Morris & Forndran Blond Badger

[PozzSka]

Bought a 22mm M&F Blonde Badger a few weeks ago from Vintageblades and it is very tiny... Did not expect it to be this small.. Anyone else have the 22mm version? What are your thoughts on it? Seems to lather up soap very well but doesn't hold much lather... Compared to my 24mm brushes I was expecting something just a little smaller but this M&F is tiny... Basically like a Wee scott IMO... Thinking about selling it on the BST forum... If anyone has the 22mm what are your thoughts on it?

Thx Jeff

I've had a 22mm and a 24mm, and a 31mm on the way...I have noticed that when Lee says 22mm, he means 22m at the handle opening, not 22mm knot which ends up being 23 or 24 at the opening.

Mine was a 22mm beehive and it was small, but held plenty of lather for 3 or 4 passes. 24mm was the same, 24 at handle opening and held plenty of lather

[TZee]

AgBill: How do you like that 28/50 in comparison to the Chubby 2 that you tried? I know that the M&F hair is softer because it's 2-band.

[MaxP]

AgBill-

I'm a small brush guy. But I gotta tell you that your 28mm brush is fine looking!

[ssultan]

If I may TZee, 2-band comes in many flavours and you can change the characteristics by playing with the lofts...there IS such a thing as over-tuning your brush...I firmly believe this to be the case. Naturally, all this is dependant on your skin type as well. To explain what I mean, I went through a couple of 2-banded bulb shaped shavemac D01's...I sold a 24mm/52mm if I recall correctly for favour of a new one I ordered in horn. At something like 23-24mm with a 44-46mm loft...this thing did not bloom or did it splay while lathering...it was just downright uncomfortable and I ended up not using it after a few shaves. A Finest 1/1 that I acquired from Vintage back when they were available was so scritchy and dense that I never ended up keeping it for similar reasons. The first pass was okay, the second and third made my skin feel raw!!! I have currently gone through quite a few M&F's and am sending one to a friend for similar reasons...lovely knot, shaped very well, brush built beautifully but the type of 2-band used and backbone at that loft makes it very uncomfortable after the initial pass. There is stiff...and there is wire-brush stiff...
Oh...and Lee has changed his 2-band batches a few times now...one of the batches was very scritchy/stiff while the latest is very soft at the tips...you never know what you'll end up with and hence why a lot of the similar spec'd brushes from him 'feel' different when lathering...that is probably why a lot of folks including myself have gone through a dozen or more in a very short while with similar specs ...

[AgBill]

TZee-
My CH2 was actually pretty soft for Best --- unusually soft. It was certainly softer than my TGN Super A, but Ive never tried a Simpsons super.

Compared to the CH2 Best, I can already say that I definitely prefer this M&F. I felt like the CH2 lacked backbone --- kind of spread out across my face and mushed. Floppy isnt the right word, but I can say that it lacked body. Lots of folks face lather with a CH2 Best, but it just didn't fit my taste. Wonderfully soft, but not enough bite. This brush address that issue entirely. The tips are still stiff, but it has only been through about 6 lathers. It has lathered up on soap REALLY well, but doesn't do as well in a bowl. Fine for me - I face lather. Now, a CH2 in 2band may have been great as well, I dunno.

[Shady24]

Thanks for the replies... The 22mm is a great looking brush just too small for my taste... Based on Lee's knot sizes I believe a 28mm would be more to my liking.. My current favorite brush is a Savile Row 3824... I'm thinking the Thater brushes will be more to my liking thou...

[kbuzbee]

The first pass was okay, the second and third made my skin feel raw!!! I have currently gone through quite a few M&F's and am sending one to a friend for similar reasons...lovely knot, shaped very well, brush built beautifully but the type of 2-band used and backbone at that loft makes it very uncomfortable after the initial pass. There is stiff...and there is wire-brush stiff...

Hmm... Wire brush stiff. That sounds too lovely for words... Lucky "friend" (rushes out to mailbox....)

that is probably why a lot of folks including myself have gone through a dozen or more in a very short while with similar specs ...

Cough... Cough... Huh? What were we talking about again?

Ken

[SirWhiskers]

Bought a 22mm M&F Blonde Badger a few weeks ago from Vintageblades and it is very tiny... Did not expect it to be this small.. Anyone else have the 22mm version? What are your thoughts on it? Seems to lather up soap very well but doesn't hold much lather... Compared to my 24mm brushes I was expecting something just a little smaller but this M&F is tiny... Basically like a Wee scott IMO... Thinking about selling it on the BST forum... If anyone has the 22mm what are your thoughts on it?

Thx Jeff

I have a 22mm, 1/1 style I posted photos above. I like it. Anything bigger would be "huge" for me. And no, it's not the size of a Wee Scot which is very tiny, the size of a small pinky, you don't realize it from the photos until you hold one.

I face lather with it and have no problem getting enough lather out of it.

[MaxP]

... I'm thinking the Thater brushes will be more to my liking thou...

The Thaters I've had were pretty wonderful. Great balance of softness and "just enough" backbone. Another is definitely on my Wish List.

[ssultan]

Well, the 2-banded Thaters should be hitting the market soon...some members have already started ordering them from Europe...and no, I have no idea how or who they're ordering from...yet.

I prefer to wait till John or Phil start carrying it...I'd much rather deal with them anyways! The new Thaters do intrique me...though I feel I'm done with my SBAD for now...2011 will be the year...I feel it in my bones.

- Sameer

[Shady24]

K.. Well here is a few pics to give you an idea how small this brush is... 1st one is next to a B&B Essential the 2nd photo is for scale only as I applied some photo effects... The knot size is about the same as a Body Shop brush... Wow never realized a Wee Scott was as small as a pinky...

[Hex]

I've had a 22mm and a 24mm, and a 31mm on the way...I have noticed that when Lee says 22mm, he means 22m at the handle opening, not 22mm knot which ends up being 23 or 24 at the opening.

Mine was a 22mm beehive and it was small, but held plenty of lather for 3 or 4 passes. 24mm was the same, 24 at handle opening and held plenty of lather

Pozzska, I thought that you were a small brush fan. Is the 31mm your first venture into the big brush world ?

[PozzSka]

Pozzska, I thought that you were a small brush fan. Is the 28mm your first venture into the big brush world ?

I don't have a 28mm, not sure what you are referring to.

My conversion to large brushes has been somewhat recent (I blame Ken and Sameer)...I was, at one time, using 20-22mm knots, and enjoying them (don't get me wrong, There is nothing wrong with a 22mm brush) I still own a couple.

My fear of large brushes was mostly due to making a huge mess and getting lather all over my face and nose, etc...however, a well constructed 30mm brush with an appropriate loft feels no larger on the face than a softer/bloom-ier 23mm brush.

My current brushes are a 30mm Finest TGN by Rudy Vey (check my new avatar), a 31mm Blonde Badger in faux Onyx (check back a page), an Omega Pro49 (big boar), and on my short list is a Shavemac Finest, Simpson CH3, and Rooney 3XL, among others. (not counting the 22mm Shavemac 2-band and 24mm M&F, both for sale). Though, I'll admit...I do miss my SOC (24mm boar) and will probably buy another someday.

The 30mm Finest was my first big brush and what I use a lot nowadays...very accurate lathering brush, not messy in anyway more than any other brush.

[kbuzbee]

My conversion to large brushes has been somewhat recent (I blame Ken and Sameer)...

Nathan has crossed over to the dark side

Now, Nathan, when you get a PL14..... We'll talk

Ken

[Hex]

I don't have a 28mm, not sure what you are referring to.

My conversion to large brushes has been somewhat recent (I blame Ken and Sameer)...I was, at one time, using 20-22mm knots, and enjoying them (don't get me wrong, There is nothing wrong with a 22mm brush) I still own a couple.

My fear of large brushes was mostly due to making a huge mess and getting lather all over my face and nose, etc...however, a well constructed 30mm brush with an appropriate loft feels no larger on the face than a softer/bloom-ier 23mm brush.

My current brushes are a 30mm Finest TGN by Rudy Vey (check my new avatar), a 31mm Blonde Badger in faux Onyx (check back a page), an Omega Pro49 (big boar), and on my short list is a Shavemac Finest, Simpson CH3, and Rooney 3XL, among others. (not counting the 22mm Shavemac 2-band and 24mm M&F, both for sale). Though, I'll admit...I do miss my SOC (24mm boar) and will probably buy another someday.

The 30mm Finest was my first big brush and what I use a lot nowadays...very accurate lathering brush, not messy in anyway more than any other brush.

Oops, I meant to say 31mm. Sorry for any confusion, and you answered my question. They're great aren't they !

[PozzSka]

Oops, I meant to say 31mm. Sorry for any confusion, and you answered my question. They're great aren't they !

Gotcha ! And yes, they are great!

[kiwichris]

Here are a few shots! Tried to get lather shots, but my lighting and camera skills suck.

FIRST UP! We've got the 28/50 on the left and the 26/49 on the right. When I went through what I wanted with Lee, he suggested his Chubby 2 (the 28/50). I bought the 26/49 out of a fit of SBAD and will be keeping both.

You can see the 28mm is very much a bulb, but the curve of the 26 is a bit flatter --- almost approaching hybrid fan. Still a bulb (I'd say), but if you compare to the rooney, the curve is similar.

Attachment 185743

You can see how much denser the 28mm is. Love it... just freakin love it. Though the 28 is set higher than the 26, it is just packed in there. The tips will soften (they did on the 24mm I have) and it will maintain the backbone... just perfect.

Attachment 185742

This is not my whole family, but definitely the big players. I threw in my 24/53 (far left) and XL1 for size comparisons. Again, while the 24 and 28 have definite bulbs, that 26 does remind me a bit of my rooney in shape... getting kind of fanish.

Attachment 185741

Lastly, you can see that the 24/53 has the least amount of density. However, I am VERY glad to have gotten this brush first. It could use it every day and be completely happy. It is so well balanced in all aspects, it is just a great brush --- probably why it was the first line the Lee released. Now, if you look at the middle two (XL1 and 28mm), you can see that their density is pretty damn close, maybe with the slight edge to the XL1.
Attachment 185744

So there ya go! I really was afraid that the 28 would be too big, especially after trying the CH2 in Best, but I think for my next brush I could go even bigger! 30-32 with maybe a 52-54 loft. In all likelihood though, my next M&F will probably be something in a hybrid fan shape. I like how the fans have a much more even distribution across the face.

In all, I love these brushes. It didn't take many uses to see their quality, either. I know that the hair will continue to soften, just as the 24mm has. The 28mm is damn near perfect and spot on for what I was looking for --- so trust in Lee! That said, the 26mm feels a little bigger, has a bigger handle, and lathered up some mama bears in seconds. I used the 26 last night and it was one of those experiences that you just don't want to stop lathering... almost a massaging quality.

So there ya go! With the 26 and 28 finding a spot on my counter, the 24 will have to go, sadly. I got the 24 at a GREAT deal from another B&B member and will be happy to pass it along at my cost to someone who reads this thread and wants to try out an M&F. Shoot me a PM. If not, it'll go up on the BST sometime in the next week.

Hey AgBill - is that 28mm an 'extra hair' version, or just standard?

[AgBill]

Kiwi-
Standard, buddy... Just the standard! I can't imagine what it would be like with extra hair!!!

[SirWhiskers]

I tried the soap today. It is very nice, it lathers better than the average melt & pour glycerine soap and it gave me a very good shave, no irritation or burning which some products can give me. Now, scent is a personal thing, so don't read too much into this, but I was not a big fan of the take on sandalwood, it smelled more like alcohol to me. There are so many takes on sandalwood that I'm not even sure what real sandalwood is supposed to smell like, if there is such a thing.

I hope to see it in other scents in the future.

If you order a brush from Lee, you also need to order some of his soap. It's really good! The ingredients are: Aqua (Water), Sandalwood oil, Aloe Vera, Shea butter, Cocoa butter, Kokum butter, Coconut oil, Castor oil, Olive oil, Basil oil, Glycerine, Fenugreek, Turmeric, Fullers earth, SLEL (Palm oil), Sugar, (Sorbitol), Propylene glycol.

[AgBill]

Now have a 31/52 on the way... I seem to keep getting bigger and bigger and denser: 24/53 --> 26/49 --> 28/50 --> 31/52 =)