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Toy or Serious Brush: A Consideration of the Wee Scot

Hey guys, I am trying to get into wet shaving and am looking for my first brush(!!!). I have a relatively small face, and don't really have anything I need to compensate for, so a little tiny brush like the Wee Scot is really appealing to me. Do you think it would be a good brush to start with, or would you generally advise against it?

I'd say you'd get a lot more mileage out of something like a 46 (aka Berkeley) for about the same price.
 
I think it depends on how you lather. If it's pure face lathering (i.e. you rub the product in to your stubble and don't use a bowl either for loading or creating lather) then I'd say yes. If you're planning on using it to do the whole loading your brush from a puck and bowl lathering thing I'd say it wouldn't be the easiest brush to start with. Having said that I'm amazed at the lathering pictures in this thread but I'm sure it's not that easy with such a tiny brush in a bowl full of goo. It's a brilliant little face lathering tool and pretty cheap. On the other hand for even less money you could get a small boar brush but that's a matter for a different thread.
I'd say you'd get a lot more mileage out of something like a 46 (aka Berkeley) for about the same price.
Thanks for the advice guys! I posted a thread for further suggestions in the Shave Clinic. :001_smile

Still though, something about that Wee Scot... irresistible! :001_wub: :laugh:
 

OldSaw

The wife's investment
I never tried one, but I generally prefer smaller brushes in the 18-20mm range.

People always claim their brush will hold enough lather for 75 passes, but I have a brush that's bigger than the mops used to swab the decks of battleships, and I still have to reload.

All that matter is that you enjoy it.

I can usually make enough lather to shave half the crew of that battle ship using a puck of Colgate and a gnarled up old tooth brush. What's your problem? :lol:
 

OldSaw

The wife's investment
I really want to like this brush and have been entertaining thoughts of getting one. However, the Astra blades in the pics, like they're something special, have me wondering.

Is it just the only blade that was available at the time the pics were taken? If it's because they are thought to be good, then I have to take a few steps back and wonder.
 
I really want to like this brush and have been entertaining thoughts of getting one. However, the Astra blades in the pics, like they're something special, have me wondering.

Is it just the only blade that was available at the time the pics were taken? If it's because they are thought to be good, then I have to take a few steps back and wonder.

1. Has nothing to do with the brush. Red Herring. Straw man.
2. Blade choice and brush choice are the two areas, neck and neck, for the leading YMMV award. I know folks who could shave with anything, and folks who won't uses less than a Feather.
 
Went another round with the little guy - DR Harris Lavender soap in my old spice mug. Loads fine, builds fine, shaves fine - but I think I'm circling around to the feeling I had from the first two shaves.

-The brush itself doesn't hold enough lather for more than two passes without overflowing.
-The handle isn't incredibly comfortable for some folks with big hands.
-It's still a serious brush, not a novelty.

This is what I suspected I would conclude were I to pull the trigger on a Wee Scot. I don't often behave rationally when it comes to SBAD.:tongue_sm

Experience with my 18mm Special 1B and Savile Row 3118 has made it clear that working with smaller knots has consequences. Whether you'd enjoy those consequences is up to you.
 
I have a couple very small brushes that are only 26mm:lol: I like them very much! And that CH2! it's almost microscopic! But I LOVE it! Not everything HAS to be 30mm+:lol:

But this! I don't think my arthritic fingers could close around that handle:lol: even if my old eyes could actually find it in the den:lol:

I'm sure it's high quality and it makes great lather, but part of the joy, for me, is being able to find and hold the brush:lol: Sorry guys, no Wee Scot for me.

Ken
 
Hey guys, I am trying to get into wet shaving and am looking for my first brush(!!!). I have a relatively small face, and don't really have anything I need to compensate for, so a little tiny brush like the Wee Scot is really appealing to me. Do you think it would be a good brush to start with, or would you generally advise against it?
I advise against it. For an extra few dollars you can get the wonderful Berkeley 46.

The Wee Scot (and yes, I have owned and shaved with one), will certainly make good lather, dry faster than larger brushes, is "cute", was allegedly Alex Simpson's flagship brush, a good travel companion, a great conversation piece...ad nauseum, but it is not necessarily a practical brush.

The aforementioned Berkeley will do everything the Wee Scot will do with a much more comfortable grip, a much more practical product carrying capacity, a larger (but still small in a good, no overkill way) pleasurable face massager, allows itself to be used as both a face and bowl lathering brush, also has the Simpson best hair (and a lot more of it: 20X44 as opposed to 14X31).

Do I like the Wee Scot? Yes, I do. I also like a Mini-Cooper. But I realize that as one's only piece, neither are the most practical. There are better bangs for the buck in the same pricing window.

You can always come back and get a Wee Scot down the line, after you have your mainline brush or brushes carrying the day to day loads for you. I can tell you that although the folks do exist, I'd wager very few of B&B's 37,000 members are satisfied with only having a Wee Scot. And many Wee Scots live entirely on the shelf after the initial fun has grown old.

You must realize self-rationalizations and same-boat enabling are big parts of the culture on here. It is extremely easy to get caught up in it. I could never manage to acquire all the pieces that I "think" I want. Restraint has to be exercised at least occasionally :laugh:.

So no, to get back to your question. I don't think for a moment it would be a good brush to start with. Not that it's a bad brush, but it does have limitations, regardless of the rebuttals that may pop up after this posting. I have a lot of experience with the Berkeley, and that is the reason I keep bringing it up--I can back it up. Even as you may eventually branch out into larger brushes, two-bands, high densities, etc., the Berkeley will always be able to earn its keep, even if that eventually becomes a backup.
 
1. Has nothing to do with the brush. Red Herring. Straw man.
2. Blade choice and brush choice are the two areas, neck and neck, for the leading YMMV award. I know folks who could shave with anything, and folks who won't uses less than a Feather.

You may have taken Dennis' post a "wee" bit too seriously.



Thanks, I'm here all week. :lol:
 
I have a small brush like that from C&E and i love it. This one looks like a nice performer. Just because its small does not mean its bad. The good thing is that companies make different size and shapes of brushes for any taste and variety!
 
You can always come back and get a Wee Scot down the line, after you have your mainline brush or brushes carrying the day to day loads for you. I can tell you that although the folks do exist, I'd wager very few of B&B's 37,000 members are satisfied with only having a Wee Scot. And many Wee Scots live entirely on the shelf after the initial fun has grown old.
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i'd wager that most BB members wouldnt be satisfied with 3 different brushes, EVery brush enthusiast here HAS ATLEAST 4-5 diferent brushes!!!! boars and badgers and fans and bulbs how many bber's do u actually know that have only one brush? even those that love their Colnoles, their chubby's their dukes, they all have other brushes, they cant keep using the same brush day in day out.

Iam definately not saying that its the most practical brush out there, but how is a huge massive brush practical as well? like a chubby3 or for that matter any of the chubby line? produces tons of lather that u waste product with, in my opinion the chubby's are a pain to hold, i cant bowl lather mine cause its so stubby and small and it hogs a TON of lather. Its easier to bowl lather a WEE SCOTT!!!! The bottom line is the Wee scott performs JUST as well as any other brush, and if ur complainging about not getting enough lather than ur not doing something right!

I will agree with jp tho as sometimes it can create so much lather that there is no place to place that lather and it will run all over the counter, in that tho u can simply put it in a bowl after u face lather, or bowl lather to begin with.

Now it may seem like i am in crazy puppy love with my Wee scott, the fact is that iam not, its not the only brush in my rotation but i DEFINATELY reach for it atleast 2-3x a week. I barely ever reach for my chubby1 (which ppl seem to love on BB.) You know u like a brush when u reach for it, and the wee scott is definately one of those brushes. I will however say that after a FULL week of using the wee scott (i started a bit earlier than the thread...) iam starting to get bored and i miss my boar, this isnt because iam not HAPPY with the wee scott, its because i want VARIETY!!!! i dont think u can count on ur hand how many BBers are happy with just one brush :tongue_sm




BTW no pictures today! i shaved with tobs almond and used less product then i normally would, i used just enough to cover the tips, i wanted to use about the same amount as how much someone would use for this brush if they werent used to it. I got a pretty good first pass, 2nd pass was good as well but the 3rd pass was thin still slick but there was no way i would of gotten a 4th. I think this is one of the major problems with this brush, people arent loading it enough! So it will still provide a "shave" with what looks like to be the normal amount of product for its size but giving it more than what it looks like it needs is always best. I am a big fan of this brush.


Also i keep seeing the argument that it bears Alexander's signature and it was his favorite brush. Now i know this kinda goes against my Wee SCott love WHO REALLY CARES?!?! who cares if it bears the name?!?! who cares if its a sign of how well a brush maker works?! this really has nothing to do with how well the brush performs! and Great uncle Alex's opinions may of been completely different than those of ours, he may just of been attached to the brush to show his brush making prowess! Would it make a difference if a colonel bore his name? people would still love that brush and those who hate it would still hate the brush, doesnt change its abilities!

I mean this in no disrespect to u GARY! and please dont take it as such, iam just saying that just because this was a favorite brush of ur uncle's or because the chubby2 is ur favorite brush, it doesnt automatically make it a GREAT BRUSH!!!!


Sorry for the long rant, but i am not sure what people are expecting out of the brush. Its a SMALL HANDLE, yes if u have arthiritus or have a hard time holding things this will be a problem for you, yes it produces so much lather that sometimes u have to throw it in an extra bowl, and YES this brush has a slight learning curve!!!!! Lets not expect it to do something it simply cant! it cant be comfortable to hold if u have problems with ur hands, but it willl produce you just as much lather as the next well built badger. Just buy it and use it, god knows we spend countless amounts of $$$'s on soaps and other brushes and razors and blades, its not nearly as much as another best badger, even if u dont like the way it works u got a great conversational peice lol! and if it comes to it BST!!!!
 
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OldSaw

The wife's investment
1. Has nothing to do with the brush. Red Herring. Straw man.
2. Blade choice and brush choice are the two areas, neck and neck, for the leading YMMV award. I know folks who could shave with anything, and folks who won't uses less than a Feather.

Straw man?? Excuse me. My point is very valid. I will be much more likely to follow the recommendation of someone who thinks along similar lines as myself. There is no YMMV in actual sharpness of a particular blade, only a person's liking to it. Therefore, if the person thinks that Astra blades are the best thing going, then I would probably put less stock in his other recommendations.

You may have taken Dennis' post a "wee" bit too seriously.



Thanks, I'm here all week. :lol:

That's what I was thinking. :lol:
 
Therefore, if the person thinks that Astra blades are the best thing going, then I would probably put less stock in his other recommendations.

So, if a person agrees with you about blades, then he'll agree with you about brushes?

Ridiculous. Sorry, no two ways about that.
 
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