Plission Shave Brush are they with money

Also what is the deal with all the knot offerings.

Gray, Red, White, etc?


Last they list sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, etc., what is Millimeter conversion factor?


Promise last brush ?’s?

I have a bunch of high end brushes(and gifted them to a bunch of family as well). I have realized that at the end of the day, the hair is badger hair and the more expensive ones aren't made from unicorns. Many times it is the luck of the draw how good of a brush you actually get. The higher end ones do seem to have good quality control though. My favorite badger brush is the Stirling 26 mm Finest. I use that one sparingly and use my Varlet and Paladin more(in order not to put too much wear and tear on the Stirling) LOL.

I have a bunch of high end brushes(and gifted them to a bunch of family as well).  I have realized that at the end of the day, the hair is badger hair and the more expensive ones aren't made from unicorns.  Many times it is the luck of the draw how good of a brush you actually get.  The higher end ones do seem to have good quality control though.  My favorite badger brush is the Stirling 26 mm Finest.  I use that one sparingly and use my Varlet and Paladin more(in order not to put too much wear and tear on the Stirling) LOL.

Well I think part of High End Cost is THE NAME on the Brush.

I don’t know how Plisson markets thier knots but I do know how badgers grow hair.bkatbamna nails it. Better respected makers do what they can to assure a great knot but it is much luck of the draw. The only Plisson I’ve ever used is a synthetic.

zaclikestoshave was always knowledgeable about Plisson but not around as much as he used to be.

Generally they are not worth it to a large share of people. I generally have positive experiences buying used or NOS brushes from the forum or etsy. Buying blind from Plisson used to be a bit more concerning. I did see some promising new brushes from users sharing photos over on B&B recently that to my eye look of quality that I would apply to the Plisson brand. It has had its ups and downs on hair batch consistency and quality control but in short, likely you can find brushes you'll like cheaper (and likey from other brands).

If you buy a new Plisson brush and then decide later to sell it second hand, they will not retain the purchase price fyi. You will generally buy and try these at a loss so if you are interested, you really should do as much research on the forums before spending the money on a brand new one. You can expect something that contrasts to whats popular in the market nowadays (and for a while). A Plisson may be a somewhat looser knot, taller loft height, expect some bend and flop, when made shaped like pointed light bulb like shape, lather gets generated at the the tips of the knot. Its got enough space in the middle knot to aerate and mix as its fed the water from the lower part of the loft. You can consider a size 12/14. It's sort of standard or flagship sizing for the same knot plug (22mm) diameter but the size 14 offers more loft. The size 16 is also doable but medium large in size where it continues to become a really big handle and knot. Some don't find them as functional if they are too big which is what I felt using a size 20 vintage. 

https://www.plisson1808.com/en/content/1...of-brushes

You're really buying more into the style of knot and the shaping of it. It's a little bit unique and you do pay for it. Thats what I like about them and honestly don't really care about the brand or grading much. The pure grey is going to be pliable, soft and prickly. Euroasian white is like 2 band, offers a bit of trunk in the hairs but without cut or bleached ends and hmw is like genuine 3 band silvertip hair with a bit of face feel, good heat retention. In my biased opinion, they do justice to the different grades and how they pack and shape the knot. My favorite brush of all time was an older Plisson. It was a pure grade and very loose low density knot. It was something like a 18mm diam by 58/60mm loft and it was scritchy but it was the best feeling brush and made lather really efficiently. I'm pretty particular to what I like in current knots but I would likely buy a Plisson based more on the looks and shape of the not over what grade of badger was listed. I generally use 3 band be labeled silvertip or hmw, etc but I just like the way the Plisson make the lather. It has a bit of something bigger feeling or its a bit painterly since they are longer lofted knots. Thats why I compare to modern 2band badger knots, high density, lower loft sets, it's just on the other end of whats been trending over the years, another example being bleaching for softening.

Again, for how prestige or expensive it may seem, you really shouldn't be surprised with what you may buy and get. Plissons are generally not deals or cheap buying them new or even second hand. Check out the old bst posts and you can see what prices fetch and hop on etsy. Look at some old vintage options or if you really want, buy blind off the French site and see if what you get is what you were really hoping for. If you have money for a Plisson and since Dave in KY mentioned me, I know he has been able to get some Allen Long brushes recently and seems to really enjoy them. IMO, that would a worth while idea for a modern brush as well. The looks of them and how he shapes his knots is particularly interesting in how well he craft the knots. I may try to acquire one next year if I really want one but I have a lot of brushes already. I'd like to pair some down before adding more testers. Again, only coming from a biased Plisson enthusiast.

zaclikestoshave thanks for the input.

And then there are some Plisson from the past that are priceless. Below my only specimen.

Size 18 
26/65mm
HMW
Horn
Early 80s

Cool brush.