A Hairy Situation!

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drmoss_ca
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A Hairy Situation!

Post by drmoss_ca »

I made the mistake of visiting the basement and taking out the cartons of brushes. Lately I've been enjoying smaller brushes and wondering how I ever managed the big ones. Among the smaller brushes I found a few beauties, some of which I must admit I don't remember seeing before. Well, they didn't get there by magic, and all brains must fail eventually. As a result I have taken many, no, most, of my glorious Somerset era Simpsons down from the Shelves of Shame, to be replaced by brushes I know I will use, or those I might like to use more often. And one of the things I'm reminded of is that the terms of which I thought I knew the meaning - best, pure, super, silvertip, Manchurian, 2-band etc - are just that; terms. Marketing terms in recent years. Some manufacturers have lived up to those terms in being honest with their descriptions. Others, well, they are others. Screw 'em all, I'm just going to try to enjoy the best I have in the meantime! So here are the brushes that remain on the top Shelf-of-Shame:

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From the left, we have the Omega brush that has kept me away from badgers for several years. It has its attractions, but be careful; you might also be lured by the sirens of piggy goodness. Next is a Somerset Simpson Tulip T4 in Super - no explanation needed, this is as good as a badger brush can get (or is it? Read on...), then the Somerset Simpson Chubby 2 in Best, a heavily used brush as you can see, made in an era when 'Best' was best! Then comes the model 'A' or Major in Super, sold as a travel brush, but a strong contender for the best of the lot, and the utterly underrated Emperor E3 in Super, which combines good hair in the right size knot with a long-ish handle for good soap lathering. Pretty strong competitors, but can they beat out this lot:

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Oh, my! Here's a Simpson X2L (Colonel) claiming to be in 'Best' but with a mere two bands of hair, nice size knot, but a little short in the handle, and then the mysterious Grosvenor brush, a Simpson re-branded for what may have been the first and only time. Knot's a bit bigger than the Colonel, and just about perfect, but the handle is still short enough to get slippery from all the lather. Well, enough of Corey Greenberg and his praise on shaveblog.com for the Wee Scot, this little Vulfix duplicates the size, with better hair quality, but f*ck me, didn't I just say something about short handles? OK, I did, and it's my punishment. My favourite Shavemac of all time, from memory alone I think it was the model #22368, and is NLA. I bought three, sent one to some guy serving in the Gulf (never got a reply), and still have two. The hair is a bit soft for me, but the handle length really lets you whip up lots of lather PDQ. I persuaded Bernd to make me a couple of custom brushes like this one, but with bigger knots and handles a bit longer to stay in proportion. They don't appear here, but I still have them and might be persuaded to show them off. Next comes a brush I do not recognise. It says it's a Simpson B6, and since the markings are black and not gold, it's a Somerset era brush. Looking it up, it was a 'Best' badger brush, aka the Beaufort. I'll be pleased to try it out. Who bought these things and how did they get in my basement? Finally, there is one of a pair of unmarked two band brushes with pretty good quality, maybe excellent, hair. These I remember as the prototypes of the Shavemac two band DO1 brushes, sent for evaluation and comments by Bernd. It's policy here that admins and mods may not review freebies, so it was never reviewed here, but you'll shortly get your chance to read all about it.

What's this? The shelf isn't quite full? Well, here's the rest of what will fit:

Image

I see we start out with a pair of D.R.Harris brushes, probably the H3 and H2 if memory serves. I thought I had sent these off to Gordon, who was a big fan of them. Both look and feel like soft generic 'Super' brushes, but they deserve a chance. The final three are brushes you should pay attention to. Two claim to be from 'The Olde Apothecary Shop' (thanks be that wasn't a 'Shoppe'!) and the third a Rooney. R.A.Rooney was an old and respected brushmaker based in Bishopsgate from the late 1700's. They went bust, but the name was bought and used by a gent of the name of Lee Sabini. He had a source of the best badger hair in the world at the time, possibly in Russia, possibly not, He never declared where for sure, but simply indicated it wasn't safe to go there. No doubt we are in the White High Mountains of Super Silvertip Manchuria! Anyway, he made prototypes under the Apothecary Shop name, and they became the new Rooney, very briefly. Most of the new Rooneys were pretty ordinary super hair (including the third SMF club brush!) and it wasn't long before Rooney sank beneath the waves once again. Anyway, here are two Apothecary Shop brushes, and a neo-Rooney of the same hair. How white the tips, how soft they are! But under the soft tips, the hair shafts are stiff and resilient. That's the only way you get the softness on the face yet can still have the scrubbiness of a stiff brush. I know why they were valued so highly and I can see why shavers would mourn the passing of an era when a 'super' or 'silvertip' brush would mean exactly that experience. It is not one to be bought new at any price these days. You'd have to find an old brush and someone daft enough to sell it. Undoubtedly the most valuable brushes I own, though not perhaps the ones I enjoy the most. Secondhand, they have sold on eBay for >$800. That's silly. I'll use them and report on them.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by brothers »

A Simpson brush is something I've never used. Way back when John was selling off his massive collection I was tempted for a moment, but didn't bite. I'm satisfied with my small, largely reknotted, but very satisfying group of brushes, synthetic, badger, and bore. Ooops, I meant boar.
Gary

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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by drmoss_ca »

Actually sounds like a socially useful fate for bores!

I went straight to the Beaufort, given it had not been used and I didn't remember ever buying it. Like any pure brush, it manages to have very prickly tips and no body in the shafts of the hair. Neither comfortable, nor effective, which is not unexpected, but quite a shame as the handle is a nice size and reasonably comfortable. I like a slightly longer handle, both to get the lather swirling properly and also because it's less likely to get slippery with lather. I can imagine someone buying this as it's cheaper than most Simpsons and putting a better knot in it.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by Rufus »

drmoss_ca wrote: Mon Jun 15, 2020 12:27 pm Actually sounds like a socially useful fate for bores!

I went straight to the Beaufort, given it had not been used and I didn't remember ever buying it. Like any pure brush, it manages to have very prickly tips and no body in the shafts of the hair. Neither comfortable, nor effective, which is not unexpected, but quite a shame as the handle is a nice size and reasonably comfortable. I like a slightly longer handle, both to get the lather swirling properly and also because it's less likely to get slippery with lather. I can imagine someone buying this as it's cheaper than most Simpsons and putting a better knot in it.
I’ve a Somerset-era Duke 2 pure badger. It doesn’t feel at all similar to what you’ve described: it has a faint prickly feel, which I don’t notice once I’m into lathering, and good body. I also have a shavemac pure badger and it too has only a trace of prickle, the hair is softer or less coarse than the Duke’s, but has decent body.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by drmoss_ca »

To confuse things some makers label a brush pure badger in an attempt to show it is badger hair only, but not necessarily hair of the grade traditionally described as 'pure'. I'm glad your Duke is a good brush,; I'm guessing the shorter loft helps the stiffness and if you've used it a lot maybe the tips have softened? The pure brushes I have tried have always been prickly and floppy, and maybe if I persevered with them they would at least have had the prickles tamed.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by CMur12 »

My experience with "pure badger" brushes has been a little different, probably because we are talking about different brands.

My Omega and Rooney pures are black badger, which is very stiff and very prickly. Since I have always lathered in a bowl - or more recently on top of the cake of soap - I don't press the tips into my skin. Hence, such pure badger was never a problem for me.

I have a Semogue 740, which is a floppier pure badger brush, and it is a helluva latherer for bowl or cake-top lathering. I don't think anyone would like it for face-lathering, however.

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Re: A Hairy Situation!

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I went for the smaller Harris today, which I believe was an H2. Soft 'super' hair, and a little on the big and floppy side (wait till I get to it's big brother!). I think it can go back to the basement. A fine job, but my tastes have changed and that kind of large brush isn't my favourite any more.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by brothers »

Chris, I've noticed the same size-related issue about my badgers. At this stage, my 2 most admired badgers are not in the large-to-giant sized league of the likes of BK 8 and P12, which I sold off a couple of years ago. One of my current favorites is a re-knotted ancient (1950's) Made-Rite TGN Finest from about 12 years ago. In regular use it has evolved from a tiny bit prickly into a very soft touch with curved tips and no floppiness. The other is a factory made Thater that is just as enjoyable as the Made-Rite Finest. The Rooney Manchurian and Finest brushes are somewhat large, but shall always be among my brushy best badgers.
Gary

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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by drmoss_ca »

I'll say this—the boar brushes may have changed my tastes, but the smaller badgers I'm enjoying now make better lather more quickly than the boar. I like the boars. They work and they feel good. But they don't make voluminous lather with lots of tiny bubbles, and what they do make takes longer.

In the end, it's all good. I can't tell a beginner to buy a small badger: the hair quality has changed, the ethics are doubtful nowadays thanks to the bloody Chinese, and maybe they wouldn't even enjoy what I enjoy until they have been through the same journey as me. Frankly, I'm describing antiques here. Someone who is buying lots of brushes right now is far better positioned to advise a newcomer as to what works best.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

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So the H2 has gone back, and three other Shavemac 2-bands came up. Here are two sizes of commercial (bought) D01 bulbs, and two sizes of prototype fans:

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Which one next? I see I didn't do a very good job of rinsing out the larger fan prototype - I'd best go and give it a wash before it stains!
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

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I picked the smaller bulb brush, second from left in the photo. A very tight brush, with little ability to splay at all, which makes for a bit of a frustrating lathering experience. It's like rubbing your face with an over-sized pencil eraser - good for disturbing, moving and stimulating the stubble, tends not to leave much lather behind. All the lather ends up around the bottom of the knot, so it can then be wiped onto the face and spread with the tip. But it's not optimal. Otherwise a really nice size to work with. Probably try the small fan tomorrow.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

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The prototype small fan did really, really well today. Very nice face feel and effective. That one will stay on the shelf.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by drmoss_ca »

I picked a very different Shavemac today - the 22368. I love the long handle in the sexy art deco shape. The knot is a bit soft for me these days, but I'm happy to use it for old times' sake; it can stay on the shelf.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by Rufus »

drmoss_ca wrote: Sat Jun 20, 2020 8:14 am I picked a very different Shavemac today - the 22368. I love the long handle in the sexy art deco shape. The knot is a bit soft for me these days, but I'm happy to use it for old times' sake; it can stay on the shelf.
I love that brush. Too bad Bernd doesn’t make it anymore.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

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Rufus wrote: Sat Jun 20, 2020 11:51 am
drmoss_ca wrote: Sat Jun 20, 2020 8:14 am I picked a very different Shavemac today - the 22368. I love the long handle in the sexy art deco shape. The knot is a bit soft for me these days, but I'm happy to use it for old times' sake; it can stay on the shelf.
I love that brush. Too bad Bernd doesn’t make it anymore.
I still have two of them, and I hope the guy that persuaded me to send a third to The Gulf for him got it and enjoyed it. Likely someone stole it along the way, and next option he has an enormous beard and doesn't care about shaving as he hasn't been back to SMF.

Bernd is a remarkably flexible chap. If anyone wants one, just ask Bernd and I bet he will do it for you. info@shavemac.de is the address that will open up all sorts of wonders! I have two bigger brushes that were custom built as larger variants on that design. I don't think either were better than the original, but I was trying to combine the feeling of the large Shavemac brushes of that era with the long handle and the optics. I failed, and Bernd did not. The thing to understand is this: old Shavemac brushes were available in badger hair that is now unknown. There was a moment in time when you could buy a brush filled with the kind of hair that cannot be bought at any price these days. No, it wasn't what we'd now call 2-band, it looked like other "Super" hair, but it was a lot stiffer while still being softer on the tips. I used to describe lathering with it as being like (what I imagined) having a baby octopus sucking on your face. What were they - the 667 models? I know I bought one and fell in love. I bought a couple more for Sam and Gordon, but the hair had changed into the modern "Super" and was rubbish compared to what had gone before.

Maybe it's time to go on a hunt for the original 667 in the basement. Watch this space.

I found it, and a Waterford Crystal handled brush with what - maybe, best hair? I bought the latter from the sainted Lynn Abrams. Superb handle. Knot of hair? - not quite superb! I discussed the brush with the makers of Waterford Crystal, and all they could say was that it was made in the early 1990's and was discontinued. I'll photograph it if I use it again.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by Teiste »

What a superb thread !

I love the Harris H2 brush.I actually have one in super badger two band instead of best badger (3 band) and is one of my favorites.However , is my understanding that Simpson have been behind those brushes all time long , not Rooney or Mr Lee Sabini.

The finest badger from Rooney was truly a magical (or mystical) hair and yes , seems that Russia (Siberia) , was the place where this quite rare hair was coming from.

I also had 3 shavemac D01 two band from 2011 , set at , 44 ,46 and 48 mm loft , each of them with a 22 mm loft and it was impossible for me to face lather with any of them.The 44 was absolutely rubbish , I must say.After that I got one in 50 mm and another in 52 mm loft and what a pleasure to use.All of them were bulb shaped.

If you decide to get rid of the H2 , please let me know.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by drmoss_ca »

I'll be happy to sell either of the Harris brushes, though my nomenclature for them is based on my uncertain memory! I think the H2 is the smaller one, and the H3 the larger, no?
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by drmoss_ca »

I used the larger fan-style D01 prototype today. I must say that I generally prefer bulb-shaped brushes, but these ones are too dense, or have hair that's too stiff in the shaft, to let a bulb splay out that little bit that's needed. So a bulb might be better for other brushes, but with these the fans can stay on the shelf.
Tomorrow I'll start revisiting Lee Sabini's oeuvre.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by Teiste »

Looking forward to reading your impressions about the old Rooney brushes

Mr Lee Sabini made some masterpieces.

The DR Harris H series are a “copy” of the Duke series , at least , back at the time

Now I think than the H2 is more than a Duke 3 , an H3 is between a Duke 3 and Chubby 2 (knot size , not hair density) and the H1 is more like a Duke 2.
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Re: A Hairy Situation!

Post by drmoss_ca »

Here was today's shave:

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This is the first of the Apothecary Shop brushes, and an early Lee Sabini prototype of his Rooney brushes. This brush has pure white tips and black shafts, and is made of the finest quality hair I have ever seen. It is not very dense, however, but makes excellent lather very quickly. I wish that it had a little more resistance when used on the face to give some more feeling, but at the end of the day, it is a paintbrush, rather than a scrubby brush. It will definitely be staying up on the shelf and not returning to the basement. Tomorrow, I shall try out it’s fellow Apothecary Shop brush.
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