Badger brushes cost - is it a markup or real?

A $50 brush will lather just as a $250 brush will lather, but the characteristics won't be the same. If that matters to you is up to your determination. There are differences, but they are small within the same classifications. The differences are larger going between hair types and hair grades. If the hair is too overprocessed, forget about it. It'll be the same. Too easy to take a great brush to garbage with the overprocessing trends of late.

I agree to an extent if you're basing it off mass produced and hand tied knots but the majority of purchased knots are from the same handful of wholesalers. There are also differences between grades such as a pure badger compared to HMW, etc. But for the most part your pre-made 24mm 2 band toss in knot from artisan "X" will be no better than the pre-made 24mm 2 band toss in knot from Joe retailer when both are set at same loft. The cost difference will be in materials and craftsmanship of the handle itself.

The point being that we aren't.

A $50 brush will lather just as a $250 brush will lather, but the characteristics won't be the same. If that matters to you is up to your determination. There are differences, but they are small within the same classifications. The differences are larger going between hair types and hair grades. If the hair is too overprocessed, forget about it. It'll be the same. Too easy to take a great brush to garbage with the overprocessing trends of late.

I agree to an extent if you're basing it off mass produced and hand tied knots but the majority of purchased knots are from the same handful of wholesalers. There are also differences between grades such as a pure badger compared to HMW, etc. But for the most part your pre-made 24mm 2 band toss in knot from artisan "X" will be no better than the pre-made 24mm 2 band toss in knot from Joe retailer when both are set at same loft. The cost difference will be in materials and craftsmanship of the handle itself.

The point being that we aren't.

My response was more into the OPs enquiry about the difference between a $80 and $400 dollar brush with identical knots.

You will be extremely happy with a Simpson brush.  Out of every other brush I own the Simpsons are some of the last brushes I would get rid of.

They just added a ton of limited edition Manchurian handles too, although they will tend to drive you up into the range you were probably trying to avoid a Chubby 2 Manchurian is hard to beat, they even have an elusive Chubby 2 in 2-Band right now.  Just be careful cause you are probably not going to want to get lower grade knots after using something that nice.

Let us know what you decide on.  Always cool to see what someone decides for their first Badger with so many good options out there.

Thanks for this,, ItsAllGravy
Will visit their website this evening

After that - straight to DFR

Just some notes about ordering from Simpson direct. 

1.  Their prices show a VAT charge but if you're in the US you don't have to pay it. 
2.  You will be charged a currency conversion if you're not paying in EURO.  To avoid it use a CC that doesn't charge you for currency conversion, don't let PayPal convert it for you.
3. If my memory serves me shipping is flat rate €20.
4. If they dont have the color you want email them, tell them what handle you want and they will tell you what blanks are available and what knots are available.  Larger handles have limited color options.

A note on the chubby.  I use mine for bowl lathering but many would advise against it and there are better options for it, the problem is if you want a 26mm+ knot there are only a few handles offered in that size, one being the polo series, but they are even more costly.

You will be extremely happy with a Simpson brush.  Out of every other brush I own the Simpsons are some of the last brushes I would get rid of.

They just added a ton of limited edition Manchurian handles too, although they will tend to drive you up into the range you were probably trying to avoid a Chubby 2 Manchurian is hard to beat, they even have an elusive Chubby 2 in 2-Band right now.  Just be careful cause you are probably not going to want to get lower grade knots after using something that nice.

Let us know what you decide on.  Always cool to see what someone decides for their first Badger with so many good options out there.

Thanks for this,, ItsAllGravy
Will visit their website this evening

After that - straight to DFR

Just some notes about ordering from Simpson direct. 

1.  Their prices show a VAT charge but if you're in the US you don't have to pay it. 
2.  You will be charged a currency conversion if you're not paying in EURO.  To avoid it use a CC that doesn't charge you for currency conversion, don't let PayPal convert it for you.
3. If my memory serves me shipping is flat rate €20.
4. If they dont have the color you want email them, tell them what handle you want and they will tell you what blanks are available and what knots are available.  Larger handles have limited color options.

A note on the chubby.  I use mine for bowl lathering but many would advise against it and there are better options for it, the problem is if you want a 26mm+ knot there are only a few handles offered in that size, one being the polo series, but they are even more costly.

Thank you so much for these great tips and guide lines,
I had a look at Simpson website and had problems with constant drooling, especially  with the special edition part. That said - prices are too high for me, I will wait patiently for a WTS offer of a good Simpson or Thater in top Badger quality

I don't subscribe to that. There is far more to a brush than being the same knot diameter and set to the same loft. There are brushes that can have the same effective loft when set, but will perform vastly differently because one vendor decides to have the knot at a longer loft and set it even lower than what another vendor will do. Not to mention the amount of hair packed into a brush, the knot construction, and more variables. There is no agreed upon standard weight of hair each manufacturer will use. They do it to their own specifications.