A Long Awaited Return

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 7:49 pm

Well, today I finally retreived my 'lost' shave brushes. For those of you who remember, all but three of my brushes had to be left behind at my old house when I hurriedly decamped in Sept. of 2011. I only took the Plisson #12 HMW, Simpson X2L Colonel and the Simpson D2. So, it was nice to finally get the others back. Not that I have that many compared with some other members here, but each one was carefully choosen and/or gifted to me because it was known that I coveted it. They are; a Kent BK4 and that B&B Kent number, Somerset Simpson T3, a Rooney medium Finest, a D R Harris's old style large ( by either Simpson or Rooney ), a Rooney Emillion, a Plisson #14 EW, a butterscotch handled Simpson EJ3, and an old C&E boar bristle brush. These brushes were the end product of years of buying, selling, and trading....of shifting and winnowing as it were. I never had a great deal of money to just buy anything that vaguely interested me....so I was forced to be more selective and careful.

Anyway, it was a joy to use the BK4 again and today's shave confirmed what I remembered about this brush; namely that it is THE best shave brush for hard English soaps that I think I've ever used. My wife happened to be in the bathroom when I started to lather up the Trumpers Almond soap ( note; the newer version, not tallow based ) and she exclaimed "wow!...I've never seen the lather come up like that...or so fast!" And she's right, even my Plisson HMW does not crank up lather quite like that from the same soap. I don't know if the Kent BK4s being made today are the equal of this one ( maybe 8 years old or so ) but for every wet shaver's sake, I hope so.
Regards,
Gordon

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 7:56 pm

Well, Gordon, I have always worried a little about your treasures that had to be left behind. I'm relieved to know they are back in your care. May you enjoy them all! (Well, maybe not the boar, not being your thing and all.

)

- Murray

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 8:14 pm

Thank you Murray. Your former D2 came with me and has done yeoman's duty during this period of brush scarcity.
Regards,
Gordon

churchilllafemme · Post by **churchilllafemme** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:21 pm

Gordon, I too am glad you got your treasures back. I have brushes that I love whose loss would sadden me greatly. I must confess, however, that I have never used a Kent.

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:18 am

My bk4, maybe 2 years old is on par with yours Gordon. On another note, its such a joy to read that you have your brushes back; living vicariously through your pleasure!

clive

TRBeck · Post by **TRBeck** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 7:34 am

Gordon, I was absent when you returned, so this is a belated welcome back from me.

I'm glad you were able to get your brushes back. I have come to accept that there are some items in my den that, all logic and reason aside, mean a good deal to me. Like you, I have winnowed and been choosy, and while I know that in the end, it's all just "stuff," there's no denying that these talismans are imbued with meaning well beyond their usefulness. I'm glad that, whatever obstacles you've encountered in the past year and a half, you've come through on the other side with a (mostly) intact shave den to help provide constancy.

And the BK4 is a helluva shave brush, indeed. Its quality and usefulness would be quite enough to warrant mourning its absence, even apart from your history with it. I bought my first BK4 on your recommendation, and though I've had a couple come and go since then, it's one I don't want to be without in my den. Kent probably owes you for more than one or two sales, in fact.

I expect you'll have similarly revelatory experiences returning to those other brushes, too. Congrats.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:16 pm

Tim, Thanks, and I'm pleased to hear that you bought your initial BK4 on my recommendation and that your trust proved warranted. Yeah, honestly, of all my absent brushes it was the BK4 that I missed most frequently. And there IS a certain...a....attachment that developes, at least for me. It was funny, after they arrived I overheard my wife on the phone to her mother,"....yes, he's quite excited....each brush is different...like each has it's own personality to him..." and it's true. I've been using each returned one day by day as one can see in my SOTD posts. Tomorrow is the last one that I use at all regularly; the Plisson #14 EW. After it gets it's re-initiation it will be back to my old pattern...which really is no regular pattern at all, I just grab whatever brush strikes my fancy that morning. Some get used considerably more often than others.
Regards,
Gordon

jww · Post by **jww** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:54 am

All this talk about the BK4 these days is killin' me!!

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:26 pm

Wendell, I thought you were going to go out and get one a while back. Are you still on the fence? Did you see that link to a sale that someone posted a day or two ago?

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:46 pm

Glad you got the BK4 back. I should get my remaining BKs down from the Wall of Shame and use them again one day.

Chris

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 9:15 pm

All this talk and love for the BK4 makes me want to get another one.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 3:02 pm

Chris, Well, you should....and so should you, Bruno ( chuckle ). Today I used my old Plisson #14 EW and it got me thinking. This was the first brush that I shelled out really serious bucks to get. I paid full retail ( around $250 back then ) and waited 5-6 weeks for it to be made, sent from France to Vancouver and on to me in Florida. When it finally arrived I was disappointed. It was not like the other brushes I'd used and liked; it was stiff, a little 'scritchy' on the face and was seriously dome shaped, almost pointy. I remember sharing my disppointment on the old Wetshavers forum and receiving advice to be patient and that over time I would appreciate it more. And well, that happened. Since I didn't much like it I didn't use it that often but over time I did notice that it 'softened up' and became more user friendly ( This is the old 'real' EW bristle suppossedly sourced from Eastern Europe ). The 'scritchyness' disappeared and the knot became more flexible without losing any of it's essential 'backbone'. And I started to notice that it made unusually thick rich lather. As many of you know, I don't think that the Trumper creams are quite as rich and concentrated as they used to be. But with this Plisson the lather I got from the Trumpers Limes this morning was just like the 'old days'. I'm glad that I listened to, I think it was 'Jack', who encouraged me to keep using this brush and I would wind up being glad that I got it....cause I am.
Regards,
Gordon

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:25 pm

Moral of this story, from Gordon himself is get the Plisson. Expensive? Yes. The Best? Yes. When I got mine I had second thoughts, it was traumatic, and scary, and too much money, and then --- I started using it for the intended purpose --- get the Plisson.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:50 pm

Gary, Yeah, they are very fine brushes indeed ( the Plisson EWs and HMWs ). I only have two and the second came via the generiosity of Chris M. There is the ongoing debate; "are they worth the asking price?", and of course there is no conclusive answer to that as it is a personal decision and everyone's criteria and situation is different. The ones I have are very effective for their intended use and the #14 EW has only gotten better with time, and they're a pleasure to use. But, my Simpson X2L Colonel is also superb, and at a fraction of the price, which is also true of my Kent BK4. The higher end Plissons are only 'worth it' if they're worth it to you. I had the money to spend back when I got this #14 EW, today I wouldn't do it.
Regards,
Gordon

Mr.Max · Post by **Mr.Max** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 5:26 pm

Gordon, I have to echo your sentiments about the bk4. I find that it likes to be used a little wetter than some of my others and it does especially well with 'to and 'fro strokes. I also bought one based on the high praises that you and others on this board have given it and I am glad that I have one.

jww · Post by **jww** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 6:09 pm

brothers wrote:Wendell, I thought you were going to go out and get one a while back. Are you still on the fence? Did you see that link to a sale that someone posted a day or two ago?

I'm still thinkin'.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 11:16 pm

Matt, Very glad that you are pleased as well. Used the BK4 with the Trumpers soap again this AM and again, superb lather and a very close shave even though the blade was on it's last day.
Regards,
Gordon

churchilllafemme · Post by **churchilllafemme** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:41 am

Do the BK4s come in different hair grades, or are the ones that say "Pure Badger" actually Silvertip?

drP · Post by **drP** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 11:18 am

The latter...

rtaylor61 · Post by **rtaylor61** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 8:34 pm

The BK4 will be my next brush. Not sure when, but it will be next. Unless someone wants to gift me a HMW!

Randy