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Brush Wars - V2 (RENAMED to Brush Buyers Guide)

NOTE: Renaming to the Brush Buyers Guide

After 7+ years, i'm going to resurrect the brush wars I had done back in the day. For those of you not around back then, the readers digest version is, detailed comparisons, systematic approaches, and load and load of pictures. It's a monstrous effort, but as I see the brush market today - there are so many new entrants and so much hype... what's the difference between the 3+ companies offering Manchurian? Or the 6+ companies offering High Mountain White? Well - I aim to find out, and if you're keen to do some reading in the near future and oogle some pics and videos, you will too!

The combatants are headed my way as I type. Please chime in if you think there's a worthy entrant i've left out. Note: wherever possible and in nearly every instance - i'm looking for new products (so I can take pre/post bloom photos and measure pre-post bloom expansion with a caliper), so if they're limited, discontinued, or are nearly impossible to come by - they won't meet the entrance criteria.

Currently purchased and in route....

  1. Chubby 2 - Super 3 Band Here
  2. Chubby 2 - Manchurian Here
  3. Chubby 1 - Best Here
  4. Simpson Chubby 2 - 2 band Here
  5. Rooney Heritage Beehive 1 - Three band Here
  6. Thater 2 band Here
  7. Thater 3 band Here
  8. Shavemac D01 in 2 band Here
  9. Shavemac 2-band (non-D01) fan Here
  10. Savile Row 24mm Here
  11. Savile Row 28mm
  12. Plisson #16 HMW 2 band Here
  13. Plisson #12 HMW 3 band Here
  14. Plisson synthetic Here
  15. Pils - HMW Here
  16. Wiborg Shaving - 2 Band Finest Here
  17. Wiborg Shaving - Manchurian Here
  18. Wiborg Shaving - High Mountain Here
  19. Wet Shaving Products - HMW Here
  20. Wet Shaving Products - 2 Band Superfine Silvertip Here
  21. Romera Manchurian
  22. Edwin Jagger Silvertip extra large Here
  23. Kent BK 8 Here
  24. Simpson Wee Scot (let's have some fun) Here
  25. Vintage Blades 2 band finest Here
  26. Marfin Silvertip (hand carved handle) Here
  27. Vie-Long 2-band Here
  28. Omega Silvertip Here
  29. Semogue 2-band Here
  30. M&F Chief in blonde badger Here
  31. M&F IMI Ivory 26mm in blonde badger Here
  32. M&F Genuine Horn 25mm in finest Here
  33. M&F L7 Jade 23mm in three band Here
  34. Muhle Pinsel Synthetic Silvertip Here
 
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captp

Pretty Pink Fairy Princess.
Maybe the Chubby2 Super 2 Band. I have a mutant that is a good 5-6mm higher loft than the specs I've seen, but I don't think that's the norm
 
Maybe the Chubby2 Super 2 Band. I have a mutant that is a good 5-6mm higher loft than the specs I've seen, but I don't think that's the norm

I've got a 2 Band super polo coming and I have a few other Simpson 2 bands - but they've been used, so not sure if I want to include it. You can buy a Manchurian new still - but no 2 band supers.
 
It's not readily available but perhaps a Rooney Heritage. I'm sure a good B&B member would let you borrow one for comparisons sake!
 
What about the new Shavemac 2 band silvertip?

Is there a noticeable different between the D01 2 band i've got on the list and the 2 band silvertip you mention? What do you think it brings to the party - i'd like to better understand the difference.
 
It's not readily available but perhaps a Rooney Heritage. I'm sure a good B&B member would let you borrow one for comparisons sake!

I may be wrong, but I was under the impression that hair is very similar, if not identical to the M&F's - given they're all from Lee.
 

Mike H

Instagram Famous
Is there a noticeable different between the D01 2 band i've got on the list and the 2 band silvertip you mention? What do you think it brings to the party - i'd like to better understand the difference.

Shavemac D01 Two band is my favorite knot, relatively soft tips, massive amount of backbone.

From Shavemac...
"Silvertip D01 2-Band Shaving Brushes In contrast to the usually 3-band hair shaving brushes, consisting of light-dark-light sections, the 2-band shaving brush has only silver shimmering tips and a long dark section down to the handle. To achieve this effect, you need specially long badger hair as only these do have the appropriate long sections. These long hair are in addition very dense and firm creating a uniquely sturdy shaving brush. As most of the badger hair parts are lost - the end of the badger hair and not the tip is trimmed to its final length - more weight in hair is needed. Therefore this brush is more expensive. Furthermore, these long hair are very rare and are not always available.
Distinctive features are: different appearance, perceptively stronger hair"

The Two band silvertip is new, and I have not tried it. But reportedly softer tips and less backbone.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/420365-Shavemac-Regular-Silvertip-Custom-Fan-Update

From the shavemac facebook page.
"The hand bound shaving brush knot made of standard silvertip badger hair in 2-band version combines most softness and a real good backbone. If the 2-Band of the D01 series is too strong and stiff you find here the right one."
 
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+1 for a synthetic comparison.

Last time I had a Men-u in the running. I was sent a nice synthetic brush with a Grim Razor order - but no clue what kind it is. What synthetic brush do you think needs to be in the running?

I'm generally not that interested in synthetics... it's like the cartridge razor of shaving brushes :lol:
 
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