Help me pick a 2 Band

[ayodh]

Thanks for all the input guys. Lots of things I have learned. I am not into really expensive brushes (I find the difference not worth the money, YMMV). That being said I do like variety and have a few boars, horse hair and mixed brushes to go along with the three badgers I mentioned. Of my current collection, if I could choose only two, I would take the SOC boar and the WD 20mm.

Based on the info above, it looks like my needs would be best met by:
- VB 20 mm
- Simpson's special 1 - although I am not a big fan of simpsons, and find their brushes overpriced but this one seems more reasonable.

Buying both will keep me under $70 so maybe I could also go for the SOC two band to round out my collection at a later date.

 

[lt114]

The SOC 2 band is the best value out there. It has a ton of backbone, but it also has a fair amount of scritch to it.
As for the other 2 band options out there, you can't go wrong with wither a Rooney Heritage XL, Thater, or Simpson.
I own at least one of each in 2 band and really enjoy them all. If you face lather, I would probably start with a Rooney 2XL.

 

[novice]

Excellent discussion, gentlemen, thank you. I stopped paying close attention to what any manufacturer states is the quality of the badger hair used in a shaving brush when I saw a synthetic described and advertised as a "silvertip"! I now rely on threads such as this to determine what performance and feel I should expect in any particular brush in which I may have an interest in acquiring.

 

[Teddyboy]

Go for the VB. The price is right. I have a Thater 2-band (over $150) and I'm still disappointed in the backbone. My favorite brush for backbone is still a Simpson in Best.

+1 Thank you. I thought I was alone; however Simpson 2-band also has excellent backbone. Simpson in Best is still best for the $$$.

 

[Teddyboy]

+1 in this case Simpson out of laziness or lack of available "super" marked handles has put a 2 band in a handle marked "best". That does not mean Simpson would call that grade "Best".

This is correct. Simpsons has no handles that say "2-band." They specify that although your handle may say Best or Super, it is still a 2-bander. However, any Simpson 3-bander in a handle that says Best, is indeed Best, otherwise it would be 3-banded Super hair that would be in handle marked Super. I have read that there are variations in the coloring of Simpsons Best b/c their processing does not focus on coloring the hair to make it look uniform.

That said, I think it is cool that Simpsons does have handles that say Manchurian.

 

[Merkur25]

I would buy a Thater, that is MHO

 

[Mick]

Go for the VB. The price is right. I have a Thater 2-band (over $150) and I'm still disappointed in the backbone. My favorite brush for backbone is still a Simpson in Best.

+1 Thank you. I thought I was alone; however Simpson 2-band also has excellent backbone. Simpson in Best is still best for the $$$.

Had the OP asked for a recommendation for a solid face lathering brush in badger hair that had plenty of backbone I would have given my usual answer which is to recommend a Duke 2 in best.

Instead of asking for a brush for a specific purpose the OP asked (see below) which led to the OT discussion about a what "grading" manufacturers use that is, at best, inconsistent and at worse, totally nonexistent.

I am sure most of this thread was of little use to help the OP select a brush

Hi Folks,

I am looking to acquire a 2 band badger brush (preferably under $100) to add to my limited brush collection. My current badger collection has

- 24 mm WD silvertip
- 22 mm WD silvertip
- WSP HMW

Since all these brushes have a relative soft backbone, I am hoping to acquire a brush with a more backbone, hence the two band. I was currently considering the SOC 2 band.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks.

 

[ayodh]

Hi turtle,

I did learn a bit about different grades and learned about VD, DV brushes and that there are low priced simpsons (somehow i always came across the $150+ ones). I have now ordered a WD and a simpsons in best and added the Da Vinci and SOC to my wishlist.

Thanks again to everyone.

 

[JHP]

I have now ordered a WD and a simpsons in best . . .

Which Simpson did you order? Let us know your impressions!

 

[ayodh]

Which Simpson did you order? Let us know your impressions!

The cheapest one: http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Simpson-Special-1-Pure-Badger-Shaving-Brush-S1_p_555.html

WIll let you know how it works out.