Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

What kind of shaving brush do you use? Tell us all about it!
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rexcarolus
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Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:39 pm

Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by rexcarolus »

Hello everyone,

I thought it would be nice to collect my thoughts on some of my brushes while posing a few questions to the forum.

Emperor 1 2 band Super (Vulfix era, 22 X 48): This is a powerful medium brush with a very ergonomic (and beautiful) handle. Density is medium. Knot is very firm at the base. I am primarily a face latherer and this works very well in that role, though the somewhat triangular bulb directs the scritch right to the face with a lot of focus. Actually this is the highlight of the brush for me because there is considerable scritch without any discomfort or prickle. The fairly soft tips are a blazing white and the brush has fairly firm backbone and resilience.

Tulip 3 2 band Super (Vulfix era, 27 X 52): The handle is just lovely and the bulb shaping makes for a very well-supported and luxurious face feel. Density is medium. Tips are white. Knot is very firm at the base. The ridged shelf truly does keep lather off the handle, which is much appreciated especially when shaving with a straight razor. Early in my journey with wetshaving, my rotation was E1, H1, and T3, and each time the T3 came out it felt like the most pampering experience ever. That crown has now passed to....

Macaulay 7 (M7) 2 band Silvertip (Vulfix era, 25 X 52, "butterscotch" acrylic): This was a birthday gift from my wife and was bought directly from the Simpsons web shop (not a custom order). As you can see, I have an affinity for the Macaulay family of handle designs, and this one is perhaps the best of them all. In reality this brush is very similar to the T3 with a couple of exceptions. Density is low (within the Simpsons realm) and this actually steps up the luxury of the shave from the T3, which came as a surprise. This density increases flow through and makes for a very pleasurable experience. It proves that less is sometimes more. Knot is also very firm at the base. Tips not as white as the T3, and much duller than the E1.

Duke 1 2 band Best (Family era, "butterscotch" catalin): It is difficult for me to separate the performance characteristics of this brush from the nostalgia it conjures. It is a very deep butterscotch (nearly identical in hue and intensity to the M7) and has a lovely flat-top bulb knot. Whether low in density by design or by decades of use (at least one order of magnitude less than the M7), it lathers very well. I can only hope it has much more life in it, but nevertheless it comes out only for those sentimental moods and special occasions. The handle is wider than the present Duke 1, as is my GT1, the Trumper branded version of this brush I have with typical Best hair. Neither fits in the current travel tube.

The reviews are presented in order of acquisition, and what surprised me was that the initial scritch of the E1 has stayed relatively constant--I had heard from those I asked about the 2 bands that the initial scritch fades after a few shaves. Perhaps this has been true of the other brushes but certainly not this one. I do not know whether this is primarily the result of the lower loft, but its resilience without prickle but a defined tip feel make it unique for me. In fact it makes me curious as to whether this bristle is of the genuine upland white variety as opposed to the others (with CH1 Best as a control):
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IMG_20131002_223212.jpg (142.01 KiB) Viewed 2515 times
IMG_20131002_223303.jpg
IMG_20131002_223303.jpg (317.43 KiB) Viewed 2515 times
(E1 & T3)

Has the community identified any Simpson 2 band brushes that are similar in characteristics to Rooney Finest? I have never used a Rooney Finest, but it seems to me that this E1 has many aspects that frequently appear in Rooney Finest descriptions. Does anyone have Simpsons 2 bands of similar density (and era) that are very different in face feel? I do wonder whether I should pursue a Finest since I really like the different sensations that a variety of brushes provides. I am skeptical, however, since the general description sounds quite similar to this E1.

Thanks in advance for any feedback, and I hope the reviews will prove useful for those considering these brushes. Once I have all four of them together I will do a proper group picture.
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fallingwickets
Clive the Thumb
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by fallingwickets »

no input from me other than to say thanks for the great post and for sharing your thoughts

clive
de gustibus non est disputandum
rsp1202
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by rsp1202 »

I've had several Simpsons two-bands over the last three years, none of them having any scritch. My Rooney Finest 2/1's, circa-2009, were loaded with it. Some members here have had no problems with their Finests; guess I was unlucky enough (twice) to find a particularly prickly batch.
Ron
rexcarolus
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by rexcarolus »

Thanks for the positive comments, rsp1202 and fallingwickets. I have had only one prickly brush, a recent Persian Jar 3 in Super. My recollection is not too clear, but it probably had about the same comfort level as my Eagle 3 in Pure. The PJ3 was a big disappointment, and I sold the brush.

Prickle may in fact be scritch kicked up a notch to a point where it exceeds one's comfort level. I was unaware that Finest grade could be prickly, but this makes sense.

Some were of the opinion that the Simfix 2 band hair "improved" considerably a couple of years after the transition to Mann. I wonder if the E1 is from that earlier hair. The tips are a very distinctly whiter than the later brushes in my collection.
Rufus
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by Rufus »

Thanks for the write-up; I found it very informative. I was especially interested in your observations about the Emperor 1, as I've long liked the look of the Emperor- line. The impression I had until now was that they are best suited for bowl lathering. I lather on my face exclusively and use creams almost all the time, hence I avoided the Emperors. Now, however, I'll reconsider this in light of your experience with the E1. Oh bugger, I feel another round of SBAD welling up in me; if I buy another brush SWMBO will have my you know whats for bookends, so I' ll have to think long and hard about how I'll engineer this.
Bryan
rsp1202
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by rsp1202 »

Bryan, I face-lathered creams as well as soaps using an E3 3-band without problem. Here's a video of an E1 being face-lathered:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXMjjQLBiCA
I still love the handle shape, though it's more Kate Moss than Kate Upton these days.
Bronzed bookends add a nice touch to the home, so good luck with that, too.
Ron
Rufus
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by Rufus »

Ron, thanks. The E1 definitely looks like my kind of brush in terms of size and aesthetics. The thought of BRASS bookends makes me squirm, but I'll just have to man-up to it :?
Bryan
rsp1202
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by rsp1202 »

I've heard tell that the Emperor may not hold as much lather as some other brushes, but I'm usually done after two passes so never found this a problem. It's just a classic brush, no matter if it's the -1 or -3, skinny or zaftig.
Ron
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drmoss_ca
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by drmoss_ca »

Simpson brushes have quite a bit of variability. To whit, I have three CH2 Bests from Somerset and all are different. One feels fantastic and the other two might be completely different brushes. The two bands from the IOM are different again, but show less variation from example to example. I keep two of them in my rotation, but the others have been relegated to the Wall of Shame. None quite match the glory of a good Somerset.

I guess the message is that for many respectable brushes you have to consider them as individuals rather than as consistent commodities.

Chris
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
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rsp1202
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Re: Simpsons 2 band review: E1, T3, M7, D1

Post by rsp1202 »

I still consider your Somerset E3 a holy grail brush.
Ron
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