Your thoughts on Simpson's brushes?
- Thread starter GeauxLSU
- Start date
Thanks to WCS's 20% off sale I finally bought my first Simpsons - a Berkeley 46 in Best.
It's a beautiful brush but so far it hasn't been able to leap past my Semogues (610,1438,1460) in kicking up a great lather. I'm sure that it'll get better though.
It really is a beautiful brush.
It's a beautiful brush but so far it hasn't been able to leap past my Semogues (610,1438,1460) in kicking up a great lather. I'm sure that it'll get better though.
It really is a beautiful brush.
Beautiful handles, disappointing hair, poor quality control. I'm not sure how they can be the only brush maker in the world to literally have no ability to make a consistent size and shape knot.
I love my Duke 3, so I say go for it!
I never tried a Shavemac before but I do have a Custom Rudy Vey with a ShaveMac knot and all I can say is LEGEND! The brush quickly developed the famous and sought after curly tips, or "gel tips"! Rude was able to add some weight to the brush as well. I would highly recommend a Rudy Vey brush, he is awesome to work with!
I never tried a Shavemac before but I do have a Custom Rudy Vey with a ShaveMac knot and all I can say is LEGEND! The brush quickly developed the famous and sought after curly tips, or "gel tips"! Rude was able to add some weight to the brush as well. I would highly recommend a Rudy Vey brush, he is awesome to work with!
I have a Duke 3 and a Chubby 2 in best and love them both. I think they are both good brushes, at least I wouldn't trade them. Shavemac makes a great brush too and I think I'd sooner give up my Simpsons than my Rudy Vey custom Shavemac 2-band Silvertip. I'm also considering a Chubby 2 synthetic.
I only own one Simpson, and that's a Wee Scot.
But when I think of Simpson, I look at them as being the best of the best in badger brushes. Their line-up seems to have more individual personality from one model to another, rather than like other brands, where its just a matter of "bigger" or "smaller." As a brand-name, the word "iconic" doesn't even begin to describe how classic and classy Simpson brushes are.
My SBAD wish-list is filled with more Simpsons than all the other brands put together .. .the next one I get will probably be a Chubby2 Synthetic.
But when I think of Simpson, I look at them as being the best of the best in badger brushes. Their line-up seems to have more individual personality from one model to another, rather than like other brands, where its just a matter of "bigger" or "smaller." As a brand-name, the word "iconic" doesn't even begin to describe how classic and classy Simpson brushes are.
My SBAD wish-list is filled with more Simpsons than all the other brands put together .. .the next one I get will probably be a Chubby2 Synthetic.
I bought a Colonel X2L years ago. Still ranks as one of the best all around brushes I have ever owned. Tried a Berkeley 46, ok but the handle was too small. Picked up a Commodore X3....now that's a brush and a half. Finest kind.
However, a Rudy Vey custom with a Shavemac knot is the one to beat. I'm in the process now of hopefully getting him to make a commemorative brush for me. I know it'll be great!!
However, a Rudy Vey custom with a Shavemac knot is the one to beat. I'm in the process now of hopefully getting him to make a commemorative brush for me. I know it'll be great!!
An outstanding choice, David. I picked one up in a trade about 3 weeks ago, and it's proven to be a great brush.
I now have 5 Simpson brushes, all in best badger. I like them all so much I have not desire to try any other high end brushes. I have a Chubby 2, Chubby 1, Duke 2, Duke 3 and a Classic 2. All are great in their own way.
Just as I think I found my perfect brush, I was looking at the chubby three today. Dam shaving AD.
Had many Simpsons thru the years due to SBAD, including the Eagle SE in Best, Colonel, Special, Tulip in 2-B, Emperor in 2-B, and the Wee.
I love the uniqueness of their model line-up. I didn't like their 2-Band hair. Seemed a bit rough for the premium paid. No comparison with Rooney Heritage 2-B or my Morris and Forndran 2-B (both bough several years ago, and kept to this day).
My first and all time favorite is the Wee Scot, and the only Simpson I have always kept, and would never sell or gift it. The best hair on this was soft and a dream from day one. The love of this brush led me to try and buy many Simpsons, but I never was 100% satisfied.
Due to my renewed interest in brushes as of late and looking to mimic something similar to the wee scot, I bought a Case in Best a week or so ago. The brush seems a bit scritchy for my liking (not horrible, but enough to bother me). My experience is that brushes don't change much after the first 2 or 3 uses. I also have very sensitive skin, and face lather exclusively.
Despite their iconic status. Consistency is an issue for sure. Some users report some scritch from their best hair, other report softness close to silver tip. This is on the same brush model. This is the most disappointing aspect IMHO.
With that said, I just ordered a Chubby 2 in Best. As I have lusted over owning one for a long time. I'm looking forward to it.
After owning a lot of brushes, I kept my two Thaters in Silver tip (22m and 24m), Rooney Heritage 2-B, Semogue LE 2010, Wee Scot, and Morris Forndran 2-B. I love these brushes, and it has been enough variety to keep me happy. Believe it or not, the Semogue LE2010 is the brush I have used the most.
I love the uniqueness of their model line-up. I didn't like their 2-Band hair. Seemed a bit rough for the premium paid. No comparison with Rooney Heritage 2-B or my Morris and Forndran 2-B (both bough several years ago, and kept to this day).
My first and all time favorite is the Wee Scot, and the only Simpson I have always kept, and would never sell or gift it. The best hair on this was soft and a dream from day one. The love of this brush led me to try and buy many Simpsons, but I never was 100% satisfied.
Due to my renewed interest in brushes as of late and looking to mimic something similar to the wee scot, I bought a Case in Best a week or so ago. The brush seems a bit scritchy for my liking (not horrible, but enough to bother me). My experience is that brushes don't change much after the first 2 or 3 uses. I also have very sensitive skin, and face lather exclusively.
Despite their iconic status. Consistency is an issue for sure. Some users report some scritch from their best hair, other report softness close to silver tip. This is on the same brush model. This is the most disappointing aspect IMHO.
With that said, I just ordered a Chubby 2 in Best. As I have lusted over owning one for a long time. I'm looking forward to it.
After owning a lot of brushes, I kept my two Thaters in Silver tip (22m and 24m), Rooney Heritage 2-B, Semogue LE 2010, Wee Scot, and Morris Forndran 2-B. I love these brushes, and it has been enough variety to keep me happy. Believe it or not, the Semogue LE2010 is the brush I have used the most.
Have to say, I am very conflicted about Simpsons brushes.
I absolutely love them in terms of the feel and performance of the brush. I absolutely loathe them in terms of quality control/reliability.
I am currently on my second Chubby 2 Best, as I had to get Simpsons to replace my original. My original began to shed hair like crazy after owning for a bit short of a year. Well, now my replacement is beginning to shed after using regularly for 5-6 months.
It's a pity because I have never used a brush that feels as good on my face or that whips up a better lather. But I can't abide a brush that costs a few hundred dollars and starts to lose copious amounts of hair after regular use.
For what it's worth, I also have an Emperor 3 that I've owned for nearly 3 years (my wife uses it now) and I've never had an issue with it. It's an outstanding brush.
I absolutely love them in terms of the feel and performance of the brush. I absolutely loathe them in terms of quality control/reliability.
I am currently on my second Chubby 2 Best, as I had to get Simpsons to replace my original. My original began to shed hair like crazy after owning for a bit short of a year. Well, now my replacement is beginning to shed after using regularly for 5-6 months.
It's a pity because I have never used a brush that feels as good on my face or that whips up a better lather. But I can't abide a brush that costs a few hundred dollars and starts to lose copious amounts of hair after regular use.
For what it's worth, I also have an Emperor 3 that I've owned for nearly 3 years (my wife uses it now) and I've never had an issue with it. It's an outstanding brush.
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Just a follow up from my previous post. I just tried my new best badger chubby 2, and I'm blown away.
It's very soft, and it would probably become my all time favorite. I tend to favor smaller brushes and avoided the chubby 2 for years. What a mistake
It's very soft, and it would probably become my all time favorite. I tend to favor smaller brushes and avoided the chubby 2 for years. What a mistake
Lots of medium to high budget badger brushes with backbone.
I get the appeal. But I wouldn't trade a Shavemac for two Simpsons.
I've had my Simpson Berkeley in best for about a year and a half now and used it daily since it's arrival. It's the only brush I own. I face lather with VDH or Proraso Green.
In my experience it's been a great brush. It lost just a few hairs when new and since then loses a hair about once every 5 or 6 months. I like this brush so much that I've had zero interest in anything else. It's very high quality and beautiful in it's appearance.
In my experience it's been a great brush. It lost just a few hairs when new and since then loses a hair about once every 5 or 6 months. I like this brush so much that I've had zero interest in anything else. It's very high quality and beautiful in it's appearance.
Shavemac D01 - 2 Band hair is awful. I have no idea what the appeal is.
I recently picked up an Emperor E1 (in super) and a Classic CL1 in best. I face lather and I figured these were nice scrubby pocket rockets.
The Emperor is a great brush. It has a very comfy handle, aesthetically it is gorgeous, and the knot is crazy dense (and very capable with hard soaps) but still has good flow-through. The knot is very scrubby while also being scritch-free and soft, though the softness is not in the same ballpark as my Shavemac silvertip or my old WD silvertip - some of this is probably the hair itself, as the Shavemac and WD both have hooked tips, and some of this is probably the design of the knot as the Emperor is denser, more fan shaped and shorter lofted. The brush came with no detectable badger funk and shed about a half dozen hairs on the first shave, one or two on the second shave and hasn't shed any since. The knot bloomed significantly after the first shave and the shape has been stable since.
The Classic CL1 is a good brush but one I have reservations about. The handle isn't as comfortable as I thought it would be, and with a sample size of one Simpson's best-grade badger hair definitely has some scritch. It's most noticeable when doing circular strokes around the mouth. The incredible scrubbiness of this "Chubby 0" is great when I'm lathering my neck, especially with two or three days of growth. The brush came with a strong badger funk that has mostly dissipated after a half dozen shaves. Like the Emperor, it shed for the first couple of shaves but settled down thereafter. The knot on the Classic bloomed a little after the first shave but not that much.
Overall, the Emperor is definitely a keeper for me while the jury is still out on the Classic.
The Emperor is a great brush. It has a very comfy handle, aesthetically it is gorgeous, and the knot is crazy dense (and very capable with hard soaps) but still has good flow-through. The knot is very scrubby while also being scritch-free and soft, though the softness is not in the same ballpark as my Shavemac silvertip or my old WD silvertip - some of this is probably the hair itself, as the Shavemac and WD both have hooked tips, and some of this is probably the design of the knot as the Emperor is denser, more fan shaped and shorter lofted. The brush came with no detectable badger funk and shed about a half dozen hairs on the first shave, one or two on the second shave and hasn't shed any since. The knot bloomed significantly after the first shave and the shape has been stable since.
The Classic CL1 is a good brush but one I have reservations about. The handle isn't as comfortable as I thought it would be, and with a sample size of one Simpson's best-grade badger hair definitely has some scritch. It's most noticeable when doing circular strokes around the mouth. The incredible scrubbiness of this "Chubby 0" is great when I'm lathering my neck, especially with two or three days of growth. The brush came with a strong badger funk that has mostly dissipated after a half dozen shaves. Like the Emperor, it shed for the first couple of shaves but settled down thereafter. The knot on the Classic bloomed a little after the first shave but not that much.
Overall, the Emperor is definitely a keeper for me while the jury is still out on the Classic.
