SMF

Can anyone tell me their experiences with either brush, and for those who have used both, which of the two brushes did you prefer most. I'm planning to purchase a new brush soon, and have narrowed the field to these two brushes, and was just wondering what other people's experiences were with these brushes.

I dont have experience with either but I can tell you that can purchase a Savile Row for less money and it is just as good of a brush. I just purchased a Savile Row SR 230 from Charles and it has the same specs as the Vulfix 377 for about $15 less. I was also doing some research and I have read that the SR 230 is the same brush as the Kent BK8. Of course way less money. I guess you are paying more for a name brand. Either way, they are all good choices.

i have a kent bk8 and if u want the best price, go to robert at the gentlemens shop. i chose the kent over a vulfix or saville row because it was said on wetshavers that the kent was softer bristles. that is the only reason, and because kent has a great reputation. so few people know that robert can beat stateside prices, with shipping, that i now have a $240 brush for $115. but, if i needed or wanted another brush, id order a saville row from QED because they are $8 or so cheaper for the same exact Vulfix brush

sam

Thanks guys, I'm leaning to the Saville Row SR230 model that is the exact same brush as the BK8. I'd like to throw business Charles' way as he does everyone here a great service with all his knowledge and insight into the shaving world.

I'm from Missouri on this one. Someone needs to show me, with evidence, that the SR230 and the BK8 are the same thing.
Anybody else feel the same way?
Charles do you have an opinion?

Steve

Steve --

Yes, I have an opinion ...

I think you should judge a brush on its merits and buy what you can afford and what most appeals to you.

Charles
Q E D

Looks like I may have joined the conversation a couple weeks too late, but for what it's worth, I'll still contribute. I have also heard it said that the SR230 is the same as the Kent BK8. However, some measurements indicate otherwise. According to Charles's site, the SR230 stands 116mm high, evenly split between handle and brush (e.g., brush height = 58mm, and bristle loft = 58mm), with a knot diameter of 26mm. Several Kent retailer sites, including Kent's own, list the BK8 at 110mm high. My own BK8 stands at 110mm, with a handle height of 55mm and a bristle loft of 55mm; the knot diameter is 26mm, best as I can tell, although Chris maintains his is 27mm. So there would appear to be a difference between the BK8 and the SR230. Assuming the quality is the same, then the difference is in the SR230's favor, since it is a bigger (taller) brush for less money. Still, there is a difference, which stands at odds with the assertion that they are the exact same brush.

Jackie, I've wondered about this also. The moment that brush appeared on the QED site, it was obvious to me that it looked mighty like a Kent BK8 ( BTW, the brushes that J. Floris used to offer did too, I had one, that I sold a while back to 'Honk' of wetshavers ). But this seemed to suggest only three basic possibilities: 1) that Vulfix simply made an almost exact copy, in appearance, to the Kent BK8 to offer under the Savile Row name. I guess they could, I don't imagain that most handle styles are copywrited; or 2) although all the Savile Row brushes seem to be Vulfix, that for this one model, they went to Kent; or 3) the most unsettling possiblity, that Kent doesn't really make their own shave brushes at all, but contracts the work to Vulfix (!). So, I don't know. That Savile Row brush is an interesting anomaly. Regards, Gordon

Gordon, the person who told me the SR230 was a BK8 told me it came from the same factory Kent contracts its shaving brushes to, although he did not say that they contracted out to Vulfix. I have no idea of the veracity of the statement; it is just what I was told. However, this person also said the SR230 is a BK8, which, based on its measurements, it is not. Since that premise may be rejected prima facie, we then must question the credibility of the assertion that an SR230 is even a Kent at all, regardless of which model it emulates. Until I can get a reasonable explanation why Kent would produce a brush for another brand that is not the dimensions of any of the brushes Kent actually sells under its own name, I will remain skeptical of the rumor. I'm not saying that the SR230, or any other Savile Row model, is not a good brush. I am just leary of buying something that is supposed to be the "exact same thing" as something else. I say, if you want a Kent, buy a Kent. It has been verified enough places that Savile Rows are produced by Vulfix, plus we know that Vulfix makes brushes for a bunch of other brands anyway, so it's a safe enough bet that a Savile Row is the same as an equivalent Vulfix. But the Kent question is a different matter altogether, and, without further explication, is of questionable substance.

Jackie,

Thanks for the explanation of the SR230 vs BK8.
This kind of confirms my suspicions, that they are not quite the same.
I have a BK8 and I am very happy with it
I wonder if there is anything new regarding the Rooney brushes from QED

Steve

I find this truly remarkable/rather weird:

In cannot find a Savile Row brush SR230 on www.qedusa.com ; the only brush i see there is a SR23; this brush doesn't look at all like the
Kent BK8; it is a variant of the Vulfix 2236;
What is wrong here???
Is qedusa.com in the USA a different website as logged in from Europe???

PS: Gordon, i remember you were having kind of the same problem a few months ago, with the website from koordenwinkel.com??

Peter

Go to the Savile Row "page" on the qedusa.com site. Look in the second paragraph of the description of Savile Row burshes, beginning with the word "Note:" There's an underlined link named "click here." Click on it and it takes you to pdf file showing the additional Savile Row brushes and dimensions. The SR230 is the first brush in the second row of pictures. It's very attractive, and the price is even more attractive.

Dave T

Thanks Dave,

Didn't look any further than my nose.......... (rather embarassing for an experienced websurfer.............)

Peter

I made the same mistake peter, which is actually why I ordered a vulfix 2236 instead of the savile row brush which has pretty much the same specs but is a bit cheaper. I would have ordered from Charles but I didn't see that link until after I had ordered my vulfix from classicshaving. The vulfix is a great brush though and definately a good bargain even though it is a bit more than the savile row.

If you're reading this Charles I would highly suggest updating your html so that all the brush choices are visible without having to open the pdf file!

-Tyler

Last time I checked ('bout a week ago, I guess), Charles was all out of SR230's (as well as a buncha other stuff I wanted to order at the time). Does anyone know if he 's got some in stock (as well as some Trumper Coral Skin Food)?

~Tim

Tim -

SR230's departed England today.

Coral Skin Food in stock.

ciao,
Charles
Q E D

I don't understand the confusion between the SR23 and the Vulfix 2236. The two are nothing alike. The SR23 is 95mm high (handle = 45mm; hair = 50 mm) with a 22mm knot. The Vulfix 2236 is 127mm high (handle = 70mm; hair = 57mm) with a knot of 26mm. Peter, did you mean to say the SR23 is a variant of the Vulfix 2233? Their dimensions are the same.

Jackie,

You're quite right...........

Peter

Can anyone tell me which of the current Saville Row brushes is the equivalent to the SR 23 that was mentioned in this 5 year old thread discussing the similarities between the Vulfix 2236, the BK8, and the SR23?

The handle matches the current SR2120 Best with the knot of the SR3122 Silvertip.