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The myth that denser is better?

All the time I hear about brushes that are so dense and how amazing they are. How a brush should have as much hair pushed into the knot at possible for it to be the "best." Well, after two years of wetshaving and about 6 different brushes I can honestly say its not black and white.

I started off with a small Vulfix and I thought it was a gift from God. I had a badger brush and real english shave cream. What more could I want? Ohh so I thought.

A few months down the line brought a Shavemac 167. Yes the 30mm Silvertip monster. This thing can lather enough for an army. So big and dense!

Over a year later, I got a Keny BK4. Huge bloom, small knot. Not dense and pretty floppy. Shouldnt be a nice brush....Well, I was wrong. Whats this....The lather gets on my face instead of being forced out of a huge overly packed knot. Less waste. And it feels like a cloud on my face.

Maybe its just YMMV. Maybe I just like this type of brush. Maybe its a personal thing. My point is that, this going out to the newbs, you dont need a huge, dense brush to get a good shave. And sometimes its just a case of to much!
 
I am another one that prefers less dense brushes. More air,water, less cream wasted and the leather actually ends up in my face. Of course the is a minimum density required, but IMO both extremes of density are defective.
 
I just got my C&E best badger brush today and its very nice indeed.

That BK4 is the one I lusted after though. So pretty. :001_smile congrats
 
Well, I do like my ShaveMacs, but I also like my Vulfix brushes as well. The BK4...that's the one I don't have in my little collection yet...but it is on my 'hit list'. Looks kinda small, but apparently blooms to a 'sweet' size.
 
i really love the look of the kent brushes...from the elegant shape of the handle to the decadence of the case. i try to remind myself that looks aren't everything, but it's hard to resist..especially when other people get them!
(sigh)

maybe one day i'll break down and order one for myself.
 
I got a BK4 last week and have really enjoyed it so far. The bloom on the thing is amazing and so far has worked just fine for whatever I throw at it. It's big brother, the BK 8 arrived in the mail today so I'll get to see how it does tomorrow.
 
I agree,sometimes a brush can be just too dense. I have a Rooney Heritage Alibaba 3 that is very dense but it can hoard the lather and is not as easy to use as less dense brushes. I love the brush though. Less dense brushes seem to work easier particularly for someone just learning.
 
I agree,sometimes a brush can be just too dense. I have a Rooney Heritage Alibaba 3 that is very dense but it can hoard the lather and is not as easy to use as less dense brushes. I love the brush though. Less dense brushes seem to work easier particularly for someone just learning.

I totally concur. My Shave Mac 22579, which is a 23mm Silvertip, is super dense. I love the feel but it sucks the life out of a mug of shaving cream and then hangs on to it for dear life. I still love it though! :biggrin:
 
I have a BK4 and an C&E BBB. Out of those two, I like the softness of the Bk4 and the density of the C&E. I was a bit disappointed in the Bk4 at first because of that, but have grown to really like it. It could stand to be just a touch denser, IMO. Is there anything that compares with its feel, but is slightly denser?
 
While I prefer the feel of dense brushes, variety is a good thing. I say have an assortment of styles.

Variety is, after all, the spice of life! When I returned to wet shaving three years ago, all I wanted was ONE brush. I started with a Vulfix 2235, which I still use in my rotation, but I now have 7 brushes and want more! A man just can't have too many brushes. Mine range from the floppy Vulfix to the dense Shave Mac but each time I use a different one, I remember how nice that one felt and why I loved it. Kind of like BBQ and/or Chili...most all of it's good...some better than others...but all different! :wink:
 
The denser brushes can be a lather hog, but I have to say that the feeling of a floppy brush on the face is just not very appealing to me (IMO). I just like my brush to push back a bit, if that makes sense.

One way to get around the lather hogginess is to use more water -- there is more soap stuck down in that loft than you think, with these brushes. With my small Rooneys, 4 swirls on the soap, and I have more than enough (literally, by a long shot) for my entire shave.

As a last resort, if you like a dense brush, but not lather hogging, you could gently squeeze the knot and likely will have a bunch of lather pop out.

Regards.

J
 
D

doleeo

I recently had an epiphany that denser does not mean better.

I thought my CH2 was the greatest until I got my T2 and PL8. Although the CH2 is a great brush and still gets used, I find it easier to lather with the PL8.
 
The denser brushes can be a lather hog, but I have to say that the feeling of a floppy brush on the face is just not very appealing to me (IMO). I just like my brush to push back a bit, if that makes sense.

One way to get around the lather hogginess is to use more water -- there is more soap stuck down in that loft than you think, with these brushes. With my small Rooneys, 4 swirls on the soap, and I have more than enough (literally, by a long shot) for my entire shave.

As a last resort, if you like a dense brush, but not lather hogging, you could gently squeeze the knot and likely will have a bunch of lather pop out.

Regards.

J

I want no more 'flop' to a brush than my Vulfix 2235 has. And my Shave Macs are definitely one of those brushes that takes more water for the lather; matter of fact it's hard to add too much water with them. One the other hand, I've just started using the Rooney 3/1 and haven't yet used it with soaps, only creams. I have some of the Colonel's Amber I shall try it on.
 
No, I'll stick with the Emillion. Talk about lathering in between every bristle on your face, this does it. Can't say that about my C&E BBB.

Best,

Jay
 
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