A pictorial homage to Simpson's Chubby 3

[ben74]

Simpson Chubby 3

The Simpson Chubby is arguably one of the most iconic shaving brushes in the world.
The size 3 is the largest, most luxurious brush in the Chubby range.
It's density is famous and the brush is often the benchmark that other manufactures strive to achieve.
And... it's one of my favourite brushes...

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Old and new...

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3 Band, Extra Super (Pre Vulfix Manchurian), Manchurian, Best (Pre Vulfix) and 2 Band.

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Quite some variance in knots.

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I only recently acquired the Chubby 3 Manchurian and am looking forward to comparing it with the other Chubby 3 brushes from my collection.

This thread is a work in progress. I intend to post action pics and reviews soon.

I would also like to invite other members to share their experiences with the Chubby 3 (or smaller sizes) and of course some more pics too.

[turtle]

Very nice Ben. Thanks for taking such an informative photo and sharing it with everyone.

[Pgg365247]

Wow! My hunt continues for a Somerset Simpson CH2, T2 or Duke 3. Very nice CH3 collection!!!

[whavens]

I have a set of Somerset era GF Trumper Chubby 1, Chubby2 and Chubby3 brushes. I have only used the Chubby1 so far.
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[Pgg365247]

I think I remember you saying you picked those up off of ETSY (for a steal). I am STILL checking for a similar take on ETSY daily after hearing of your fortune. How was the CH1 when you used it? I am so jealous of your set as well!!!!


I have a set of Somerset era GF Trumper Chubby 1, Chubby2 and Chubby3 brushes. I have only used the Chubby1 so far.
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[whavens]

Not floppy, but not a ton of backbone. Will make a great cream brush. I think the Chubby2 is next to get wet.

[Marco]

Beautiful brushes, Ben!

[Paul12644]

Chubby 1 Best 3 band, Chubby 2 Manchurian, and "Big Daddy" Chubby 3 Best.

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=35157[/URL ([URL]http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=35157)]

[jgriest03]

Chubby 1 Best 3 band, Chubby 2 Manchurian, and "Big Daddy" Chubby 3 Best.

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=35157[/URL (http://[URL]http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=35157)]

Awesome stuff! Great line up!

[Pgg365247]

Oh WOW!!! I didn't even realize that CH2 was in the old Manchurian :yikes::o16:

[lu20vt]

wow!!! awesome brushes !! :love-struck::o16:

[sp514]

Nice collection Ben, great comparison.

[cessnabird]

Thanks for sharing Ben. That extra super looks almost good enough to eat! I want it!

[ben74]

Chubby Past...

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Pre Vulfix Chubby 3, 2 & 1 (in Best)

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Pre Vulfix Chubby 3 Extra Super (aka Manchurian)

[Intrigued]

My vintage Chubby 3 from the "Simpson" era of Simpson. Gary Young said it dated to the 1960s.

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Pictured here with a vintage Wee Scott 1 (aka, the Nano Scott).
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[Prof. Moriarty]

Stunning, Ben, just stunning :thumbsup:

[celestino]

As always, Ben, great brushes!

[ben74]

Simpson Chubby 3 Extra Super (aka Manchurian)

This morning's shave:

Joris OC Razor
Gillette Super Thin Blade
Martin De Candre Soap
and...

Simpson Chubby 3 Extra Super

Prep:
Shower shave and face lather

Post:
DR Harris Pink A/S
GFT Coral Skin Food

Went with my usual routine
3 passes (WTG, XTG and AGT)

Then I remembered I was going to take a few pictures!

Jumped out of the shower, wiped off enough water to pick up my camera and took a few quick shots.

SWMBO of course thought I was crazy!

Anyway here is the CH 3 ES still loaded with lather after 3 passes...

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And in bloom...

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From above...

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With his pal Joris...

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The CH 3 ES preformed well, lathering the MdC with ease and enough for well more than my usual 3 passes.
It felt large on the face, but not unwieldily.
It was dense, but not as dense as my current post Vulfix Chubby 3 brushes.
Flow through was much better than the post Vulfix Chubbies.
With the longer loft I expected this to exhibit little in the way of backbone... I was wrong.
I expected it to feel and behave more like a 3 band super, but it felt closer to a 2 band.
The long loft and backbone reminded me of my HMW Plisson brushes.
There was definite sensation from this brush (but not gel-like as with my Thater and Rooney Heritage XL brushes)
The CH3 ES definitely had scritch, but definitely not scratch.
The tips on this brush remind my of my Rooney Finest brushes.
In fact, the only brush closer to a Rooney Finest in feel... IMO... is a Rooney Finest!!!

I am looking forward to comparing it with the current CH 3 Manchurian...

[drP]

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l585/pvlpeter/951b18a4.jpg

[ben74]

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l585/pvlpeter/951b18a4.jpg

And the one above would have made six!!!

(Thanks DrP, I'm enjoying it)

Which is your favourite?

[Face&Head]

But I did anyway. So I inquired about a Chubby 3 from a well-know B&B vendor several months ago and he replied "To me, and again this is only personal preference, there's not much point to Chubby unless you get the broadest, flattest, shortest-lofted ones; that's what makes a Chubby a Chubby. So #2's the call in that regard, but #3's the most ideally flat atop it, but with those extra ~3mm of hair length (unfortunately we can't know if they were both set the same depth, Simpsons buys hairs in various lengths) I'd choose 2, but I'm sure 3 would do a great job of touching my face all at once." I love the snark at the end.

He went on " I think CH3's on of the least practical brushes ever made, but CH2 isn't really practical, either, and it is your life; there's a huge difference between 28mm and 30mm+, all those extra emm emms are on the outside of that circle and that's a hell of a lot more hairs, probably more than is in an entire "S1B", for example. We have a tiny group of 'dead enders' whom always buy the huge stuff from us...you're a small but fervent minority."

This really made me laugh out-loud and I love his honesty. He was trying to talk me out of a $$$ purchase...I want vendors like that...and I appreciate a man with opinions & conviction. My CH3 has been out on tour for a bit and I got her back on Friday. So I did a face lather with some Castle Forbes in the shower this afternoon. This brush feels absolutely luxurious on your face, no scritch whatsoever, just a wonderfully soft massage as your build the lather. Really fantastic.

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[Lando]

love the handles on those somersets, much better lines than the vulfix ones

[ben74]

...So I inquired about a Chubby 3 from a well-know B&B vendor several months ago and he replied:

"To me, and again this is only personal preference, there's not much point to a Chubby...

He went on " I think CH3's one of the least practical brushes ever made, but CH2 isn't really practical, either... ...

We have a tiny group of 'dead enders' whom always buy the huge stuff from us...you're a small but fervent minority."

There must be a fine line between honesty and insulting your customers.

I'm one of those "dead enders" your vendor referred to. I believe "The in praise of large brushes" thread illustrates that the "dead enders" might not be such a tiny group. Besides, I would have thought a minority group's money would be as good as any other group, especially when they are the group prepared to fork out the big bucks on the big priced, big brushes...

I'm happy that you took his words as constructive, I would have shopped elsewhere...

Now that I've had my rant, congratulations on your reunion with your beautiful, big brush.

EDIT: I trust my honesty will also be appreciated as passionate conviction and that my opinion is also welcomed. I can appreciate that the vendor was only trying to assist, but having worked in retail (a very long time ago) I was of the mind set that the customer is always right (even when they're not).

[ben74]

This brush feels absolutely luxurious on your face, no scritch whatsoever, just a wonderfully soft massage as your build the lather.

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Thanks for sharing. Stark contrast to my experience with the CH 3 ES, which exhibited quite a bit of scritch. Given the experiences of many with the new Manchurian, I'm expecting that the CH 3 ES will soften with further use.

[malocchio]

and this beauty....

[Face&Head]

I trust my honesty will also be appreciated as passionate conviction and that my opinion is also welcomed. I can appreciate that the vendor was only trying to assist, but having worked in retail (a very long time ago) I was of the mind set that the customer is always right (even when they're not).

Oh yes, absolutely. There is no question that what I took as some rather hilarious banter might well have offended others. Im delighted to have this particular vendor tell me what he actually thinks not just what is necessary to make the sale. This openness has kept me from making some rather costly mistakes over the years. There are some things where personal preferences are all important & brushes fall into that category.

[Marco]

Ben, could you kindly post a couple of close-up shots of your Somerset era CH3's, please? If I remember well many of these had lovely rosy pink Ivory handles, is this correct?

[htownmmm]

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l585/pvlpeter/951b18a4.jpg

As usual, drP does it once again!


marty

[ben74]

Ben, could you kindly post a couple of close-up shots of your Somerset era CH3's, please? If I remember well many of these had lovely rosy pink Ivory handles, is this correct?

That's true Marco, I'll take some close up pics to illustrate the colour difference and post them soon.

In the mean time...

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[Marco]

They look fantastic! Thank you so much, Ben!

[ben74]

They look fantastic! Thank you so much, Ben!

Some better examples soon Marco...

[tgutc]

Very nice. I'm so jealous.

[CHSeifert]

I don't own a Chubby 3, and probably (most likely - never say never though) will never get to own one, but a member from in here posted this pic of a beautiful oldish butterscotch Chubby 3 along his Aqua Di Parma and his Feather DE razor - and I really think the picture was a beauty, so hope it's OK for me to post his pic in this thread:
FYI I do own the shaving cream and the razor + stand though - but not the exact species in the picture :em2300:

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[ben74]

Chubby 3 (3 band and 2 band)

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[Marco]

Thank you for the close-up pics, Ben. By the way, the knot on your 3 band Super looks fantastic!

[vegasvics]

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l585/pvlpeter/951b18a4.jpg

I think I just found my new desktop wallpaper. I'm in awe

[ben74]

I think I just found my new desktop wallpaper. I'm in awe

+ 1, DrP's collection is unmatched, but here's my desktop wallpaper:

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[Lando]

Just beautiful, the tulip used to be my favorite simpson shape but I think I'm changing my mind.
Once again, these comparison shots underscore the elegance of the old somerset handle style compared to the newer "robotic" vulfix handles (IMO). hmm maybe it's time to call on mr. vey again...


+ 1, DrP's collection is unmatched, but here's my desktop wallpaper:

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[ben74]

Just beautiful, the tulip used to be my favorite simpson shape but I think I'm changing my mind.
Once again, these comparison shots underscore the elegance of the old somerset handle style compared to the newer "robotic" vulfix handles (IMO). hmm maybe it's time to call on mr. vey again...

Bill, the Tulip is certainly a beautifully shaped handle. I have sizes 1 through 4. I find it more ergonomically styled than the Chubby and the lip around the base is truly functional keeping the lather on the hair and not the handle. That said, there is a certain "je ne sais quoi" to be found with the big, dense Chubby!

[Lando]

Well Ben, I think it's obvious what comes next.

Let's see those tulips!

[ben74]

Well Ben, I think it's obvious what comes next.

Let's see those tulips!

Ok, but I'm no good at flower arranging!!!

Pics soon...

[drP]

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l585/pvlpeter/c08d4690.jpg

[ben74]

Well done Peter, you not only beat me to it, but you've outdone me too.

I do love seeing your amazing collection!

Thanks for sharing.

[ben74]

Well Ben, I think it's obvious what comes next.

Let's see those tulips!

Bill, I've lost my Tulip 2 !!! It's the only one out of the 4 that I've actually used, I'll take another photo of the whole bunch, once I locate it...

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[chrissss]

My little contribution :

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Here with a thater stout 2
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[prsman23]

Guy this is totally not cool. I am drooling over these brushes. LOL. Now to get out the debit card!

[hedonist222]

Bump for a great thread

[Loric]

My two Chubby 3's
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=280544&d=1350752021

[CHSeifert]

Nice pics, Gent :thumbup:

I don't own a Chubby 3 yet :crying:

And the only one I plan to own is a 2-Band bulb, because it has the least amount of bloom and I'm not sure I want a bloom larger than what I get in a Chubby 3 2-Band - so I'm saving up for a Chubby 3 2-Band in ButterScotch, holding the trigger ready for when Mark makes one available....... :drool:

[hedonist222]

Guys,

How does the CH 3 Manchurian compare to the CH 3 Super?

[Loric]

The Manchurian has more backbone and slightly better flow threw. Though it gives up some softness, my Manchurian has a wonderful slight skritch to it. Just enough to let you know its there.

[hedonist222]

The Manchurian has more backbone and slightly better flow threw. Though it gives up some softness, my Manchurian has a wonderful slight skritch to it. Just enough to let you know its there.

Thanks Loric!

[Str8 Shaver]

Gotta love those Chubby 3's .. :ouch1: