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Looking to upgrade my brush

Simpsons Super will be soft and unless super dense = expensive with not as much backbone as the 2 Band Silvertip or Best. For bowl lathering most people use a medium to longer handle. So with a budget of 100.00 Best is still your best choice for a longer handled brush with a nice knot.

Have a look at the Captain 2 or Commodore X3 for a longer handled brush or the Duke 3 for a universal size.
Out of those 3 you mentioned, the Duke 3 Best badger 🦡 looks great to me. I’ll hold off buying for another week or so, see if I can catch a deal.
 
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The Duke is a very nice proportioned brush regardless of hair grade.
 
I'd suggest you check out Rudy Vey or Paladin Shaving for a brush built to your own specifications for a reasonable price. Both are artisans without compare.
Several other vendors here sell name brand brushes if you wish to go that route.
I’m still really new to brushes, I’ve only owned one, so getting something custom and dialed in to my liking is a bit difficult since I don’t know much of what I’m looking for to get it tweaked in exactly to my liking.

Right now I’m just looking to try out a new brush, something of better quality than what I currently have.

I definitely appreciate the advice though and I’m sure one day I will get something custom made.
 
If you are in the States, I always hear about Amazon/Alrossa for the best Simpsons deals!
Yup, I sure am in the states and it’s funny you mentioned that because I was just looking at Alrossa on Amazon last night at a few Simpson brushes. The prices were crazy cheap, so I got a bit worried that they might be knock offs, so I disregarded them, but with you saying to check them out, I would imagine they are legit.
 
Oh wow! Now that’s one fine looking brush ☺️ I’m already dreaming of the lather on my face 😂

What razor is that?
It is a replated vintage Gillette New Long Comb that came with a Common Bar Handle which I found too slippery. So I switched it with a Fat Handle from a Pre-War Tech.
 
So you mixed and matched parts then?

What is, replating?
If the finish is worn through usage or neglect the razor can be refinished by stripping it down to bare brass and plating it again with various metals (chrome, nickel, gold, silver, rhodium) - then it looks like new but is not anymore original.

And yes most of the time you can switch handles and heads sometimes even tops and bases.
 
If the finish is worn through usage or neglect the razor can be refinished by stripping it down to bare brass and plating it again with various metals (chrome, nickel, gold, silver, rhodium) - then it looks like new but is not anymore original.
Interesting. So is that something you did yourself or had sent out to someone to replate it?

Also, is your avatar picture of Jean Reno from, The Professional?
 
Interesting. So is that something you did yourself or had sent out to someone to replate it?

Also, is your avatar picture of Jean Reno from, The Professional?
No, I got already nice and shiny.
I’m not that handy to attempt such a restoration by myself.
 
I don’t think you can go wrong with Shavemac. Simpson brushes can be excellent but it is possible you could get a bust. Their best grade could be almost indistinguishable from super or close to pure. You also could get a shedder. My only shedders were Simpson. But if you get lucky you could have a luxurious wall of badger.

My favorite brushes have Shavemac 2 band silvertip knots, two were made by Rudy Vey and the other the famous Beagle designed and turned into a group buy here on B&B.

Simpson Chubby 1, Duke 3 and Classic 2 are also fine brushes. I find the best hair in the Classic 2 the same as the super hair in the Chubby 1. The Duke best hair is not quite as soft as the others but still enjoyable. I once had a Case in best that was too scritchy for me to use.

Knot size is a personal preference. For me 22 to 26 mm with most larger brushes being too large.

All that being said, I would speak to Rudy Vey and have him make a custom brush for you. He can steer you to the right knot and handle type based on what you tell him.
 
I would like to commend the poster of this thread on his restraint. Who among us would be satisfied, for so long, with an adequate, but not great, brush. And who among us could say that appreciating such a brush, instead of going nuts with the brush acquisition, is not the most virtuous path?

Nonetheless, after so many years of restraint, you deserve some indulgence. I have a brush like yours. Maybe the same brush, even. It sits under my sink, because, while it is worthy, it cannot match what is above the sink:

A Shavemac 2-band, a Beagle, from the fairly recent group buy.

A Panta Rei badger with a green stone handle.

A couple of Elite Razor brushes with stone handles (yes, I like heavy stone handles) and Manchurian knots.

A Simpson Chubby 1 Super Badger

And some others. The point is, now that you have opened Pandora's Box, you will find that it contains many, many options that will blow away the serviceable brush that has done duty for you all these years.
 
I would like to commend the poster of this thread on his restraint. Who among us would be satisfied, for so long, with an adequate, but not great, brush. And who among us could say that appreciating such a brush, instead of going nuts with the brush acquisition, is not the most virtuous path?

Nonetheless, after so many years of restraint, you deserve some indulgence. I have a brush like yours. Maybe the same brush, even. It sits under my sink, because, while it is worthy, it cannot match what is above the sink:

A Shavemac 2-band, a Beagle, from the fairly recent group buy.

A Panta Rei badger with a green stone handle.

A couple of Elite Razor brushes with stone handles (yes, I like heavy stone handles) and Manchurian knots.

A Simpson Chubby 1 Super Badger

And some others. The point is, now that you have opened Pandora's Box, you will find that it contains many, many options that will blow away the serviceable brush that has done duty for you all these years.
Thank you for your reply.

There sooooo many options and I feel everyone has made my mind turn one way or another at this point HAHAHA!

I think for sure I’m leaning towards a Duke 3 best badger or a Shavemac 2 band. The large reason I probably wouldn’t go with the Shavemac for now is price. The Duke 3 seems to fit my price range a bit better and with Black Friday around the corner I could have even more savings, maybe.

I know Shavemac has a 20% discount right now on their brushes but that still doesn’t lower the cost significantly, especially when taxes are added in, but so many people have raved about Shavemac 2 bands it almost makes me want to just say “forget it” and spend the load of cash on a Shavemac 😬😆
 
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