Is bigger better?
- never2close
- Posts: 521
- Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:31 pm
- Location: Houston, Texas
Is bigger better?
I am a fan of smaller brushes, but in the interest of keeping the fragile economy afloat I have recently purchased larger brushes to put in my rotation. While the larger brush is clearly more impressive to look at, I believe the smaller brush does a better job of getting the soap/cream on ones' face. For me, there is clearly a point where a brush can be too large, but not too small. It's that whole motion of the ocean thing going on on my face..............
- never2close
- Posts: 521
- Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:31 pm
- Location: Houston, Texas
The largest brush that I like is a Polo 8. The recently acquired Rooneys 3/3 is a beautiful brush, but a bit sloppy for me. What do you think is the finest example of a large, short lofted brush?Fido wrote:If you enjoy a good scrub and face lathering, a small short lofted brush is easy to control. A large brush is best for lathering in a bowl and painting on the the lather in light to and fro motions. It all depends on how you define large. The loft and shape of the brush head are important factors.
- M6Classic
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- Location: Not as near Colonial Drug as when they were at Harvard Square, but near enough.
I for one never use a brush with a knot smaller than 30 mm diameter. One uses whatever he prefers, but in my opinion there is really no such thing as too big or too small. Regarding economics, my rotation consists of a single brush. It is a very expensive brush, but my previous one was making great lather after thirty-five years of daily use...doesn't get much more economical.
Buzz
Buzz
- Sam
- M'Learned Friend
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I have two brushes: a MF Blond Badger, 23mm knot, and a Shavemac XL, 30mm knot. I like both of them. When I use Truefitt's Lavendar Shave cream, it seems that with the Shavemac, the lather is so decadently rich, thick, and explodes with scent. Using it with a shavebowl and heated up in the crockpot, warm to hot lather with this is an experience. Yet that little brush can lather like no one's business also. Sometimes, I think I'd like to trade or sell the Shavemac and go back to a Chubby 3 in best badger, but I dont know.
never2close wrote:The largest brush that I like is a Polo 8. The recently acquired Rooneys 3/3 is a beautiful brush, but a bit sloppy for me. What do you think is the finest example of a large, short lofted brush?Fido wrote:If you enjoy a good scrub and face lathering, a small short lofted brush is easy to control. A large brush is best for lathering in a bowl and painting on the the lather in light to and fro motions. It all depends on how you define large. The loft and shape of the brush head are important factors.
I think large begins with, say, a 27mm knot. That's the size of my Simpsons Best Chubby 2 which has a 50mm loft. The fan shape makes it feel quite large but the density ensures it is still practical to use. A lovely brush, and it's my "finest" example of a large short lofted brush. Although some would not regard 50mm as a short loft or 27mm knot as large. My other larger brushes have higher lofts.
My Polo 14 has a 34mm knot with a 57mm loft. A monster that I could not imagine many would wish to use regularly.
- M6Classic
- Posts: 1460
- Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:12 am
- Location: Not as near Colonial Drug as when they were at Harvard Square, but near enough.
...though in case anyone would wish to use a Polo 14, Colonial Drug has in the window a Somerset PL14 set in best. Nice looking brush, but not as big as the Plisson EUW set in plexi in the window which is something like a #38.Fido wrote: My Polo 14 has a 34mm knot with a 57mm loft. A monster that I could not imagine many would wish to use regularly.
Buzz
Last edited by M6Classic on Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
My Polo 8 2-bander specs out at 25.5/52; I was worried it was going to be too large. Well it is a handful, but easy to control and a real decadent pleasure to face-lather with, especially with P160 lather. I don't feel the need to up the ante any more. On the other extreme are my Colonels that I can turn to, and I wouldn't want to go any smaller. I suppose that leaves a gap in-between, and I know just the Savile Row that can fill it.
Ron
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- Location: Central Maine
I like small brushes also, not wee small, but small, FWIW, I face lather. My largest is a handmade badger but it's really too large for my use, it appears to measure 20mm x 55mm. It was handmade by a friend so I use it.
The largest I've purchased is a Rooney 3/1 and that's large enough unless I begin shaving my head again. My smallest is a Simpson Special in Best and appears to measure 18 x 40. It looks like it could never do the job, but even that small brush makes plenty of lather for my 2 1/3 pass shaves.
I won't buy anything to save the economy, because my small purchases are completely meaningless when we have people seemingly hell bent on destroying the economy. Their trillions trump my $100.
The largest I've purchased is a Rooney 3/1 and that's large enough unless I begin shaving my head again. My smallest is a Simpson Special in Best and appears to measure 18 x 40. It looks like it could never do the job, but even that small brush makes plenty of lather for my 2 1/3 pass shaves.
I won't buy anything to save the economy, because my small purchases are completely meaningless when we have people seemingly hell bent on destroying the economy. Their trillions trump my $100.
Brian
Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
I can't see myself going larger than my Kent BK4 (23/52). There may be a day when I shift to a denser brush, but not a larger one.
Removed my grumble about cr***y job situation.
Removed my grumble about cr***y job situation.
Last edited by kronos9 on Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ed
I'm not finding any statistics on how the shaving brush industry affects world economy.
And in response to the original post: yes, my bigger shaving brushes are absolutely better in my opinion than my smaller shaving brushes.
And in response to the original post: yes, my bigger shaving brushes are absolutely better in my opinion than my smaller shaving brushes.
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
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
- fallingwickets
- Clive the Thumb
- Posts: 8813
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Bigger is nicer and brushes like the chubby 3 are a delight to use, but one thing I dont like about the big brushes is the amount of lather they hoard. I split the difference between big and small and settled on the Tulip3...Polo8 is a nice medium point toosell the Shavemac and go back to a Chubby 3 in best badger,
clive
de gustibus non est disputandum
- m3m0ryleak
- Posts: 1170
- Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:50 am
- Location: Central Maryland
I'm lucky to have received a PIF'ed Kent T12, which measures 30 x 58 by my calipers. I use it every couple of months, and when it's the right choice for the morning, it can't be beat.
I'm also lucky to have won a Wee Scott in one of Phil's early contests. It lives in my travel kit. I never use it at home, but I travel enough that it sees a good amount of use. Some say this brush is a disfunctional show-piece, but mine has lathered up in cities around the world.
That said, the brushes I use the most measure 21-22 by 53-58. (I'm going to stop there, because I'm starting to sound like those guys who judge women by their measurements.)
--Glenn
I'm also lucky to have won a Wee Scott in one of Phil's early contests. It lives in my travel kit. I never use it at home, but I travel enough that it sees a good amount of use. Some say this brush is a disfunctional show-piece, but mine has lathered up in cities around the world.
That said, the brushes I use the most measure 21-22 by 53-58. (I'm going to stop there, because I'm starting to sound like those guys who judge women by their measurements.)
--Glenn