Also looking for new badger advice

[Tinman]

I'm considering Vulfix 2234 or Simpson Colonel. I mostly use synthetics. I want a brush with good flow through. I don't want to spend too much...

I'd appreciate your opinion if you are familiar with one or both of these ... or something else in this price range. Thanks!

[jww]

If you are being budget conscious, you may want to look at the Edwin Jagger OEM brushes sold by Crabtree & Evelyn. Wait for their annual or semi-annual 20% sale and you'll get a very good brush at an excellent price point.

[Rufus]

I have Colonel and love it. It has soft tips, a good backbone, but not too much, and great flow through. Dollar-for-dollar it's one of the best values on the market and certainly the best value in the Simpson line-up. For terrific value, outstanding quality and unbeatable performance you should take a look at New Forest Brushes; Fido/Peter, the proprietor, has focused on producing outstanding, quality brushes at affordable prices. I own two, a Tubby2 and a 2213 finest silvertip, and they easily hold their own against badger brushes double to triple their prices. I'm currently thinking of adding his High Mountain White to my cete of badgers.

[TRBeck]

The last three days I have used it with Harris lavender, a hard little soap that, in theory, should want scrubby bristles and a firm, dense knot. However, the 2234 makes quick work of lathering this stuff. I posted a link upthread where Chris Moss discusses the fact that less dense brushes tend to work better with soaps, and I'm starting to agree. I have found the 2234's flow through (thanks, Gordon) allows the necessary air to be whipped into the lather with ease (at least that's my working theory) and I wind up with a beautiful, dense, cushioned lather in less time than with my scrubbier Simpsons and Rooney.

That's an old post of mine about the Vulfix 2234. I stand by it. I regret selling mine way back when, and I think a good case can be made that it's still one of the finest values in badger. Since you're used to synthetics, you will find the Vulfix hair nearly as soft with similar flow-through but a less springy feel. You can go for more density, more backbone, more cachet, nicer handles, custom lofts, etc. - and believe me, I have - but you won't do a whole lot "better" than the Vulfix. Just different.

[Thalay Sagar]

I agree with what Tim said. It is also the only brush I regret having sold.

[CMur12]

Vulfix brushes are not dense, which makes them lather very efficiently. At the same time, they have no backbone. As a bowl-latherer, myself, this brush is ideal. There has been no talk about bowl-lathering vs face-lathering in this thread, but I'm not aware of anyone choosing this brush for face-lathering because of the lack of backbone.

- Murray

[Thalay Sagar]

Well, then, let me be the first. I am a dedicated face latherer, but I have never bought the idea that a brush has to be "scrubby" in order to be good for face lathering. From a practical perspective I don't think "scrubbiness" makes much of a practical difference to the outcome of the shave but is more of an aesthetic issue. I get equally good shaves from dense/scrubby brushes and not dense/floppy brushes.

[Rufus]

Well, then, let me be the first. I am a dedicated face latherer, but I have never bought the idea that a brush has to be "scrubby" in order to be good for face lathering. From a practical perspective I don't think "scrubbiness" makes much of a practical difference to the outcome of the shave but is more of an aesthetic issue. I get equally good shaves from dense/scrubby brushes and not dense/floppy brushes.

I agree. I face-lather exclusively and don't like scrubby-feeling brushes at all, nor do I like overly dense brushes such as the Simpson Chubby 1. In fact my favourite knots are the Kent BK4, shavemac finest and 3-band and Thater 3-band. I've never thought of theses knots being "floppy", whatever that means. I've been thinking of trying a Vulfix 375 with a Silvertip badger knot because I find the Simpson super badger knots are denser and have more backbone than I like.

[Tinman]

Thanks for the input. I'll have to make up my mind in the next day or two..