Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsRugged brush, quality construction, fits the budget
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2012
Recently a friend of mine bought two-bladed disposable razors at the store. "Two bladed?" I thought, "Ouch!" When I asked why, he mentioned that he was transitioning to an old school non-disposable razor because that's what his father used to use. He was working up to using a straight razor like his granddaddy had used.
Right now there's a fever for manliness*. Whether it's in the form of Ron Swanson, Mr. Rogers, Ronald Reagan, or Teddy Roosevelt, people want to feel self-reliant and they want to smell like the good old days when you had to walk to school uphill both ways. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the growing popularity of the barbershop cult.
My two-bladed friend and I were perusing Amazon, looking for the shaving products he wanted, and he showed me a soap he particularly liked. As soon as he was gone I bought the soap. I knew he had his father's razor but did not have a suitable brush. Part of the self-reliance mindset is buying items of quality while taking your budget into consideration; given these parameters I found a few brushes made of quality materials within my price range, but the Escali 100% Pure Badger Shaving Brush had the best reviews. Not only was it made of durable, natural materials, but also the bristles were 100% pure badger hair-- the most frequently recommended bristle material for an old-timey shave. Even better, they do not shed as they would in cheaply constructed brushes. This is the kind of brush will last. The quality is outstanding.
When the Amazon box arrived, I gave it to my friend. He opened it, found the soap he'd been wanting, and thanked me. "Keep going," I said. "There's something else inside." When he pulled out the brush his eyes widened. He turned the box to view it from every angle. "Badger hair," he breathed reverently. "Do you know how long this will last? I can't believe you spent that much on me." Thanks to this shop, I didn't spend that much money at all, and every penny was worth it for the tears in my friend's eyes (he probably just had something in his eyes, of course, like TEARS) and the satisfaction of knowing that he has a quality brush that will serve him for many, many years.
I'd like to mention the politeness and punctuality of the shop vendors. As someone who has experienced unannounced months-long back orders and excuses from some shops, I appreciate being left alone but for polite updates letting me know that my item is in the mail, and quickly, too. These vendors are personable and although I'm being sent a form letter update, they manage to make it seem personal and respectful.
Fans of The Art of Manliness will probably like this brush. Gents, or hey-- ladies-- who want to return to wet shaving, the double-edge safety razor and shaving brush: This is the real deal. Badger hair. Affordable. Perfect size. Does not shed. Want to get back to basics? Want that rugged, clean WWI balanced budget feeling? Go for the combination of quality and economy in this brush. Make every morning shave feel like something Indiana Jones would do.
*Nota bene: I'd like to point out that the fever for "manliness" should more properly be thought of as a fever for self-reliance, integrity, and discipline, but "The Art of Self-Reliance, Integrity, and Discipline" sounds a bit punitive for a light-hearted popular website, I suppose. All the same, you can't argue with the cool factor of anyone that shaves with a brush and straight razor.
