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Brush Chronicles #5: The Simpsons Duke 2

Simpsons Duke 2 in Best
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Hello and welcome to the 5th entry of the B&B Brush chronicles!
I am very honored to be a part of this fantastic series, and will endeavor to live up to the high example set by those who have come before me.

Over the next two weeks, David (djh) & I will be putting this brush through its paces - lathering it with a variety of different soaps and creams and giving our impressions along the way.

First off, the brush. The Duke is a really great brush to use. Very dense with a nice loft and a good amount of backbone. In addition, I find that the Simpsons best hair has just a bit of scritch, which I really like in a brush. It lathers fantastically on both soaps and creams, and gives a really excellent massaging feel on the face. Some brushes that are to soft feel that they aren't "working" to prepare my face for a shave - the Duke definitely does this job above and beyond the call of duty. Another great thing about this brush is the handle. Thick, stout, and solid, it's everything I could want in a brush handle. I first had a Duke 3 actually, but sold it because I did not find the handle to be very comfortable. For me, the Duke 2 handle is a perfect size and shape. I know, I know. Enough with the chit chat! On to the pics! :biggrin:


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Last edited:

johnniegold

"Got Shoes?"
Great write-up and pics. I had a pre-Fix Duke 2 at one point and it was a horrific shedder. At the time, I thought it was a bit small and when I exchanged it I traded up in size for a Duke 3. Frankly Gentlemen, the Duke 3 Best may very well be my favorite brush.

Since this is a discussion about the Duke 2, I will include this link to a discussion on the Duke 3 to add some perspective.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=129910&highlight=duke
 
Good Morning Gentlemen,

many thanks Hunter for kicking off this instalment of The Brush Chronicles in such fine style and thank you as well to Bob (beginish) for allowing me to participate! Hunter and I are both looking forward to the next couple of weeks of being able to share our Duke2 adventures with you all at B+B.
The point of this series is to inform our members about some of the wonderful shaving brushes out there in the market place and to encourage discussion during the process. Please feel free to join in! If you have a Duke2 we would love to have your thoughts and experiences, if you don't have (or have not yet had :001_cool:) a Duke2 this is the best chance to find out more about this wonderful member of the Simpson family.


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Not a King, not a Prince, not an Emperor, not the Mayor. I am the Duke2!


I will echo Hunter's comments and say that I think that the Duke2 in Best is a great brush. To me, it is a perfect size for every day use and that Simpson Best hair is terrific. This is one of the most popular brushes in the Simpson line-up and for good reason IMHO.
Enough of this dry, boring discussion I hear you whisper up the back?! OK, then lets bring on some brush porn!


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During this edition of The Brush Chronicles, we will make an effort to lather a large variety of soaps and creams with the Duke2 in order to show what this brush can do.


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Proraso is a great cream which is part of many B+B members' dens.


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I haven't used it so much lately since the weather has cooled, but a little cream springs to life once the Duke is waved in it's direction.


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Here's your hat...... what's your hurry?




I have never used a pair of calipers on my brushes but a quick check on the internet tells me that the Duke has a 22mm knot and a loft of around 49mm. Combined with a very dense knot of hair, these characteristics provide for lots of backbone and a wonderful face feel. As Hunter agrees, this is a fantastic brush for the face-latherer (and no slouch in the bowl either)!
Hunter, Bob and myself are hoping for lively discussion and plenty of input from our members. Please add your spoon to the pot- questions, experiences, comments and requests are all very welcome and will allow us to better provide the information that our group are seeking.
Thanks for your attention- I hope to see you again soon right here!
 
Seeing as it is already Wednesday morning over here, I feel that I should update you all as to what is happening in Dukesville. I checked through some older photos and found this:


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Duke2 and T+H Rooney 1/2 Which is another indication of the size of the brush.​


This morning's shave was most enjoyable. Using only one brush at the moment means that I really enjoy the rotation of my other shaving gear and it is always good to see Da Fat come out of the cabinet.


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I am normally a face-latherer of soaps, but for the purposes of our Chronicles I have switched to a bowl. The reasons for this are twofold; it enables me to capture most of the lather on the brush for a photo and the bowl is much more photogenic than I am.


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The brush always soaks whilst I am in the shower and if I am using soap, I will splash a little water on top of the puck as well.


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Some of our members have expressed difficulty with MWF as a soap and I believe that most of the problems can be traced to insufficient loading of the brush. The Duke2 is a great tool for hard soaps- good density, great quality hair and almost the perfect loft. Once I have enough soap on the brush, I can slowly start to add a little water and turn that soap into lovely lather.



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Ready for the face and hopefully another great shave. The moisturising properties of MWF are a big bonus in this cooler weather.​




I would love to see some photos from our other members. Surely there are plenty of you out there with a Duke in the den?!
 
The Duke 2 is my only brush. And I love it! :thumbup:

I have been face lathering with it and Irisch Moos for the past 2+ months. It is a wonderful brush for face lathering, and for bowl lathering with soaps or creams. I think the knot is very dense and provides a great lather. I also love the handle shape and size, it feels comfortable for lathering.

I am a big fan of the Duke 2 and am loving the pictures! :w00t:
 
Wonderful pics. I just got my Duke 2 about a month ago and I couldn't be happier. This sucker is equally good with soaps and creams, bowl and face lathering. Absolutely great.
 
Like Mr. Gold, I have a Duke 3, which has consistently been my best brush. These Dukes are plain and simple work horses :thumbup1: Hunter and David, great job, gentlemen!
 
"Ladies and Gentlemennnn! In the Blue Corner: may I introduce a well-respected and high quality soap out of Germany...... Tabac! In the Red Corner: our current Middle-Weight Champion, the Brawling Badger from the Isle Of Man.... The Duke2!"



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I'm very sorry to report for those of you who went to the expense and effort of obtaining tickets for this morning's bout............... it is all over inside 2 minutes. Duke2 the winner by TKO and still the Middle-Weight Champ!



Wearing the Crown!

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Although the Tabac battled bravely this morning, he was no match for the marauding Manx Man. Let's see if we can rattle up another sparring partner for tomorrow morning.
 
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