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Chubby 2 Synthetic Questions

I received my Chubby 2 synthetic a couple of days ago and have had a couple of shaves since.
For reference, I face lather and have the following brushes:
Semogue 610 and 830
Chubby 1 best
Saville Row Silvertip

The Chubby 2 is my first synthetic and honestly I’m wondering why I bought it. I really like the Chubby 1 in best and the first couple of shaves with the Chubby 2 were dissapointing. I wasn’t able to get any splay and the knot is very tight. No scrubby action like my Chubby 1 or boar brushes. Do I just need to be patient and will the synthetic “break-in” at all?

I’m honestly thinking of a quick catch and release on this brush and picking up another Chubby 1 or Duke 3 in Best to rotate. I could have started with a much cheaper synthetic, but figured go big of go home. There are a lot of fans on the forum of the Chubby 2, am I missing something?
 

rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
If you're just swirling or paint-brushing, I found the CH2-synth a little difficult to build a good lather with. That changed as soon as I figured out that using the point of my chin to splay the brush allowed me to get a good scrub going for 10-20 secs and produce mounds of lather. After that, back to paint-brushing and I was set.
 
The Chubby 2 Synthetic is currently my favorite brush, but I use painting strokes, so I don't need to it to splay. I personally wouldn't choose it if I wanted a brush that splayed simply because I feel there are better options out there for that, including Simpson's own Trafalgar brushes, but I know others have made it work.

You may want to give it more time since the Chubby does seem to loosen up after about 10 shaves. Most of my other synthetics never changed much over time from when they were new, but the Chubby got noticeably more open at the tips which made it easier to load soaps (I do splay it some when loading and bowl lathering) from when it was new.
 
I definitely found the CH2S to be hard to splay and a little too dense and low lofted. Some people really like the resulting brush, but I don't think the CH2S is indicative of how good a synthetic brush can be. I heard that the prototype CH2S had a higher loft, so it's a shame they reduced it to 50mm for the current production versions. It's way too low.
 
There is a huge difference in lathering with a synthetic and lathering with a regular badger. I have the Chubby 2 in Super Badger and Chubby 2 synthetic as well. I'll tell you that the Synthetic is very soft but doesn't hold water well so it's a bit harder to face lather with. I prefer using it in the bowl with creams... but some people have found success with face lathering.

You can't really splay it much, but if you paint with circular motion it'll still feel nice.
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
I have an early Chubby 2 'Synthetic Badger' rather than the current 'Synthetic Bristle'. I understand the fibre is the same but mine is lofted to at least 52mm. It is not easy to splay so I start it on the point of my chin and from then on it is superb. I find the brush has loosened a little from new and also during each shave. Once I have splayed it the first time then it splays easily for the remainder of the shave. Synthetic knots are not known for changing much but I have read several reports of the Simpson Chubby knot loosening up and mine has done just that. Good luck.
 
I only face lather when I use a shave stick which I like to use most of the time. Like a couple of guys have said here, I use the tip of my chin to make it splay. Works great. I do that with all my brushes when I face lather.
 
if anyone is interested, I just got one a few days ago, and just did one bowl test lather and due to the handle not fitting my hand, I'm selling at a deep discount.
The small overall size of the CH2 synth is my only complaint. But I still love it despite its small size.
I'm sure someone will jump on your offer.
 

IMightBeWrong

Loves a smelly brush
if anyone is interested, I just got one a few days ago, and just did one bowl test lather and due to the handle not fitting my hand, I'm selling at a deep discount.

I find this interesting since you enjoy the M&F XL2 which is a bit smaller than the Chubby 2 handle. The Chubby 2 is my favorite of all time, though. Definitely biased on my end lol
 
I find this interesting since you enjoy the M&F XL2 which is a bit smaller than the Chubby 2 handle. The Chubby 2 is my favorite of all time, though. Definitely biased on my end lol
Actually my 28mm 2xl is about 30-35% larger than the chubby 2 handle, which makes it a good for me. Can take some pics in the morning.

Maybe its cause the 2xl is 28mm and thus the handle is made a bit larger? I dont know the reason but im glad it is much larger. If it was like the chubby 2 synth i would have sold it right away.
 
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EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
I don't think anyone can be surprised by the handle size of a Chubby 2 but the Simpson synthetic knot does not splay much so it performs like a much smaller brush in terms of face feel. My upper limit on a natural hair brush is 24mm and yet the Chubby 2 synthetic is fine for me despite having a 27mm knot.
 
I’m on the fence...do I just pass it along with one shave on the brush or keep using it until it “grows on me”.

I’m leaning towards the pass it on and pick up another badger.
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
I’m on the fence...do I just pass it along with one shave on the brush or keep using it until it “grows on me”.

I’m leaning towards the pass it on and pick up another badger.
If you are thinking of waiting until the synthetic begins to approximate the performance and feel of your other brushes then I would move it on and replace it. In my opinion no synthetic replicates a good natural brush and nor should it. Synthetics are different tools, they offer different things, and they should be judged differently I think. I love the Chubby 2 synthetic and my Colonel X2L synthetic, they are superb brushes but they are different to my Chubby and Duke Manchurian, and my Semogue finest brushes. They are all as good as each other but in their own way, one will never replace or replicate the other for me. If you want a good badger brush then the only option is... a good badger brush, however with respect I suggest dismissing a well regarded synthetic brush after a single use is not really giving it a fair go👍
 
I’m on the fence...do I just pass it along with one shave on the brush or keep using it until it “grows on me”.

I’m leaning towards the pass it on and pick up another badger.
I would use it some more. The option to sell it will always be there. As stated above, I wouldn't expect a synth to feel and perform like a badger. If that's your goal, then might as well get a badger.
 
I received my Chubby 2 synthetic a couple of days ago and have had a couple of shaves since.
For reference, I face lather and have the following brushes:
Semogue 610 and 830
Chubby 1 best
Saville Row Silvertip

The Chubby 2 is my first synthetic and honestly I’m wondering why I bought it. I really like the Chubby 1 in best and the first couple of shaves with the Chubby 2 were dissapointing. I wasn’t able to get any splay and the knot is very tight. No scrubby action like my Chubby 1 or boar brushes. Do I just need to be patient and will the synthetic “break-in” at all?

I’m honestly thinking of a quick catch and release on this brush and picking up another Chubby 1 or Duke 3 in Best to rotate. I could have started with a much cheaper synthetic, but figured go big of go home. There are a lot of fans on the forum of the Chubby 2, am I missing something?
Sounds like you need a Yaqi Sagrada Familia....that will fix your synthetic issues.
 
Here's my take on the CH2 synthetic, after having owned a few. If you can get one with a knot like the one on the right (ivory handle), it's a killer brush. Most seem to be shaped like the one on the left. It's a crapshoot with these. It's too bad they aren't all like the knot in the ivory handle. (this is not my pic, btw).

I can't wait for the CH3 synth. I hope it comes sooner rather than later.

2 CH2 synths.jpg
 
Here's my take on the CH2 synthetic, after having owned a few. If you can get one with a knot like the one on the right (ivory handle), it's a killer brush. Most seem to be shaped like the one on the left. It's a crapshoot with these. It's too bad they aren't all like the knot in the ivory handle. (this is not my pic, btw).

I can't wait for the CH3 synth. I hope it comes sooner rather than later.

View attachment 1138394

Does the Chubby 2 synth come in both bulb and fan options? The one on the left looks like a bulb, the right one more of a fan. The one on the right looks perfect to me, the left one, not so much.
 
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