Help Me Pick My New Brush

Craig_From_Cincy · Post by **Craig_From_Cincy** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 4:21 pm

I'm in the market for a new brush. I currently have a Vufix 2236 in Super, a Simpsons #56 in Best, and a Jagger Best that's branded for CO Bigelow. The Simpson is a great brush though a bit small (both in overall height and knot size), the Vulfix is a great cream brush but a but too large for soaps as well as being a bit floppy, and the Jagger is a decent but unexciting backup brush.

I would ideally like a brush with more backbone, one that has a longer handle, decent knot size, and is a good soap brush in particular. A Silvertip might be the ticket, but I'm open to any suggestions. As to cost, I'd like to stay around $100 with a hard limit of $125.

I've been looking at a couple of brushes that I'd welcome some feedback on:

Semogue Owners Club -Super Badger with Cherry Wood Handle
http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/seowclsbawic.html

Simpson PJ2 in Best Badger
http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/sipj2inbeba.html

Rooney/T&H Classic Lavender Silvertip
http://www.truefittandhill.com/detail_00352__19.html

These are just a few that have caught my eye, I'm open to any other suggestions.

Thanks for your help!

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 5:24 pm

Savile Row silvertip brushes are really good and come in various sizes. The knots are denser than Vulfix and the tips very soft. Good for soaps and creams. I have an 18mm Savile Row that is perfect for face lathering.

Dave

Whistler · Post by **Whistler** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:01 pm

Craig, you will be hard pressed to find a better all round bush than this Simpson, the brush performs equally well with soaps and creams, large enough that you don't feel like you are missing out on a larger brush, small enough to wield with precision. I wouldn't be caught with out an X2l in my rotation.

http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/sicox2linbeb.html

gil3591 · Post by **gil3591** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:34 am

u really need to try a savile row

Thalay Sagar · Post by **Thalay Sagar** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:10 am

Saville Row 3824

TRBeck · Post by **TRBeck** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:20 am

gil3591 wrote:u really need to try a savile row

Thalay Sagar wrote:Saville Row 3824

Yep.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:57 pm

I'll second Marty's post above, although I'm sure that any on your list would be fine. Have fun!
Regards,
Gordon

JRTASTER · Post by **JRTASTER** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 11:10 am

Surprised no one has yet mentioned the Simpson Duke 2 or 3. One of the better all-round brushes in my limited arsenal.

The Saville Row in a 20 or 22mm knot size might be another choice as a soap or cream weapon, especially in the 22 mm size.

As Gordon suggested, any of the brushes you mentioned would be excellent alternatives. We are lucky to be blessed with soooo many excellent brush choices, many at really quite decent prices.

Good Luck and let us know how you like your selection!

jr/John

jww · Post by **jww** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:14 am

Just added a Duke 2 to my own limited brush arsenal.

Whistler · Post by **Whistler** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:58 pm

Wendell, you are going to love the brush! Then feel the need to add a Duke 3 to your rotation.

jww · Post by **jww** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:45 pm

Marty -- I kept vacilating back and forth between the 2 and the 3 and in the end decided to get the 2 and the Wee Scot for just a bit more than what I would have paid for the 3. I have a C&E super badger and was looking for something smaller. The 3 looked too close to the super badger making it easier to decide on the 2.

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 11:24 am

in the end decided to get the 2

have you used it yet....did i miss your comments posted elsewhere? Im very curious to know your thoughts

thanks

clive

TRBeck · Post by **TRBeck** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:20 pm

jww wrote:Marty -- I kept vacilating back and forth between the 2 and the 3 and in the end decided to get the 2 and the Wee Scot for just a bit more than what I would have paid for the 3. I have a C&E super badger and was looking for something smaller. The 3 looked too close to the super badger making it easier to decide on the 2.

Ah, Wendell, here's the beauty, though. You'll use the 2 and think, how magnificent. Scrubby, soft-tipped, great all-rounder. But it really is significantly smaller than the C&E Super Badger (I know as I used to have a C&E super and quite miss it sometimes). And the Duke 3 would be the perfect middle ground in size, scrubby-soft like the 2 and holding lather for days worth of shaves like the C&E. And you'll get one. And it'll be perfect. But you'll think, you know, I have all these dense, scrubby brushes. And I still haven't tried a BK4. And you'll get one. And it'll be great. But you'll think, gosh, isn't there something the size of a Duke 3 but midway between the Duke and BK4 for density? Now that would be perfect. And you'll track down a Rooney or a Savile Row that fits the bill, and you'll think, well, these are all magnificent, but what if...? And at no point will you have been wrong.

Which is to say that I am a bit envious of your Duke 2 purchase, as I have had the 3 and wonder if something a shade smaller might be nice.

Sorry for hijacking, Craig. Been thinking more about your options: I think that you can't really go wrong with a mid-size brush from Kent, Rooney, Simpson, Shavemac, Savile Row, Thater, M&F, etc. On the other hand, depending on the individual specimen and your particular preferences, any of these brushes might not push your buttons as much as the next. You have some excellent suggestions here, and I think I'd be hard-pressed to argue against any of them.

But get a Savile Row.

Craig_From_Cincy · Post by **Craig_From_Cincy** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:24 pm

Tim, you are feeding my SAD!

Whistler · Post by **Whistler** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:14 pm

Tim, well said... A vicious cycle we get caught in for sure.

JRTASTER · Post by **JRTASTER** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:21 pm

Wendell,

If you were more a cream guy, the Duke 3 might have been a tiny tad better. But MFW is also in my soap rotation and IMHO you will LOVE the way the 2 works with The Fat.

I am so high on the 2, I selected it for my son-in-law last Christmas. He's crazy about it and it's now his favorite brush.

Before retirement, when the shillings weren't so scarce, 4 Simpsons were added to my rotation over 5 years. The Duke 2 was my favorite then as it is now.

Here's hoping your experience will be at least as good as mine. Enjoy!!

jr/John

sunflake · Post by **sunflake** » Mon May 06, 2013 11:02 pm

Honestly for anyone looking for a new badger brush and at bargain basement prices. I would suggest Vintage Blades LLC. 2-band badger. It comes in knot sizes 20 mm, 22 mm, 24 mm. When the knot is wet it has a very soft almost gel like tips. I have had one for about 6 months never lost a hair and is one of my favorite brushes, No kidding. Prices are $29.99-$37.49.

http://www.vintagebladesllc.com/vshop/x ... hp?cat=240

If anyone would like to read a bunch of reviews they can be seen here.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread ... ades-Brand

The only bad thing is they only ship CONUS.
This brush may be what your looking for but I posted for anyone looking for a high quality brush that doesn't have any scritch and is a soap killer and works beautifully with creams. And best of all won't break the bank. For that price you can't go wrong.

jww · Post by **jww** » Tue May 07, 2013 4:33 am

fallingwickets wrote:
in the end decided to get the 2
have you used it yet....did i miss your comments posted elsewhere? Im very curious to know your thoughts

thanks

clive

Clive -- in case you haven't seen it -- I posted a couple of quick notes back in my thread on choosing a new brush. The 2 is great and the Wee Scot is simply astonishing .... and for less than $45???? What's up with that???

http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewto ... sc&start=0

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Tue May 07, 2013 5:49 am

Thanks Wendell,,,,,,,i saw them afterwards

clive

Craig_From_Cincy · Post by **Craig_From_Cincy** » Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:44 pm

My new brush arrived today. Please to present my new Shavemac 3 Band Silvertip D01 Bulb shape 24mm knot/53mm loft with brown-black handle. Man this is one dense brush, with soft tips and great backbone:

: ShaveMac.jpg (109.88 KiB) Viewed 4882 times

Can't wait to shave with this in the morning! More pics to come.....

SMF

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Help Me Pick My New Brush

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