Kent BK4 ( again )

[bernards66]

Evening. Well....yes...it is true, as Richard said elsewhere, this almost new Kent BK4 was, in fact, "donated" to me. I will leave this extremely generous soul anonymous, unless he wishes to identify himself; suffice to say that it was one of our most respected members, and a serious traditionalist shavegeek. No question about the 'shavegeek' part, as this was his "back-up" BK4 he said. Even I don't have back-up duplicate brushes....Corey Greenberg does though ( chuckle ). I am most grateful for this, as I've been curious about this specific brush for a couple of years now, at least. And the recent posts by Richard, and others, reawakened that long term curiosity. I always had a irrational suspicion that this brush might be pretty good with hard soaps, and this was validated by Chris Moss, back in the days when he used Kent brushes almost exclusively.

Okay. So the brush arrived in it's niffty red drum case, and I immediately yanked out my Vulfix Super 2234. Ah, so...just as I'd suspected...they seemed exceedingly similiar. Same knot size ( 22mm. ), almost identical height ( the Kent being a shade taller due to it's more domed crown ), very similiar density, etc. etc. Well, okay, that's fine, as I quite like the 2234....but what about hard soap? THAT'S what I was most of all curious about. I know some disagree, but as much as I respect Vulfix Super brushes, I have never, personally, found mine to be that great with hard soaps. With creams, it's a champ, and, of course, it 'works' with soaps, but not that great, IMO. But, experianced shavers, from Chris M. to Richard, have insisted that the BK4 was actually GOOD with soaps.

Well?....was it? Yes, against all reason, it was. Out came the cake of Trumpers Rose ( in honor of the 'doner' ). I have it flat side down in a large cup. Lathered it up, and indeed, it worked very nicely. Definately more effective then the Vulfix. Why/how this would possibly be the case, I haven't a clue. In all discernable ways, the two brushes seem extremely similiar, and yet, the BK4 seemed noticeably 'better' with the soap. So, okay. It is also even softer on the face then the Vulfix Super, which is hardly harsh. The one area that I preferred the Vulfix was the handle. Please!...before you get all worked up, the Kent BKs have, as many have remarked, unusually nicely done handles; very cleanly done and nicely shaped. But in this size, it is just a bit too small for my taste. The 2000 series Vulfixes also have nicely shaped handles, and on the 2234 it is a little larger then the Kent. That's the only reason that I like it a bit more.

I remember one time an English gent joined this forum. He arrived, having been brush shaving for years, but was not a 'shavegeek' ( a little like me, when I first joined Wetshavers ). He was into the whole quality traditional wetshaving trip, but in a practical way, and thus hadn't 'collected' a ton of stuff, and clearly wasn't into spending buckets of money. What he'd been using for years was Trumpers Rose soap, and a Kent BK4. I remember thinking, "...buddy, you're already 'there'..". And, in fact, some of the stuff he started to pick up on during his stay here, was not as good, IMO, as what he joined us using. The BK4 ( or similiar Vulfix ) is all the brush any sensible, non-hobbyist, traditional shaver would ever need ( or a sm/med. Simpson Best if you must have more firmness ). An excellent, reasonably priced shaving brush. Sigh....but I do still wish that Kent would see fit to do a 'BK6'.
Regards,
Gordon

[Tye]

Thankyou for the review Gordon. I'm really looking forward to using the one I purchased from Chris Fisher when it arrives along with my Tabula Rosa.

~Tye

[rtaylor61]

Gordon,

One of the reasons I have stayed away from Kent brushes is the handle design. Great looking? Yes! But from an ergonomic standpoint, I don't know. I just don't see it being overly user friendly, at least for me. And now that you mention the size vs the Vulfix #2234, I'm really afraid to pull the trigger. I'll have to do some research about the 4 vs the 8.

Randy

[bernards66]

Randy, Well, our tastes, and what 'feels right' vary a lot, from shaver to shaver, as you know. I actually did have a BK before....sort of. I had one of the old style Floris brushes, which were obviously Kent BKs, but mine was in Pure Badger, so, the tips weren't nearly as soft. It was the equivalent of the BK8 is size. I found that handle to be very nice in the paw, but, of course, it was significently bigger. I have a problem with diminutive handles, which is why I rarely use that Rooney Super #1 small I have. So, it really was the size of the BK4 handle, not it's actual style that I found to be less then ideal. Actually, the handle shape and feel of the Vulfix 2000 series brushes are quite similiar, just a little less exaggerated.
Regards,
Gordon

[drmoss_ca]

I always liked the BK handles both visually and also in the hand. It is strange how the BK4 whips up Trumpers soap isn't it? A very soft brush that might be good for dusting the soap, or tickling it when aggressive, yet it makes oodles of thick lather. Some combinations just synergise together and really do work!

Chris

[rustyblade]

Gordon and Chris, it always impressed me how the Kent BKs work so well with their own hard soap (which is Mitchell's, of course). As most people know Mitchell's is a bit tricky to get the right lather, but the BKs just make it so much easier.

I've always wondered what came first? The BK brush or the Mitchell's soap? Was the brush designed for the soap, for example? There is a definite synergy going on there.

[notthesharpest]

Kent soap from Mitchell's once carried a label along the lines of "Improved: easier foaming". Because of that label, and because Mitchell's claims not to have changed their formula, it appears that Kent once sold a different soap under their brand name, and then switched to Mitchell's.

[bernards66]

Chris, Richard, et.al., Yes, it's the darnest thing. Today, I tried the BK4 with a soap in a wooden bowl, which is a little different then lathering in a more roomy container, like yesterday. It was an almost new bowl of Trumpers Limes. Same thing; the brush worked well; definately better then the seemingly almost identical Vulfix. Who can explain it?....too weird. Loads of nice lather, despite my mediocre water.

As you no doubt know, there are shavers who prefer brushes like the Kent BKs or Vulfix Supers, not only because of their comfort on the skin, but also because the water, air, and lather travel through the brush much more easily, trapping little in the core, as happens with a denser brush, like a Simpson. And whether or not I share that preference, I can understand it. But why the BK4 would work markedly differently from the Vulfix, I'm at a loss to explain. But it seems to with soaps. Must be one of those odd 'synergies', or werid anomalies, that help keep this whole trip interesting. But at least it shows that my initial irrational, intuitive hunch about this brush was, in fact, on target.
Regards,
Gordon

[nodaktim]

Gordon,

Your reviews of the BK4 are beginning to make me second guess my recent purchase of a Rooney style 3 small in horn. It is due to arrive today or tomorrow, but now I am wondering if I made the right call. Currently I only use creams, but plan on trying soaps in the near future.

First RAD...now is SBAD trying to move in...

[fallingwickets]

Tim

Whatever you do, don't get SBAD.............it will take you straight to the poor house.

Clive

[nodaktim]

Tim

Whatever you do, don't get SBAD.............it will take you straight to the poor house.

Clive

Eh...Then I will just move in with you Clive...

[fallingwickets]

Move in? HAHAHAHAHA I hope you like dogs first of all, and secondly, don't come without cases and cases of Beck's. Ans, if you're really a nice man, I'll let you use the IK once in a while........LOL

Clive

[bernards66]

Tim, Try and hang tough, SBAD is one that you do NOT want; it's the worst of the lot ( except maybe straight razors ). No, you didn't "make a mistake", they're just a bit different kinds of brushes. That Rooney is what one would normally assume would be a 'better' traditional hard soap brush, no real surprise, if it is. The BK4 is striking though, because it 'shouldn't' be that good with soaps, and yet it is. With creams, I'm sure it will be excellent; I never doubted that it would be. Some shavers, like Sam, prefer firmer brushes because they like to get in there and 'scrub' them wihiskers a bit, and for that, very flexible brushes like the BKs just aren't so hot. I don't lather that way, so that's not an issue for me. I just simply tend to 'like' a bit firmer brush; the sensation of it. And, generally, I've found that denser, firmer brushes work better with hard soaps. This BK4 is the one that breaks 'the rules'. Either of those two you were looking at are very fine shave brushes, IMO.
Regards,
Gordon

[rustyblade]

Gordon, the same holds true for the BK8, but the BK4 is a fair bit denser and firmer. So, yeah, there is something going on there other than denseness and firmness (little leprechauns that live inside the brush rubbing their hands together to help create lather and pick up soap perhaps?). I always said the BKs were good on soaps. Yes sir, I did.

Given that the BK4 is very reasonably priced, works great with creams and has an uncanny ability lathering hard soaps, it is a no-brainer for a budding brushologist.

[msandoval858]

All this Kent talk is killing me!

I think I see a BK4 on my counter in the near future

[drP]

Here a message from the poor house ....
The only thing they allow me is to post here at SMF....all other sites are blocked...they've condemned me to a Tantalus' punishment.......

dr P

[bernards66]

Well, Peter, I'm sorry to hear that it came to this, but I did try and warn you.....but the malaise was too strong, I guess. You're still welcome here at SMF, even if you are now a pauper....a sad business for sure...
Regards,
Gordon

[jslfl]

Here a message from the poor house ....
The only thing they allow me is to post here at SMF....all other sites are blocked...they've condemned me to a Tantalus' punishment.......

dr P

Wealth is in the eye of the brush-holder!

[bernards66]

Evening, Just for the record, I found that the BK4 also did fine with the technique whereby you gather up soap onto the brush and then transfere the lather building process to a separate bowl. I used a new cake of the T&H soap for this one. Effective little bugger, 'floppy' or no.
Regards,
Gordon

[timc]

I find myself wondering how long I can hold out on this one. Can we get a group buy discount?