Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

What kind of shaving brush do you use? Tell us all about it!
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chris1978
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Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by chris1978 »

I'm looking for combination shaving brush for both shaving cream and soap. Simpson chubby 1 small brush, is worth it? I heard it was popular. I now have three brushes: Edwin Jagger super large brush, Vulfix S2332 small brush and the latest is L'Occitane Plisson Synethic large size. I like my brush but the Plisson was great using the shaving soap it very explosive when lathering. I don't like large and medium brushes because it annoying on my size. I want small brush. It good fit for my hand.

Which brand am I going get? Simpson chubby 1 small or mule super or synthetic? Or sliver tip smal handle? I'm think I'm getting tired of using L'Occitane Plisson brush. It's good brush that hold of water. It too large. it not my thing.

Any favorite brand that you like to use?

Chris A
brothers
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by brothers »

Chris, I'm going out on a limb here, but you haven't mentioned the Kent BK4. It's probably an ideal brush for most guys, soap and cream. Not too expensive either.
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
notthesharpest
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by notthesharpest »

Nearly all good brushes work fine with both cream and soap. The models to stay away from are the extreme ones - the huge fluffy brush big enough to mop the floor with, and the mini-size that feels like lathering with a toothbrush, as well as any brush with extremely long (floppy) bristles or extremely short (prickly) ones. You need a "Goldilocks" brush - not too big, not too small, just right. :)

Gary's recommendation is a very good one and you're very likely to be happy with it. The Kent brushes are known for having a definite luxury feel to them and yet not being super expensive. If you want your new brush to be the hard and "scrubby" type, the BK4 would probably be lacking - but based on the brushes you've liked so far, I'd say Gary is probably exactly right.

I would say stay away from synthetic brushes, unless you've decided it's important to you to avoid using animal products. The best synthetic brushes are OK, but they're not as good as a good badger brush - and most of the less-expensive synthetics don't even come close to being as good as a good boar-bristle brush. (For example, I once got a basic synthetic brush made by Omega. It's still lying around here somewhere, and if not for shipping costs I would give it away to anyone who wanted it. It is well-made of course - you can't complain about the quality - but Omega's own boar brushes blow that synthetic out of the water in terms of performance.)

In fact, if I'm going to add another recommendation, I'd say you could try a boar brush, either from Omega or Semogue (or maybe another good boar brush maker has gone into business since I was here last). They take some time to "break in", but the performance of the well-made boar brushes is amazing, especially for the price.
chris1978
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by chris1978 »

I couldn't afford the Kent KB4 it too expensive. About Omega brush, which series are good for the combination of shaving cream and shaving soap. I really want the small and medium handle and the hair are little soft. I don't like the hair to be scrubbing against my skins. It too itchy and annoy. I like soft brush. Which boar and badger of the series is good for me? So many option to choose. They are great prices. Either boar or synthetic or badger hair don't know which one to get.

Chris A
CMur12
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by CMur12 »

Chris, though everyone has their favorites, I really like the Semogue 1305 and 830 boar brushes. These two brushes are made with a grade of boar bristle that I really like. (Most of the others remind me of "straw.") These are also two very reasonably priced brushes. Keep in mind that a boar brush will require breaking in to perform at its best.

Note that boar bristle absorbs water into itself, transforming the bristle from stiff and prickly to flexible and soft at the tips. I actually find boar bristle softer to the skin than silvertip badger. Some will disagree about this, but others have had the same experience I have of boar being softer.

- Murray
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by brothers »

Chris, I agree with Murray's suggestions.
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
chris1978
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by chris1978 »

I understand what Murray said. I haven't decided which Semogue or Omdga to choose. They are very good. When it comes to boar brush it not really easy to use it for the first time until break in. I need something that has a little softer to feel my skin so that it won't get itchy. Boy so many shaving brushes to choose. It took a while to find th right one.

Chris A
notthesharpest
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by notthesharpest »

When you get a boar brush, it will not feel perfect for the first while, but that's OK. Even on the first day, it's actually much less scratchy than those poor-quality badger brushes that I hope no one is buying. To properly break in your boar brush, here are the instructions:

1. Use it a lot.

8) That's all, there is only one instruction.



Choosing between Omega and Semogue... well, I believe Murray has tried both, and I haven't. So go with his recommendation.

P.S. I just looked up those two brushes that Murray recommended, and I agree with him. The 830 I would call about a medium/small, and the 1305 is IMO more of a small size.
Last edited by notthesharpest on Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
chris1978
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by chris1978 »

Ok I will do that but for me it a lot of practice until get it right. Man, shaving things is lot of work. Lol. It like when we're teenager again and learn it from the beginning.

Chris A
notthesharpest
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by notthesharpest »

chris1978 wrote:Ok I will do that but for me it a lot of practice until get it right.
That's OK, and hey, you've had a lot of practice already. You know your old brush is too big and floppy, you know you want something that works better on you - that proves you're on the right track.

Using a brush is much easier than using a razor, as long as you're using a product (soap or cream) that is not bad quality. You don't need the best, but you do need better than the worst. :) And there are tons of very good choices that aren't expensive. Anything recommended on here (by several regular members, not only recommended by a sales person or just one member) will work just fine. Whatever you already have is probably great.
johnsap
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by johnsap »

Muhle synthetic XL for bowl lathering
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by brothers »

Semogue 1305 is an excellent boar brush, not large.
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
ShadowsDad
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by ShadowsDad »

The last few Omega boars that I've bought have all required minimal break in before they got good, and the price is right for them.

Chris, I find lots of folks who claim that there are cream brushes and hard soap brushes, but I find that they're all just brushes. IMO it's more the person using the brush than the brush. I can't address the huge mop type brushes though, never having owned or used one.

I have a cloud soft with no backbone badger that I thought for sure would never be worth spit for lathering soaps and there's absolutely no problem with it. That convinced me that it's the hand it's in that makes the difference, and maybe a prejudice we bring to a brush with that makes a difference. Since then I've found that any brush can lather anything and do a good job of it.

Will your Chubby 1 do it all? Yes. Will one of their synthetics? Absolutely. Will a $10 Omega? Yup. Get what you want and don't fret; just learn to use it.
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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Mr.Max
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by Mr.Max »

Hey guys, first post in a long time. Chris, a Kent bk4 can often be gotten more inexpensively from a U.K. vendor. The U.S. distributor Jacks up the prices here. You could always ask one of the U.K. Vendors for a discount to save on shipping too. Just shoot them an email before you order.
~Matt
Data
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by Data »

Stirling Soap Company has a Plisson knot in 22 and 26mm. I have both and they are all I use now. No soaking, lather machines soap or cream. Easy to clean fast drying. All for around $20.
a-strong
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by a-strong »

I suggest to take a look on the 19 mm Fine Angel Hair brush. This is a synthetic brush that rivals Plisson but feels a bit different and, in addition, is relatively small, ergomic and inexpensive (below $20).
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jww
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by jww »

I have 8 or 9 brushes in all, and the BLK4 (black handled version of the BK4) and Semogue 1305 are the ones I go back to day after day after day. The only down side on the Semogue is that I have dropped it too many times to mention, and as a result the enamel has chipped off on the handle in a few places. Rather large chips as well. But it does kinda add to the broken in feel of it. I have considered replacing it quite a few times, and I keep deciding not to as the bristles have become so nicely broken in over the several years that I have owned it (can't remember when I bought it).
Wendell

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BPman
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by BPman »

johnsap wrote:Muhle synthetic XL for bowl lathering
Yep. I use both a black fibre & a silvertip synthetic by them and have foregone real hair as a result. They just simply are better IMO.
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fallingwickets
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by fallingwickets »

what did you end up buying, chris?
de gustibus non est disputandum
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jww
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Re: Looking for cream/soap combination shaving brush

Post by jww »

+1 on the BK4 and the 1305. Two very different brushes that work equally well with cream or soap ..... the 1305 never ceases to amaze me. It's just that good. Mind you, as a boar, build in time to break it in before you start getting excellent results. The handle on mine has been badly chipped over time but it's hasn't affected its ability to produce outstanding lather.
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
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