Trumper response

[harper]

I have been a Trumper fan for over 40 years now and I am yet to have any problems with the company or its products. I know some of you report you have but with a couple of minor matters ... very small violet lumps that did not effect the product in a recent tub of Violet shaving cream ... I find the creams the same as they were about 30 years ago. I don't know about the soaps because I gave up on soaps after using them for about ten years ... not because there was anything wrong with them but because I got a better and faster lather with creams.

My recent experience with Trumper:

A couple of weeks ago I ordered an S5 brush from Trumper and had several e-mail conversations with Ms Rebecca Baron and it was a splendid experience. She provided me with information, followed through to the minute on my order and did answer most of my questions ... some she could not answer due to company policy. I understand that because over the years I introduced some company policies that seemed arbitrary to outsiders but made very practical sense within a company.

She told me that Trumper brushes are not made in China contrary to what some have reported. The brushes are not stamped with where they are made as they were for many years, only that they are in the case of my brush, super badger hair. She did confirm what most of us know and that is the Badger hair does come from China but noted there are strict rules for importing it, again something we all knew or suspected. However, in the shipment with my S5 there was a card stating that all Trumper brushes are from England with the exception of the S5 which comes from Germany and reminds me of my Shavemac. So, I don't see any subterfuge here about where they come from ... I would if they were stamped Made in England and were not ... and for that matter I would not care if they were made in China. Like most companies in its field Trumper does not disclose the names of its suppliers and I can understand that. Suppliers may change but as long as they meet customer requirements it rarely is of consequence to the user.

I haven't been in touch with anyone at Trumper in the UK in about 30 years or so and based on what some members have reported I expected not to get a response to my e-mail or to be fobbed off with a routine form letter (I wrote a good many of those for clients when I was working). I got a response within 24 hours and it was not a form letter but an e-mail that responded directly to my questions. And that is one of the reasons for this posting.

For the record, I am not a creature of habit, a Luddite nor someone who refuses to try new things. Over the years I have used soaps and creams from all or most of the top high-end British firms, from France where I spent a lot of time, Germany and the US. But I am partial to Trumper products because for me they work.

And on that matter so did Ms. Baron who demonstrated to me that Trumper service (at least to me) is as good as the company's products. I will continue using them.

So good for Ms Baron and good for Trumper.

[desertbadger]

It is satisfying to hear of your good experience!

Regards,
David

[Hodari D.]

I'm glad you had a good experience, but those brushes still look like Simpsons/Vulfix rip offs to me.

[harper]

Scott: you may be right but Trumper has been using that style handle and bloom for at least 40 years and during that time their brushes reportedly have been manufactured by different suppliers. For all I know, the S5 is made by Vulfix but Trumper, as I said, does not disclose the names of its suppliers.

FYI, I have been told by a local supplier that Vulfix in the 2 series ... which is what the S5 handle looks like ... never made a tulip bloom which the S5 has. My original Trumper (identical in appearance to the 2235 Vulfix that I bought in 1970) has a tulip shaped bloom. I returned a 2235 I ordered locally because the bloom shape was flat and I prefer the tulip shape.

Still ...

[Sam]

Gordon used to keep up with all the esoterica of who made whose brushes. To me, Id only get a brush from Trumper if it were Simpson-made and cheaper than the Simpson equivalent.

[bernards66]

Well, in regard to Trumper shave brushes there are a couple of things to keep in mind. For one thing, most of our personal experiance with Trumper does not go back as far as Bob's and also that there were always numerous brushes for sale in their London shops that were never shown in their catalogues or on their website. They definately sometimes offered for sale brushes made by the old RA Rooney company as well as Plisson's ( which, I'm told, were labeled 'Plisson' ), as well as from Vulfix and the old A. Simpson company. In their catalogues, at least from about 1990 onward, they showed two lines of brushes. The first were labeled 'Super' and these were the Vulfix '2000' series models. The other was sold as 'Best' and these were Simpson Dukes and Harvards. Apparently they are still selling these same models but we have it on pretty good authority that the now combined Vulfix/Simpson firm does not supply them today. So, if they are still being made in England there is only a very limited number of possible firms that could be doing the supplying. Some members seem to doubt that the brushes truly are actually English made anymore. But that can't be conclusively demonstrated so....since Trumper won't talk about it....every member must draw his own conclusions ( if they care that is ).
Regards,
Gordon