The brush you reach for without thinking

[beginish]

You know, your hand instinctively reaches for it because it's your go to brush. For me, it's the Simpson 57, my first Simpson brush. Right now, if it's sitting next to the Savile Row 3824, my hand gets confused for a second. :huh:

[Loric]

M&F Blond Badger, and Rooney Heritage Stubby XXL. To say the very least this is my favorite grade(s) of hair.

[Pulley]

Shavemac D01 or Colonel 2XL - Actually I rotate them every other day.

[thatguy1807]

Kent BLK4.:thumbup:

[brianw]

There are 3 no 4....Eagle, "56", Mr. Angry Jr., and Milk Churn, although I haven't tried the Berkeley yet

[Malacoda]

Kimson horn with silvertip knot -- of the half dozen or so brushes I've had the good fortune to try so far (Kent, a Simpsons best badger and a super 2-band, TNGs, and a boar), it's by far the softest and most luxurious feeling (as a soap-using face latherer with slightly sensitive skin my neck, I prefer slightly larger knots with a little less backbone and very soft tips) so far.

Just for kicks, giggles and curiosity, I'd really love to see how it compares in softness to a high-end Shavemac and a Plisson.

[spanx]

No longer is there the one,but it was a 1/3 in horn.

[global_dev]

for some reason it's the C.O.Bigelow/EJ best badger w/ 23mm knot

i don't know why, maybe because it feels like an inexpensive workhouse that gets the job done.

[Masterkova]

Semogue 620. The Colonel on its days off.

[BladeDE40]

Parker synthetic with faux ivory handle

[Easttexasman]

Chubby 1

[njpaddy]

Colonel.....for now.

[AJMiami]

For now....Rooney 1XL, Thater Chubby/0

[SilverKarn]

Crabtree & Evelyn Best Badger Brush. I purchased this brush shortly after joining B&B about 4 years ago. I still only have 3 brushes.
A Shavemac Finest
C&E Best
Proraso Omega Boar.

I reach for the C&E brush almost every time simply because i can get great lathers with soaps or creams, its the middleman of the Boar and Shavemac, works with everything.

[bbarton713]

Commodore X3 is my favorite but the others get nearly as much use.

[gearchow]

I have a few nice brushes - all vintage though - but here is my go to:


142083

First brush I ever reknotted and a wonderful face latherer.

-jim

[DSB]

I currently have seven brushes left in my den. I keep wanting to thin the herd even more, but I love every single brush I have left -- I can't decide which one(s) to let go. They are all in rotation:

Vintage Simpson's Chubby 3
Simfix Chubby 1
Vintage Simpson's 57
Rooney Finest
B&B LE 2008 (Kent)
Rooney Stubby 2
Morris & Forndram Blonde Badger

The three I reach for most frequently are the B&B LE 2008 Kent (SO soft), the Chubby 3 (soft and DENSE), and the Chubby 1 (a face lathering machine).

[Leche]

142083

Awesome looking brush. One of my favorite badgers is also a reknot.

[steveo]

I only have two brushes. My pure badger I bought in the Geo.F.Trumpers shop in London .I've used this for about two years now and its a big brush and produces plenty lather. I've recently purchased an Omega boar 102 which again is a big brush and is great for the Italian soft soaps. Still stinks a bit though.

[johnniegold]

My goal is to eventually reach shaving simplicity.

Simply put, at some point I will work through all the product, sell all the excessive hardware and have one set-up like our shaving forefathers had done.

When that happens, my brush will be the Duke 3 from the Somerset era of the what I believe was the Carter Administration.

[kbuzbee]

Right now I'm rotating pretty equally between them. That said, I'm really enjoying the little Stubby 3.

Ken

[O.G.]

I reach for an Ivory Silvertip Chatsworth that my GF bought for me at the local tonsarial jonpauls. The Hairs have become a weird kind of stiff thats perfect their still soft but there like a best and a silvertip mixed together. All my silvertips take on the charecteristic after a few month because in the begining there to soft for my general use.

[johsa]

Right now it is a Shavemac 177 23mm

[Optometrist]

My beloved EJ Medium Silvertip in faux horn. Great with soaps and creams, super soft for face lathering and never lost a hair since a week after I got it many months ago. Don't get me wrong, I love my Simpson Colonel and Duke too, but the EJ just looks at me, begging to be used. A small but mighty fine brush that does everything perfectly.:thumbup:

David

[auk1124]

The lowly Omega 49. It sits right beside a Semogue 830 and I'll grab the Omega over the Semogue.

Runner up would be an Omega 11130, that took absolutely forever to break in and which I hated at first. It has now become a go-to, despite the handle cracking within the first couple weeks of ownership to the point that the knot is held in place with a piece of Scotch tape. If the factory handle ever gives up completely I am going to get a handle made for it.

[birnando]

That would have to be my Plisson HMW #16
To me, that is the ultimate brush in my collection.

[Paul12644]

Simpson Duke 3 in fan shape.

[Zephyr]

Simpsons Berkeley and Kent BK2

[Harvitz81]

Rooney Finest 1/2 or my Custom Shavemac D01 2-band flat top

[Montecristo #2]

Rooney Victorian.
I just met her and I can't keep my hands off her.

[Bestarrkin]

Rooney Victorian.
I just met her and I can't keep my hands off her.

I understand your brush style now, Count. Something like daughter of B&B LE '08 and LE '09. Am I wrong?

[johngfsu]

Frank Shaving Silvertip, Great quality, Great Price, Great Feel

[Montecristo #2]

I understand your brush style now, Count. Something like daughter of B&B LE '08 and LE '09. Am I wrong?

I do like them tall and thin. Just like that butterscotch you snatched from me on the 'bay.
Send her back....

[mdex]

For me it's the twins... Kent BK2 or BK8, but I am willing to have my head turned by a pretty young thing. :blushing:

[drumana]

Simpson CH1. It's all I need, really. Everything else is for giggles...

[Greg1911]

If anything I overthink what I'm going to use.

It is part of the fun for me to figure out the brush/soap/razor combo of the day.

[Granaura]

I would have said my LE 08 brush, but since Christmas I have to say the new Semogue 2010 LE badger has kind of had my attention...
:001_rolle

[john parker]

Alternate between my Colonel and Grosvenor LE.

[inkcoffee]

Omega 11575 boar

[vitaman]

I actually have three....Rooney 1/1, RV 2 band finest, Semogue 1305

[physiognomy]

EJ medium best badger... It was my first brush & always resides by my sink. Early on, I upgraded to a Shavemac #177 23mm Silver Tip, but it only finds its way from the cabinet on weekends or special occasions.

[redrako]

I have two, Frank's Shaving Silvertip and big red Omega 49

[Genie]

Simpson Duke

[whitebar]

Rooney Finest 1/2
Plisson 16 HMW

[sirslick]

Kent BK4 - 1st
Simpson Colonel 2 band - 2nd

[andrew98]

Custom Shavemac Finest (19mm/45mm). I'm not sure why, but I choose this one over all my other brushes, including a Custom D01. Ya likes, what ya likes, I suppose.

-Andy

[Montecristo #2]

Shavemac Finest grade is a favorite of mine too, a true value!

[Act Appalled]

My EJ BBB. Oh wait, it's my only brush. I do have two more in the mail though. :w00t:

[danparker77]

the past month it has been the Tulip 2 follow by the Milk Churn not too far behind.

[kfralin]

My Erskine 23mm grade+a with 56mm loft...cheapest brush I own and out shines them all...maybe 'cuz I put it back together, but just an amazing feel on the face and a lather machine!!

[bluemantra]

Chubby 1 Two-band......Absolutely AMAZING!!

[Sfbagger]

Omega 31064, alternated with Omega Pro 49- sometimes they take more than 24 hrs. to dry.

Love 'em both.

Jeff

[huntmol]

A Rooney Finest, but I don't know if I could decide... I have four now, and they are all amazing at what they do!

[Ids]

I currently have seven brushes left in my den. I keep wanting to thin the herd even more, but I love every single brush I have left -- I can't decide which one(s) to let go. They are all in rotation:

Vintage Simpson's Chubby 3
Simfix Chubby 1
Vintage Simpson's 57
Rooney Finest
B&B LE 2008 (Kent)
Rooney Stubby 2
Morris & Forndram Blonde Badger

The three I reach for most frequently are the B&B LE 2008 Kent (SO soft), the Chubby 3 (soft and DENSE), and the Chubby 1 (a face lathering machine).

I could help you with your thinning out goal with the 57 :001_smile

[Schwert]

More often than knot....I reach for my restored butterscotch

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/2941/butterscotchrestore1156.jpg

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7845/butterscotchbloom1171.jpg

[Mike'sWorld]

Semogue 2000.

I really prefer it over my Simpson Colonel.

More backbone, soft tips, it's amazing.

I think I prefer the extra scrubbiness.

[drfred]

Actually its between 2 brushes- a Rooney Heritage Stubby 2 and the 2010 LE Semogue.
Both absolutely eat up hard soaps! The Stubby 2 though is an incredible brush!

Fred

[mdunn]

B&B LE08 - best brush I've come across

[fluffman86]

It takes me a good 5 minutes just to start shaving. What's my beard length like?

Really short (<24hours) means a floppy Franks Shaving badger, cream, and a Tech or SS.

Normal (24 Hours) could be a Semogue 2010 LE badger or 830 or a Tweezerman. Brush determines cream vs soap, with a straight or EJ DE89L.

Longish (36 hours) may mean an OC or straight (though that pulls sometimes), usually with an 830 or more likely a 1470 or 620.

Long (48 hours +) will almost certainly be a 620 or the 2010 custom boar with a 39C and a hard soap. Unless it's Sunday, in which case I'll probably lean towards a badger with Proraso pre-shave and CO Bigelow cream for some unknown reason.

Unless I feel moved to do something else. So maybe I'm just in the mood for whatever. All that to say I don't really have a go to brush.:tongue_sm

[Dave_D]

Semogue 620