mel S Meles Wrote: Of course, I can speak only for myself, but I want a brush the bristles of which came from a really randy, lusty, horny badger.

I suspect the face-feel might be quite prickly.

(04-18-2019, 03:47 AM)Rufus Wrote: Amongst my 30 brushes there is one hidden gem: a Semogue Taj badger/boar mix.  The Taj handle is superb, but the knot is truly outstanding.  Visually and in terms of performance you’d never know it was a mix.  To me it has the face-feel and performance of a Simpson Best badger or a shavemac Finest badger and it cost a fraction of either.

I concur. I have a redundant backup and would gladly use this brush daily. In fact, it is my most-used brush since I acquired it, and I will be selling a Simpson 58 and a Shavemac 2-band because I get more backbone from this Semogue, and it doesn't hog lather. Superb.