#1
So I am looking at buying my first badger brush I currently use boar. And dislike synthetic. The three brushes I am considering are Simpsons Duke 3, Semouge OC two band and the Epsilon burgandy two band. https://www.giftsandcare.com/en/epsilon-...225mm.html

Anything I should know about a badger hair brush before I pick one?
#2
If you're in the US think about trying a Stirling 26 mm finest. I love mine and mine is everything that the others in my collection are for 1/8th the price. That way, you can see if you like badger brushes without spending too much.
#3
I was thinking about that but I can get the epsilon for around the same price where I live and it’s a hand made knot.
#4
I found Epsilon knots to be a bit prickly for my tastes. Not scritchy, but prickly, which irritated my skin a bit too much to use very often. Not sure which specific model you were looking at in their range, but between the prickly hair and incredible density of the knot I tried, I just never found myself using it.

My most-used brush is an SOC 2-band, which I love and would recommend if you like good scrub and a hint of scritch with what I consider to be probably the most comfortable handle style out there. It did require a bit of breaking in for me, and the knot improved for about a month of use.
#5
On Simpsons:

Simpson knots today are every bit as nice as they were back when the Simpson family were making the shaving brushes. The Duke is a great handle and I have three of them, two experienced and one modern. The Duke 3 is about the same overall height as the Chubby 2 or the 56 and other mid size Simpsons. The Best Badger knot is just slightly less dense than the Chubby with great backbone and soft tips.
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#6
All 3 brushes are from excellent companies and probably excellent brushes. There may not be a bad choice and you will probably be happy with the purchase

Perhaps list the characteristics of the boar brush you like or do not like for the synthetics. I would include handle shape. Find something close in those 3 brushes.
#7
Hey everyone thanks for the replies! Some good information all around.
#8
(This post was last modified: 03-13-2018, 04:02 AM by Oasisdave.)
Spend a tad more and get an Elite Razor Manchurian. You definitely won't regret it. I had a Duke 3 in finest and it had a fair amount of scritch that drove me nuts.

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Dave
"Always walk where you like your steps"
#9
Paladin or Brad Sears/M&F brushes might also be an option.

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#10
The three brushes you have listed are very different...it would be helpful to know what you like, dislike in the brushes you have tried and how you prefer to lather?

I have one of the first Epislons and it is a fantastic super dense large knot - soft as a cloud with great backbone from the density...not sure how the current ones are.

The Duke 3 is a medium size brush with medium density and the SOC is almost a small brush (for me anyway) with a rather high loft.

If price is of concern, maybe check out Maseto brushes on Ebay as well - fantastic value for money.

If you just want to be happy, get a Paladin. Email/message Ken and he will point you into the right direction. My first high-end badger was from him and I never looked back


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