A horn handled Plisson #24 in HMW and some of its siblings..

[brothers]

I was hoping this revival of an older discussion of Plisson brushes might entice the good dr.P to join in. It's been so long since we've heard from him.

[Squire]

Well, they certainly are something worth posting about.

[ben74]

I believe DrP has quite the interest in cigars now...

As for my Plisson brushes they are starting to see much more frequent use (all except my 2 genuine Ivory brushes (size 20 HMW and size 14 EW).

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[daniel051]

Ben, I know that you've much experience with Simpson Manchurians. Might you compare them to EW? And to Simpson two-bands as well, if you please? Thank you.

Kind regards,
Daniel

[Squire]

I've handled a Manchurian and owned a two band Persian Jar. I would like to hear a comparison with the EW also.

[M6Classic]

I can compare two Chubby 3 Manchurians (one vintage, one 2012) I have owned to three High Mountain White (all vintage) PlissonsI have owned. Nothing compares to the Plisson hair, especially the HMW set in the plexiglass handles. The newer HMW is not as long nor as fine as the vintage. The EWs and HMWs hold enormous amounts of wter and can create more lather more easily than any other medium I've encountered. They also have a feel on the face that I will describe as just plain wonderful...cosseting, really. There is no accounting for the Plisson mystique, it just is and it is real.

That said, the Manchurian is great hair, indeed! It is sturdier than the HMW/EW and requires a little more work to develop an equal volume of lather. Also, its feel on my face is more therapeutic (in a good way) than cosseting. Of course, both of the Manchurians I have used were over-stuffed C-3s and the badger may behave much differently in a less dense brush.

Further, I strongly believe that the shape and mechanics of the knot when wet has more to do with how well one can make lather and how it feels going on your face than does any variance in the qualities of these uber badger hairs. Buy the whole package, not the individual characteristics of the parts.

Buzz

[daniel051]

Buzz, your observation about the 'whole package' is insightful. Incidentally, I've had my eye on this Plisson in #12 for some time:

http://blaireauxplisson.com/fr/blaireau ... opeen.html

I find the handle appealing. Unfortunately, it isn't available with a #14 knot. Were I to opt for that, I'd probably choose the 'forme traditionnelle', as Plisson bills it:

http://blaireauxplisson.com/fr/blaireau ... opeen.html

From what I understand, your experience is limited to the HMW in the plexiglass handles. Nevertheless, as one of the Plisson experts on this board, I'd be curious to know your thoughts.

Kind regards,
Daniel

[daniel051]

I perused Plisson's website and could not find any models with a plexiglass handle. Have they been discontinued? Buzz has ascribed the superlative performance of these brushes to the manner in which the knot is set into handle.

Kind regards,
Daniel

[M6Classic]

Plisson has done this in the past, eliminated something from their line only to restore it later. About eight or ten years ago they ceased production of plexiglass handles, but they brought them back, albeit with European White and European Grey, as opposed to High Mountain White badger. Who knows what's up with Plisson? It does seem for now that they are no longer producing plexiglass brushes which is very, very sad. All I can say about other Plisson brushes is that I saw a few HMWs set in horn at Colonial Drug and they appeared to be exceptionally well made. I had seen some poorly made Plissons a few years ago, but they appear to have solved production problems or else Cathie is able to hand pick the brushes she stocks at Colonial. The badger in them is not the same as the HMW in the plexiglass handles, but nothing ever will be and we have to get over it. I would be interested to see if the knot one of these new brushes when wet forms the same candle-flame shape as the vintage HMW and EW brushes. Perhaps Gordon can now advise us on this matter.

Let me note that a vintage #20 HMW plexiglass brush recently sold on the bay for more than $1,000. Egads! No shave brush is worth that kind of money. One giant Plisson is not worth four or five times more than a nice Manchurian Polo or Chubby and it is certainly not four or five times more gratifying. If you have that kind of money to drop on brushes, my advice is to buy one #14 Plisson in ivory acetate, one BK 8 or 12, and one Chubby 3 in Manchurian instead of the plexiglass brush...you'll be much happier and can spend the change on soaps. On the other hand, there is that Plisson plexiglass mystique...it is a powerful force.

Buzz

[rsp1202]

You can get a Kent, Shavemac, or Thater in plexi, too, and they're supposed to be all be cushy and soft from what I've heard -- but of course they'd be nothing like the Plissons you describe, Buzz. But for a modern plexi* fix, there's that option. I appreciate what you and other plexi fans have done to keep this style up front in our collective awareness. I'd love to have one.

*The block-handled plexi, a la Plisson, particularly.

[bernards66]

Daniel, Well, from my very limited experience there seems to be something to what Buzz has always maintained regarding the Plexiglass handled Plisson models; to wit, they seem somewhat different even from other Plissons of the same hair grade and size. The #12 I recently received from Stan has a different feel and behaves somewhat differently from my other two Plisson whites. For one thing the knot is not as dense yet it holds exceptional amounts of water. In use, on the face, it feels more like a Kent BK than anything else. Both Buzz and I suspect that the knots may be set differently on the Plexiglass handled models. These handles never particularly appealed to me aesthetics-wise, but the performance seems exceptional. For the record, I have no idea when this #12 was actually made. I'd assumed it was relatively recently but I don't really know.
Regards,
Gordon

[drP]

Let me note that a vintage #20 HMW plexiglass brush recently sold on the bay for more than $1,000.

Guess who bought it...

BTW: i have indeed still quite a passion for Habanos nowadays...but i simply couldn't resist that huge HMW Plisson.

[M6Classic]

Let me note that a vintage #20 HMW plexiglass brush recently sold on the bay for more than $1,000.

Guess who bought it...

BTW: i have indeed still quite a passion for Habanos nowadays...but i simply couldn't resist that huge HMW Plisson.

Okayyyyy...then how much will you pay for my #24?

Buzz

[rsp1202]

Welcome back, Peter! Glad you're still operational.

[fallingwickets]

Welcome back, Peter!

57 thumbs up on the sentiment

clive

[Nitrox]

Good to see you back Peter. Another great brush acquisition, congratulations.

[EL Alamein]

Welcome back, Peter!

57 thumbs up on the sentiment

clive

59 thumbs up!

[woodsrider]

Wow....the Big Plisson thread is back!