Features:

Harvested from the back of badger

Distinctive color pattern with a black banded midsection in the hair

Finer gauge of hair and softer feel but darker color than the first class silvertip hair

Soft on the face have little to no scratchiness on the skin

The Badger Hair Knots are handmade products and pictures are given of all sides of the knot.

Small measure errors and chromatic aberration are normal.

Description of hair: by somebody in this business: Interestingly, silvertips and super badger hairs can sometimes be confused with one another because of their similar characteristics.  However, silvertip hairs are graded and sorted according to very specific qualities of coloring and softness. Both silvertip and super badger hairs are also known for their unique color banding, yet the organic tips of silvertips are even more luxurious and soft when compared to super badger tips. Furthermore, the color contrast between the white and black color bands of silver tips are the most profound when compared to its badger hair counterparts. Also, as expected, even more care is required to ensure that these premium grade hairs do not become damaged over time. One interesting fact about silvertips is that they are never color treated and instead are left in their quasi-white or organic white form. The superlative gauge hairs of silvertips also provide unrivalled water absorbency, and while silvertips provide superior comfort and a richer color palette than their super badger counterparts, they also provide congruent lathering characteristics when it comes to soaps and creams. That is, the biggest difference between silvertips and super badger hairs, in essence, is the superior feel that only silvertips can provide. In any event, you cannot go wrong with either option, although those looking for the crème de la crème of badger hairs should opt for the added luxury and “cushiony” feel of silvertips.

As we have seen, the most common grades of badger hairs are pure, best, super, and silvertip. However, some manufacturers, including Simpsons, Plisson, and Rooney, have been known to produce unconventional grades, such as two-band and finest badger hairs. The aforementioned subcategories of badger hair are known for their highly distinctive physical attributes, and are quite rare. For instance, these hair types are used to create brushes that are very stiff and dense, as a result of the added tensile strength that the hairs provide. Consumers of these rare badger hair brushes include shaving brush collectors and wet shaving aficionados. These brushes can also be easily identified by their dark black halves that firmly root into the base of the handle as well as the elongated and striking white tips that make-up the upper half of the brush. In fact, the clearly defined black and white dichotomy of these brushes is the reason why they are known as “two-band” brushes. In other words, there is no subtle gradient transition to speak off.  Unfortunately, finding hairs that meet these highly stringent criteria are hard to source, making them very hard to supply to meet the fervent demand of collectors.

Ergo, no two badger hair brushes will be exactly the same, as badger hairs are extracted from different badgers from around the world. From appearance and color, to softness and absorption, even two brushes with the exact same grade and the same manufacturer will exude subtle differences. In addition, the highest quality badger hair brushes are handmade with the utmost tact, integrity, and verve, and some manufacturers have also been known to produce best grade badger brushes that bear a resemblance to the super grade badger grades produced by other companies. For example, while Simpsons only currently provides super, best, and pure badger hairs, their super grade badger brushes resemble the premium silvertips provided by other establishments-with similar retail price points.  Other companies, such as Kent, use different grading designations or hybrids. For instance, Kent currently provides their ultra high quality BLK and BK lines of silvertip brushes with pure badger handles. They do this to indicate that the hairs used to form the hair knot are extracted exclusively from badgers, while not necessarily being an indicator of its quality grade. In sum, it is important to know the sometimes subtle differences between the different badger hair types and grades presently available on the market. By understanding the differences between the various badger hair grades provided by different manufacturers, we hope you will find a brush grade that meets your unique shaving style and budget.