Savile Row SR-208

I'll preface this by saying that I only have a very small case of SBAD, so by no means am I a brush expert like Joel or others. My first Brush was a weenie AOS pure badger, after which I got a honking xxl 30mm shavemac. That tided me over for quite some time until I decided it was too large to travel with and too large for soaps. I decided to go with SR-208 as it only has a 25mm knot, and I assumed it would have more maneuverability... I assumed wrong.
Next to my 30mm shavemac silvertip


As you can see, when bloomed, the thing is wider than my shavemac 30mm

Topview


While the SR-208 ended up having a larger surface area than the shavemac, it is no where near as dense. I find the SR-208 to be very floppy, but extremely soft, below is a picture of both the 208 and the shavemac loaded up with water.


As you can see, the SR really splays out while the shavemac still has some stability to it. As for the latherability, well...

into the castle forbes lime oil

and voila...

no problemo getting a lather.

Overall, the brush is very soft, so if you're into a softer, floppy brush, I can't imagine getting one for a better value. If you like a brush that's a bit more firm, I'd imagine a simpson's or shavemac might be better to your liking (though more expensive). The quality is good as well, and I only lost one hair after many, many uses. For a great price, this brush lather's great, looks great, and feels great on the skin. I highly recommend it for soft brush lovers and those looking for a good brush on the cheap.

Having owned one of these now for a while( 4 mos), I figured it was time to let everyone else in own a secret- this brush does an excellent job with soaps and creams. However, it really shines with hard soaps that are in a container.

In fact, when reaching for any of my SCS soaps, I also reach for this brush because I know there is going to be loads and loads of lather obtained. the best price for it can be found @ www.sesto-senso.com( a company only 20 minutes away from me in Frederick,Md).

This brush could be your only brush and you would not feel like you were missing anything. It gets softer over time but still maintains its scrubby feel. It could have been denser, but if thats what I had wanted,I would have ordered its bigger brother.

If you don't have one and are looking for a brush of another color, this is the one to get.


Marty

What? Only two reviews for this brush? What gives? I thought this was the most popular brush out there, and the definitive no brainer first brush.
It's a very good value, but I've found better at this price point. Still, it works like a charm, and reminds me of that old ditty by Andrew Dice Clay-

Big brushes
Little brushes
Brushes that skip and hop
A happy brush
A sad brush
A brush used as a mop


(Free sample to anyone who knows the original wording.)

I lusted after this brush for some time before buying it. I loved the look. And when I finally got ready to purchase, Charles was out of stock. So for a couple of months, it was hit and miss, and finally, I got one. I love the look of the handle. It is a good size, and comfortable in the hand. Several others got there 208 when I got mine, and I believe most of them have sold or traded their brush. Not me. I do wish it had more density. The bristles are a bit on the floppy side, but it is a nice, soft brush that splays out against the face to deliver nice hot lather. If you want a brush with backbone, this is not it. But if you want a brush that offers a luxurious shave, give it a go.

Randy

This brush was the fourth and last brush I bought. Yes, it cured my SBAD. This is the only brush I use and it works great. The ratings might not refelct it.

No it is not the most dense brush, hence, the 6. Same for the stiffness. But if I could give the brush an overall rating based on how it works, how it feels, and how much it costs. I would give it a 9+.

I actually own the brush used for this review. It is my favorite brush, I only have 4, and by far this brush gets the most use. It is great with creams and also works quite well with soaps. The bristles are soft and provide a warm and luxurious lather when applied to the face. It is a very nice and soft brush. I am yet to see a hair fallout of this brush. This brush produces large amounts of lather. I can always get far more than 4 passes worth of lather from this brush.

Raf

Great brush...was my first and is still in the rotation every week. It is scritchy compared to my other brushes (T&H Super, CM Super, SMF '06), which is good if you like that, but I do prefer softer tips. It lathers as well as any of the others, has only lost the occasional hair, and mine didn't have any kind of a funky smell.

Definitely recommend it!