TheMonk wrote:
You mentioned your two decades old CH3 Manchurian is bulb shaped? Would it be possible for you to share some pictures of it? I personally would love to see it.
Alas, that brush is away at college with my son. If and when he returns, I will try to remember to post a photograph.
They need to set it down and bring back their wonderful old 2-band Super/Silvertip.
Im embarrassed about how far out of the loop i am. When did simpson stop doing 2 band?
thanks
clive
They didn't stop per se, what happened was that, some time ago, the 2-Band brushes were no longer being sold to retailers, only through Simpson's website, on the LE page. A few months after that Mark announced Simpson's would no longer cater to custom orders, and from that moment on the 2-band brushes have essentially also disappeared from the LE page, where you can now only find Manchurian and Synthetic brushes.
The only place where they can still be found, although very scarcely, is on Simpson's Twitter page, the last example of which was this M7 Bscotch 2-band on October 3rd.
David
“Use any means to keep from being a genius, all means to become one.” John Cage
There was also talk that Simpsons could no longer obtain hair that met their spec. If that's the case, then what little they do release is coming out of precious, dwindling stock. That would make some sense since I don't recall them ever pushing Manchurian as hard as they have the last couple years.
TheMonk wrote:
Could you guys elaborate a bit more on your impressions of the badger hair? What do you see that makes you skeptical about the quality of it?
It's not so much what I see, but experience of modern Simpson hair (and other manufacturers' hair as well). Vulfix put the best badger hair they can source into these brushes, but the problem is that there isn't any of the quality that used to be available. My own preference is for the Somerset Simpson Best, but the Best that went into the bigger brushes like the CH2 and CH3, PJ3 and T4 not the brown Best that went into the miniatures like the Duke (a good and respectable brush that I enjoyed and regret selling, but it didn't have the same kind of hair as the big boys). I've had a lot of brushes, but the ones I use (should say used, but when I get some platelets back I'll use them again) tend to be those. Thick-shafted stiff hair, with fine soft tips. Nothing like it for the feel or the utility. It seems those days are gone and it makes me sad. All we need are some wild badgers of great age and it can be done again. The poor creatures the Chinese factory farm and kill at the most economical age just don't have coats that make the grade compared to the old days.
Chris
Chris, I've unfortunately only got one older Simpson brush, a CH2, but I'm not sure we're talking about the same type of Best hair, though. Mine has very soft tips, resembling a pretty good silvertip, but the hair is not too thick, and not that stiff either, although it's a very densely packed knot.
Could you possibly share some pictures of your Pre-Vulfix brushes, particularly close ups of the hair? I believe this Pre-Vulfix vs. current Simpson Best hair has been extensively debated before, but not with actual pictures and a more detailed analysis.
David
“Use any means to keep from being a genius, all means to become one.” John Cage
drmoss_ca wrote:An old picture, but it should help:
Chris
That is quite a difference, not only in hair thickness and color, but also in knot quality. There also seems to be absolutely no glue bump, is that the case? All of my Best and Super brushes, with the exception of that older CH2, have some sort of glue bump.
Also, a lot of nice looking and shiny straights in the back...
David
“Use any means to keep from being a genius, all means to become one.” John Cage
FWIW, I agree with Bryan and Patrick; I don't think those wooden handles are very appealing. The only wooden handled shave brush I own is an old Plisson #14 with an ebony wood handle. Well done ebony kind of works for me but not other types of wood. I'm saddened to hear that the more recent Simpson brushes are just not in the same league as the ones they've supplied in the past although I suspect that Chris is right; that Vulfix ( and other top end makers ) are doing the best they can but that that level of bristle simply is not available on the market today. I'm glad I have those few older Simpsons and Plissons and have not seriously considered another brush purchase for quite some time now.
Regards,
Gordon
Let's face it, we are unlikely for a very long time if ever to see badger hair of the quality we became used to twenty years ago. Judging by the degeneration of even Plisson brushes, we may actually be entering some sort of shave brush dark ages. By the way, the Plisson site no longer lists any horn handles...not that I like horn handles, mind you. Really, when I look at my '70s and 80's Plissons and Simpsons, there just isn't anything on the market that comes close to their quality.
Oh, yes, welcome back Gordon, your wisdom has been sorely missed
I'm glad to see some more fan-shaped brushes, though Simpsons are almost invariably too dense for my lathering style. (Vulfices and Semogues of the standard line work much more efficiently for me.) I'm not in the market for new brushes, anyway, as I already have brushes that I like and they will easily outlast me.
I wouldn't be surprised if the overharvesting of badger didn't ultimately result in a depletion of this hair for brushes, leaving us with the ever-improving synthetics, boar, and horse hair. (Then, of course, there is always the Method Shaving Roberts Rag. No anticipated shortage of supply there. )
M6Classic wrote:Let's face it, we are unlikely for a very long time if ever to see badger hair of the quality we became used to twenty years ago. Judging by the degeneration of even Plisson brushes, we may actually be entering some sort of shave brush dark ages. By the way, the Plisson site no longer lists any horn handles...not that I like horn handles, mind you. Really, when I look at my '70s and 80's Plissons and Simpsons, there just isn't anything on the market that comes close to their quality.
Oh, yes, welcome back Gordon, your wisdom has been sorely missed
Buzz
Strange, until very recently Plisson still listed their horn brushes. I noticed the ivory ones have been gone for a couple of months, but their horn ones were still there until a few weeks ago.
David
“Use any means to keep from being a genius, all means to become one.” John Cage
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