Softest Simpsons Hair

[VA17]

I’ve read a ton of threads on simpsons brushes lately, but I wanted to see if folks thought my interpretation of the general consensus on this aspect was correct. It sounds to me that if we were trying to rank the softness of simpsons brushes (especially the tips) that it would be in the order below. Obviously there is variation so this isn’t perfect, but do you agree?


1. Super (3 band)
2. 2band Silvertip
3. Manchurian
4. Best
5. Pure

My experience is limited to my M8 in super, my Duke 3 in best, and my Case in best. The tips on my M8 are definitely softer than the others (not by much when it comes to the Duke, man that Duke is nice), but that’s not really a revelation of course.

Could just be that I’m enjoying geeking out on simpsons brushes lately, but interested to hear what others have to say!

 

[Barbarian80]

The hair in my Duke 3 is Best but it's so close in feel to my Super G3. Probably won't buy another Simpsons in Super because it's not worth the extra cost. Maybe I just got lucky with the Duke.

 

[Sacky84]

My Emperor 3 in super is hands down my softest brush. My best brushes (Duke 2, Duke 3) are scratchy compared to it, even though they are still what I would consider to be soft.

 

[Jut]

Your assessment is probably as close to accurate as you can get. However, depending on the best specimen, best could move ahead of Manchurian; at least that's been my experience.

 

[VA17]

Your assessment is probably as close to accurate as you can get. However, depending on the best specimen, best could move ahead of Manchurian; at least that's been my experience.

What order to put Best and Manchurian was definitely what I was most uncertain about, especially since I only have experience with Super and Best myself so I could only base it on what I’ve read.

 

[BigJ]

I have not tried one of the Manchurian brushes, so cannot comment on that.

The best grade is the by far the most variable IME. It ranges from very similar to super to almost pure. So here is my rough approximation:
1. Super
2. Best (highly variable)
3. Two-band
4. Pure

Nice to have options!

 

[kooshman7]

This isn't an easy question to answer, and is much more nuanced than it might seem to be. I have a wall of text but not sure if it would help enlighten or just confuse and deleted that, but as I try to rewrite I'm not sure this second rewriting will work.

My rating would be:

1. Best
2. 3-band Super
3. 2-band Super
4. Manchurian
4. Pure

The reason for this really stems down to one factor: density. Some Simpson models are offered in both Best and Super. If you are looking for a softer experience, Best is typically the better choice. Now that is not to say it doesn't has some variation. Personally I never had any Bests feel scrubby or like pure. I have several that feel softer than normal and are getting closer to Super level.

In terms of quality level, I feel Super is a softer hair, but when you can compare two models of the same type with Best vs Super, I would almost always rate the Best as the softer one. There's something going on in my mind with Super in that it feels softer individually, but softness comes from more than just the softness of the hair. The softer the badger hair, the finer it is. The finer it is, the more densely it can be packed. The density creates a wall of badger effect that I like, but when I use something with less density I can't help but say that brush is softer, and this is using the same model with just different hairs. Mind you there will be some differences in the loft, but the largest differences here is the density and hair type.

You want really soft? I can state that a brush like a Vulfix Super is softer than anything Simpson produces as it isn't packed as densely, but I don't like it as it just doesn't feel right. I've read many people calling a brush a mop that I have and I just can't see it, and this is the closest I can find to that. I tried the entire 223x series and it is just too soft. It needs more density. I'm glad I just didn't brush off Vulfix entirely though. The 41 is much like a slightly larger Chubby 3, and they are both enjoyable in Super and Silvertip that I have. My 376 in Silvertip is wonderful. I never tried this in Super as I felt it wouldn't be dense enough. Comparing the 41s together I have to give it to the Super as being softer thanks to the less density. There just isn't a huge difference there in terms of hair softness, and that decrease in density does more than what you think it will.

The only models I can say where Super feels softer is the Tulip and Emperor series. Not exactly a fair comparison as there is no Best models for these. I do feel that by design these models don't have as much hair packed in, and compared to other Super brushes I find them softer, but I can't do a Best Tulip 4 vs my Super Tulip 4 as Best Tulip 4 doesn't exist. My experience from other models I have tried, and testing with other brushes though would tell me the safe bet would be betting on Best for those models if they existed being softer than a Super.

A lot of these comparisons is more than just the hair itself. How the manufacturer constructs the knots in terms of how much hair they use, the loft they set the hair at, and then of course the hair itself plays a part in how the total package comes out. The knot depth plays a part in the brushes. You'll find that Simpson brushes are set lower in the handle than most brushes.

Also, I never even mentioned 2-band Super or Manchurian, but this is another factor I forgot to address as I was only thinking in terms of best vs super. Those two have more backbone than best or super, and have a few unique wrinkles. They are a thicker hair overall, you will have variance, but the increase in backbone plus tips with more presence just won't allow it to feel softer than a 3-band counterpart usually. You have to play with variables, but you can make some interesting things happen. This doesn't even factor in if the tips have been treated and gel tip, which I am personally thankful most Simpsons don't display. That can mess with this overall. I will state that both 2-band variants will have better flowthrough than 3-band Super, but the gel tip feel is not for everyone. It is an interesting thing to me, but I prefer my tips for the most part to be natural.

TL;DR Best if you have multiple options available, otherwise follow the list.

 

[Marco]

In my experience the Super 3 band (Silvertip) is the softest of them all, other grades may vary even substanstially from batch to batch.

 

[BigJ]

This isn't an easy question to answer, and is much more nuanced than it might seem to be. I have a wall of text but not sure if it would help enlighten or just confuse and deleted that, but as I try to rewrite I'm not sure this second rewriting will work.

My rating would be:

1. Best
2. 3-band Super
3. 2-band Super
4. Manchurian
4. Pure

The reason for this really stems down to one factor: density. Some Simpson models are offered in both Best and Super. If you are looking for a softer experience, Best is typically the better choice. Now that is not to say it doesn't has some variation. Personally I never had any Bests feel scrubby or like pure. I have several that feel softer than normal and are getting closer to Super level.

In terms of quality level, I feel Super is a softer hair, but when you can compare two models of the same type with Best vs Super, I would almost always rate the Best as the softer one. There's something going on in my mind with Super in that it feels softer individually, but softness comes from more than just the softness of the hair. The softer the badger hair, the finer it is. The finer it is, the more densely it can be packed. The density creates a wall of badger effect that I like, but when I use something with less density I can't help but say that brush is softer, and this is using the same model with just different hairs. Mind you there will be some differences in the loft, but the largest differences here is the density and hair type.

You want really soft? I can state that a brush like a Vulfix Super is softer than anything Simpson produces as it isn't packed as densely, but I don't like it as it just doesn't feel right. I've read many people calling a brush a mop that I have and I just can't see it, and this is the closest I can find to that. I tried the entire 223x series and it is just too soft. It needs more density. I'm glad I just didn't brush off Vulfix entirely though. The 41 is much like a slightly larger Chubby 3, and they are both enjoyable in Super and Silvertip that I have. My 376 in Silvertip is wonderful. I never tried this in Super as I felt it wouldn't be dense enough. Comparing the 41s together I have to give it to the Super as being softer thanks to the less density. There just isn't a huge difference there in terms of hair softness, and that decrease in density does more than what you think it will.

The only models I can say where Super feels softer is the Tulip and Emperor series. Not exactly a fair comparison as there is no Best models for these. I do feel that by design these models don't have as much hair packed in, and compared to other Super brushes I find them softer, but I can't do a Best Tulip 4 vs my Super Tulip 4 as Best Tulip 4 doesn't exist. My experience from other models I have tried, and testing with other brushes though would tell me the safe bet would be betting on Best for those models if they existed being softer than a Super.

A lot of these comparisons is more than just the hair itself. How the manufacturer constructs the knots in terms of how much hair they use, the loft they set the hair at, and then of course the hair itself plays a part in how the total package comes out. The knot depth plays a part in the brushes. You'll find that Simpson brushes are set lower in the handle than most brushes.

Also, I never even mentioned 2-band Super or Manchurian, but this is another factor I forgot to address as I was only thinking in terms of best vs super. Those two have more backbone than best or super, and have a few unique wrinkles. They are a thicker hair overall, you will have variance, but the increase in backbone plus tips with more presence just won't allow it to feel softer than a 3-band counterpart usually. You have to play with variables, but you can make some interesting things happen. This doesn't even factor in if the tips have been treated and gel tip, which I am personally thankful most Simpsons don't display. That can mess with this overall. I will state that both 2-band variants will have better flowthrough than 3-band Super, but the gel tip feel is not for everyone. It is an interesting thing to me, but I prefer my tips for the most part to be natural.

TL;DR Best if you have multiple options available, otherwise follow the list.

Great point!

Multiple factors determine a brush’s ‘feel’ and performance: hair type (the question under discussion), density, knot size and loft, etc.

 

[Owen Bawn]

I own about 8 or 10 Simpsons in Best, at least six in 3 band Super, five in 2 band Super, and four Manchurians. I've also got three Eagles in Pure. 3 band Super is the most consistently soft, but all things considered there is nothing better than a really fine specimen of Simpsons' Best Badger hair.

 

[kooshman7]

If you want to throw another wrinkle into this, get yourself a brush from what is commonly called Pre-Vulfix Simpson when it was owned by David Carter. You could do this as well with the original Simpson family, but not as easily with the Somerset handles that remain their creamy rose hue and lampblack lettering. The original Simpson family owned brushes will have turned to butterscotch by now. Those are even softer than anything now, and each grade was more spectacular than the previous. I've tried all the Pre-Vulfix varieties and can state that stuff is super soft with a more even gradation going up. I would rank them a grade higher than their stated grade.

 

[wibbleandstrop23]

1.Marge.
2.Lisa.
3.Bart.
4.Homer.

 

[VA17]

1.Marge.
2.Lisa.
3.Bart.
4.Homer.

Lisa and Bart look a little prickly to me...

 

[VA17]

Something interesting I noticed today. I used my brand new Super Chubby 2 this morning and the tips weren’t nearly as soft as my Duke 3 in Best, but I’ve been using the Duke a few times a week for probably the past 3 years. Maybe there is a gradual softening over time??

This was specific to the tips, but the overall knot in the Duke is definitely softer (less backbone, more splay) than the Chubby as you would expect for those two brushes for the reasons kooshman states (density, etc.).

 

[mightyeskimo]

I’ve read a ton of threads on simpsons brushes lately, but I wanted to see if folks thought my interpretation of the general consensus on this aspect was correct. It sounds to me that if we were trying to rank the softness of simpsons brushes (especially the tips) that it would be in the order below. Obviously there is variation so this isn’t perfect, but do you agree?


1. Super (3 band)
2. 2band Silvertip
3. Manchurian
4. Best
5. Pure

My experience is limited to my M8 in super, my Duke 3 in best, and my Case in best. The tips on my M8 are definitely softer than the others (not by much when it comes to the Duke, man that Duke is nice), but that’s not really a revelation of course.

Could just be that I’m enjoying geeking out on simpsons brushes lately, but interested to hear what others have to say!

I have a Commodore in Best. It's about 8 years old ish? It's grown very soft over time.

 

[Marco]

1.Marge.
2.Lisa.
3.Bart.
4.Homer.

The funniest answer I have read so far!

 

[wibbleandstrop23]

I own about 8 or 10 Simpsons in Best, at least six in 3 band Super, five in 2 band Super, and four Manchurians. I've also got three Eagles in Pure. 3 band Super is the most consistently soft, but all things considered there is nothing better than a really fine specimen of Simpsons' Best Badger hair.

It’s time to break out my Wee Scot.