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Shavemac 30mm Best Badger vs Simpson Chubby 3 Best Badger

Shavemac said they can make me a custom 30mm knot Best Badger brush($112 dollars, $15 dollars shipping), that's about 1 or 2 mm(Knot size) smaller than Simpson's Chubby 3 Best Badger. Which would you choose and why?
 
Edit: Voluntarily re-worded for gentlemanly intent.

If you're looking at a Simpsons, I might recommend you check out a vendor who can show you actual stock images. Knot shapes and lofts can vary, so it's helpful to see that before hand. Check out TheSuperiorShave.com, though I've also had luck simply requesting John at WestCoastShaving.com hand-pick a "more fan-shaped" specimen. Best of luck!
 
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Can't recall ever reading a review of that grade of Shavemac. I agree with the above statement, either that or go for a Shavemac in Finest. Not sure how extra that will cost...
 
I am starting to think there's a concerted effort out there to drag Simpsons name through the dirt. I've seen 3 or 4 threads about bad Simpsons, and the only brush that actually looked bad to me turned out to just be a knot that was drying in a weird shape due to how the owner treated it. He came back later and posted that Simpson had accepted his brush, tested it, and returned it to him without the odd shaped knot, which led to his realization that his drying method caused it. Of the rest, I've seen maybe three reports of bad shedding, which is a problem, but certainly can't be considered widespread. About twice that many people complaining about knot shape, either without pictures or with pictures of knots that are fine. And another complaint or two about sticker placement. Sorry, that's not a QC problem that justifies writing off a brand.
 
I am starting to think there's a concerted effort out there to drag Simpsons name through the dirt. I've seen 3 or 4 threads about bad Simpsons, and the only brush that actually looked bad to me turned out to just be a knot that was drying in a weird shape due to how the owner treated it. He came back later and posted that Simpson had accepted his brush, tested it, and returned it to him without the odd shaped knot, which led to his realization that his drying method caused it. Of the rest, I've seen maybe three reports of bad shedding, which is a problem, but certainly can't be considered widespread. About twice that many people complaining about knot shape, either without pictures or with pictures of knots that are fine. And another complaint or two about sticker placement. Sorry, that's not a QC problem that justifies writing off a brand.

+1 My sentiments exactly Slice.

I have no qualms about buying a Simpsons.
 
You might want to take a look at the 30mm TGN brush that Vlad had made by Rudy Vey. At least I seem to remember that it was Vlad.

I think Rudy named it a Chubby 4. :001_smile
 
So you haven't seen threads where brushes were significantly off-spec, or arrived with the wrong hair grade, or even vendors who have altogether stopped carrying them? Edit: forgot to mention the torpedo-shaped knots they're pumping out lately...

You're not looking.

I'm glad you're happy with your Simpsons brushes, and I've had a couple that treated me well, but you won't catch me buying one any time soon. It has nothing to do with some ludicrous anti-Simpsons conspiracy - there's just been a recent batch of complaints that make me leery of dropping that kind of coin when the brushes being made right now don't live up to the reputation.
 
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So you haven't seen threads where brushes were significantly off-spec, or arrived with the wrong hair grade, or even vendors who have altogether stopped carrying them? Edit: forgot to mention the torpedo-shaped knots they're pumping out lately...

You're not looking.

I'm glad you're happy with your Simpsons brushes, and I've had a couple that treated me well, but you won't catch me buying one any time soon. It has nothing to do with some ludicrous anti-Simpsons conspiracy - there's just been a recent batch of complaints that make me leery of dropping that kind of coin when the brushes being made right now don't live up to the reputation.

It can go both ways... I will never buy another Simpsons under the $125 mark. The CH3 Super, PL10 Super, T2 Super and T3 Super I bought in 2010 have all been spot on perfect. I think its a business issue where they are hammering Dukes, Colonels and Emperors out the door to meet demand.
 
It can go both ways... I will never buy another Simpsons under the $125 mark. The CH3 Super, PL10 Super, T2 Super and T3 Super I bought in 2010 have all been spot on perfect. I think its a business issue where they are hammering Dukes, Colonels and Emperors out the door to meet demand.

Hadn't considered that... I was pleased w/my Tulip (two-band super).
 
Hadn't considered that... I was pleased w/my Tulip (two-band super).

The Tulip is such an awesome brush.

I may be over simplifying here with the lower priced styles, but the finance guy in me can see how this would happen when "price and volume" is involved.
 
So you haven't seen threads where brushes were significantly off-spec, or arrived with the wrong hair grade, or even vendors who have altogether stopped carrying them? Edit: forgot to mention the torpedo-shaped knots they're pumping out lately...

You're not looking.

Significantly off spec? Saw that thread. Mentioned a Rooney that was several times more off spec I had owned. One thread that I'm aware of, which ones did I miss?

Wrong hair grade? Presumption based on a single picture, of two grades (Simpson Super and Best) of hair that are virtually indistinguishable from a picture. And again, Two band vs Three band is not a QC issue. It sounded like someone agreed to handpick a two band (since again, Simpson does not distinguish between them for most brush models, including the one in this case) and failed to do so. Even if this failure was by someone in Simpson's warehouse, how this can have absolutely any bearing on any other brush ever made by Simpson/Vulfix I have no idea. Again, I've seen one thread on this. Where are the others?

Vendors? As in more than one? The only one I'm aware of is the same one from above who arranged to sell a two band brush and it turned out to be a three band.

If you have problems with Simpson brushes, let those grievances stand on their own merit. Don't use hyperbole to invent this massive problem out of a few dissatisfied customers. Does Vulfix have QC issues? Maybe. But you're acting as if many, even most brushes demonstrate them. That's ridiculous and you know it. There have been at most a handful of complaints, they got a lot of attention and two or three members have consistently appeared in these threads shouting at the top of their lungs, "Oh my god, that brush will kill your family. And I think I see a racial slur etched in the base! And I'll never buy a Simpson again!" We get it, you won't buy a Simpson again. Now find me ten threads (in a site who's members represent thousands, or perhaps tens of thousands of Simpsons brushes owned) that display QC issues that present a serious issue with brush function or aesthetics. And a sticker with a crease in it doesn't count.
 
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We can argue offline; I've stated my opinion, and it's up to the OP if he thinks it's valid. His money.

For the record, however, you're wrong about the Rooney 3/1 spec issue (ClassicShaving.com is out of date) and the hair grade issue (2-band was order, 3-band received - obvious to anybody looking).
 
P

Pjotr

..................Now find me ten threads (in a site who's members represent thousands, or perhaps tens of thousands of Simpsons brushes owned) that display QC issues that present a serious issue with brush function or aesthetics. And a sticker with a crease in it doesn't count.

That's grandstanding as it's called here in Australia. And sadly I think Gary Young's presence here brought out the grandstanders. It's a sad reflection on this site that he felt he had to leave. Just my opinion.
 
That's grandstanding as it's called here in Australia. And sadly I think Gary Young's presence here brought out the grandstanders. It's a sad reflection on this site that he felt he had to leave. Just my opinion.


For the same of those reading on, this is bad history. Gary himself said it had to do with personal attacks, and that's not what's going on here. I feel very badly that some folks can't (or won't) separate their feelings about a company and the quality of their products and the people who make (or in this case, used to make) them. But if you'll do me the courtesy of not including me with the folks who hurled insults at Gary, I'll take it as a kindness.

I didn't mean to upset anybody, but it's clear that folks are very wound up about this Simpsons QC issue, so I'm bowing out of the discussion until cooler heads prevail.
 
We can argue offline; I've stated my opinion, and it's up to the OP if he thinks it's valid. His money.

For the record, however, you're wrong about the Rooney 3/1 spec issue (ClassicShaving.com is out of date) and the hair grade issue (2-band was order, 3-band received - obvious to anybody looking).


Simpson loft specs vary as well. I was recently surprised by how much. Chubby 1 is in the wiki as 41mm and listed at several sites as 50mm. Chubby 2 is also off. So's Chubby 3. I haven't even looked at other brushes, but we're 3 for 3 so far.
My example was an extreme one of the loft you pay for not being what you get. I've bought maybe 20 non-simpson brushes. I could count on one hand the brushes that were within 2mm of the listed spec. Most were 3-5mm off.


It's two separate issues. 2 band was ordered (which requires a handpick at the warehouse, has zero to do with QC), 3 band was delivered. Then a couple members started claiming "Oh that's best, not super." That's the hair GRADE issue. Again 2 and 3 band are not separate grades to Simpson.

I have two complaints about what's going on in the brush forum now.

First off is simple reason is being abandoned. People have complained about very minor things. A sticker not being put on right. Go to a Porsche dealer and look hard enough, I bet you'll find a car with a price sticker with a crease in it. The etching was too low? Not really. Check out the product pictures for D2 online. Most of the ones I'm seeing have the sticker forced onto the band a little bit or slightly covering the etching. Seems like the brush handle is just too short to fit the sticker completely smoothly there. If that's a problem for you, buy another brush or use it without a sticker. Read that thread and see the people coming in and shouting "unacceptable" without even looking at the details involved, and you'll see the problem.

Second is perspective. You're still acting like this is a major problem, but you've decided that the high road in this case consists of reaffirming your opinion rather than backing it up when asked for justification for it. That's a problem there. A half dozen brushes, even if we give the users the benefit of the doubt and pretend that their complaints were all valid QC issues (in actuality I'd say the only real QC issue I've seen were the shedding complaints, I can recall two in the past month), a half dozen bad brushes in the sample size we're talking about is a drop in the bucket. If you're worried, buy from a reputable dealer who'll stand behind the products they sell. If you really don't like high bulbs, or torpedo's as you call them and don't want to risk getting one, buy from Jarrod. Writing off an entire brand based on these complaints is silly. And repeatedly making statements that imply it's so much more widespread than it clearly is smells borderline libelous to me.


I agree with Josh that the harassment of Gary and Simpson QC are separate issues. His only involvement with the QC as I understand was trying to help people out by bringing complaints to Vulfix' attention. I don't know that he had any vested interest in Vulfix/Simpson reputation at this point beyond not liking the family name be smeared. And if his goals were motivated by that we'd see more of a "How dare Vulfix let quality slip so far" attitude from him, which we really didn't. I didn't see most of the harassment, but I was under the impression it was really just one or two members acting like dolts (or "trolls") with no real rhyme or reason behind it.
 
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Shavemac said they can make me a custom 30mm knot Best Badger brush($112 dollars, $15 dollars shipping), that's about 1 or 2 mm(Knot size) smaller than Simpson's Chubby 3 Best Badger. Which would you choose and why?

I have a 30mm silvertip shavemac and it's my favorite brush. It has extremely soft tips but isn't floppy at all. I use it with both soaps and creams (evem MWF!). I highly recomend it. My impression of the chubby is that it's handle is too small.
 
I have a 30mm silvertip shavemac and it's my favorite brush. It has extremely soft tips but isn't floppy at all. I use it with both soaps and creams (evem MWF!). I highly recomend it. My impression of the chubby is that it's handle is too small.

You find the Chubby 3 handle too small? The chubby 1 handle is tiny, but the 2 and 3 handles are some of the fattest ones out there. Or did you mean height?
 
I haven't tried Shavemac's Best grade of hair, but you really can't beat Simpson's best for the price. I admittedly may have dogged on Simpson's in the past (I did own a brush that became a serious shedder), but owning 'only' 7 badgers with 3 of them being Simpson's does say something (I'm including the TGN UK Silvertip in this as I firmly believe it is a Chubby 1 super knot).

I'd go with the Simpson's. If we are talking 2-band hair then it is a different story in which case I prefer Rooney's and Shavemac's to Simpson's.
 
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