Why buy Simpsons brushes?

What kind of shaving brush do you use? Tell us all about it!
brothers
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Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by brothers »

I've never owned one, and I've only ever used one (a synthetic) on loan from a member a couple of years back. Should I buy one? If so, why? I'm fully aware of the fiercely popular status they have enjoyed all these years. I've just never had the urge. Am I missing out on something? Do they still maintain the enormous number of handle and badger hair sizes and grades as before?
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
Rufus
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by Rufus »

I own 10 Simpson brushes with their full range of badger: pure, best, super, 2-band and Manchurian. Of the lot my favourite hair is best as I find these knots to have soft tips, adequate, but not too much, backbone and good flow through, except for the Chubbies, which are too dense for me. On the other hand, I'm not too keen on the super knots I have because I find them denser than I like. As for Manchurian, I like the knot in my QEII Jubilee, but dislike my M6 because of the prominent glue bump. Their pure badger is not too bad as far as pure goes and the 2-band is quite tolerable. Why do I like Simpson? They're a 'sentimental favourite' for me, the quality is good and they offer a good range of handle shapes. Also, their stock colour is faux ivory, which is my first choice always. Prices, however, are high.
Bryan
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SRD
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by SRD »

I only have 3 brushes in my rotation and 2 of them are Simpson. I have a Chubby 2 in Super that I use for creams and a Duke 3 in Best for soaps. They are outstanding brushes and do the job well. My third brush is a Savile Row that handles soaps and creams equally well. I don't think you can go wrong with a Simpson. If something were to happen to one of mine I would replace without a thought.
Dave
pausted
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by pausted »

I have never owned one and to be honest, I don't really have any desire to buy one. I'm very satisfied with my existing brush collection (4 badgers, 3 boars, 3 synthetics) and the cost of adding a Simpsons doesn't appeal to me.
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Basil
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Ouchmychin
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by Ouchmychin »

If you just want to try one, I'll make you a deal you can't refuse. :oops: :oops: I was thinking of listing them anyhow.
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fallingwickets
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by fallingwickets »

if you own one they are nice to use, but I wouldnt go out of my way. I bought most of the line, and the tulip 3 was the only one I liked

clive
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blantyre
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by blantyre »

What brushes do you typically use? Simpson makes some great brushes IMO. Not vastly different from Rooney, Plisson or any other high end brush but still well worth trying. My favorites would be. T2 2 band and the Astor LE from a few years back. The old Chubby Manchurians from the Sometset factory are quite excellent but I rarely use it because it's so scrubby. It's certainly the case that the old Somerset brushes were hand made each had it's own character - including a few duds that get more than their fair share of attention on the forums!
Rick
Gene
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by Gene »

I've got a Simpson Colonel X2L. Bought it from BullGoose Shaving a few years back.

I'ts the only high end brush I own, and I use it daily while at home. As far as I am concerned it's the best brush out there - sheds maybe one hair every couple of months (if that) and works great on soaps and creams.

If I could find a smaller version of that for my travels I would be set for life, I think.
Gene

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blantyre
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by blantyre »

It sounds as if you need a Wee Scott!
Gene wrote:I've got a Simpson Colonel X2L. Bought it from BullGoose Shaving a few years back.

I'ts the only high end brush I own, and I use it daily while at home. As far as I am concerned it's the best brush out there - sheds maybe one hair every couple of months (if that) and works great on soaps and creams.

If I could find a smaller version of that for my travels I would be set for life, I think.
Rick
slackskin
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by slackskin »

Gene wrote:I've got a Simpson Colonel X2L. Bought it from BullGoose Shaving a few years back.

I'ts the only high end brush I own, and I use it daily while at home. As far as I am concerned it's the best brush out there - sheds maybe one hair every couple of months (if that) and works great on soaps and creams.

If I could find a smaller version of that for my travels I would be set for life, I think.
Gene - have you tried the Wee Scot? It is terrific, and holds more lather than its size would seem to handle. It comes in a hard-tube case for travel.
Gene
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by Gene »

Thanks for the reminder about the Wee Scot!

I just did some trolling - see it's about $40.00. For some reason I thought it was more than that - and I am so cheap I held off.

I am going to give this some serious thought, maybe troll through the Buy/Sell and see if somebody posted one lately.
Gene

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress."
Mark Twain

"People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."
Alan Moore
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kaptain_zero
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by kaptain_zero »

I am going to second the choice of a Simpson Colonel X2L, I had two of them, one was the bog standard off the shelf, and one that was custom made by Simpson on a group deal with an upgraded knot. The custom knot is made from a beautiful grade of hair, but it's in a bulb shape and I'm a diehard fan brush user, so it sits on the shelf. My regular Colonel eventually started to loose hairs on every shave so I decided to replace the knot myself but ended up breaking the handle. I got one dirt cheap handle from Whipped Dog. I purchased a knot off Ebay and assembled it myself, and wouldn't you know it.... it's the brush I reach for every single day, no matter if I'm using cream or soap.

I don't think the next knot I order would be the same quality, so I'm not going to mention the ebay seller... I did get one of his assembled brushes, and it is not in the same league as the first knot he sent me.

As for size... the Colonel was the first sub 24mm brush I ever had, and it made it clear to me that smaller brushes are more than large enough. Still, a huge, steaming, floppy and lather laden brush, in the middle of winter, when I've been working outside in -40 weather for over 6 hours, is an absolute luxury, and if I'm using a floral scented soap/cream... it's like being in the middle of a flower garden in the summer heat. :mrgreen:

Regards

Kaptain "Colonel X2L for the win" Zero
Previously lost, on the way to the pasture. Now pasteurized.
oldjoe
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by oldjoe »

Buy a Wee Scot Simpson Brush and decide for yourself. So much from so little a brush. Truly an eye opener! After that it's a crap shoot!
Rufus
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by Rufus »

The Colonel in best is outstanding in terms of price, quality and performance. The Wee Scot is anything but wee when it comes to generating lather; although diminutive it is a serious brush.
Bryan
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M6Classic
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by M6Classic »

One buys Simpson brushes for the simple reason that when Plisson ceased making the vintage HMW brush set in plexiglass, every other brush manufactured moved up one notch.

Buzz
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Ouchmychin
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by Ouchmychin »

My Colonel was made by Plisson, but the Duke 2 was an original Simpson that I bought used from a member of SMF. I got the Colonel from a British barber supplier that a member posted here. He said they were available at a super low price. If I recall, it was about $54 including shipping at that time. It was in best badger.
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rsp1202
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by rsp1202 »

I've owned quite a few and they've all shed to some extent, some excessively. And having to deal with the company was a pain. So I wouldn't.
Ron
cpool222
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by cpool222 »

The price of these and many others is ridiculous in my humble opinion. With the excellent quality of many badger and synthetic knots available to be dropped into cool old vintage handles, no way am I paying exorbitant sums for a brush. Just my opinion, and I'm sure there are other old fogies like me who were raised by children of the Great Depression that chokes at the sight of $100+ shaving brushes. But... to each his own! :D
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Ouchmychin
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by Ouchmychin »

If you would please post contacts for your excellent knots many members would be pleased I am sure, especially if you can make recommendations and prices
Ouchmychin (Pete)
ShadowsDad
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Re: Why buy Simpsons brushes?

Post by ShadowsDad »

Gary, as you know I'm a Simpsons fan so it looks as though I'm swimming against the current. I like that their knots are natural hair (when advertised as such). What I mean by that is that many manufacturers today, and I could name names, use chemically treated hair to produce identical brushes, brush after brush. IMO that IS NOT badger but something other. Those folks see it as a badge of honor and take great pride in it. I see it as fraud. I like Simpsons honesty in producing a genuine badger brush with no chemical treatment that turns substandard hair into something that it wasn't. If a manufacturer produces brush after brush that's identical you can be 100% certain that they're using treated hair because that DOES NOT occur in nature. I like honesty... a lot!

I'm surprised that anyone has problems with Simpson warranty or contacting them. I'm a nobody and I never had problems with it. They've always gone out of their way for customer service and I've found it to be exemplary. But I haven't done business with them in a few years. They were moving into new digs a few years ago and maybe that was the problem?

So everything considered, non-fraudulent fibers, and great customer service, they have my seal of approval. I just love their brushes and I don't need to pay above Best to get a brush I like. But when I was buying brushes I only dealt with vendors who would hand pick the brush for me to my specs.

Synthetic is different, all of those fibers are the same, and as you know I absolutely love the Chubby 2 syn'. I still do after the intervening years when I sent it to you to try. Heck, I like all of my Simpsons brushes. I've only had one that shed and that was years ago when it shed it's last hair; nothing since.

Is Simpsons for you? Heck, I don't know. It was for me when I was buying for all the reasons stated.
Brian

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Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
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