Shavemac Silvertip XL No. 220 - 28mm

When I first saw an offer to trade a 220 for a Chubby 1, I was skeptical about giving up my CH1 - after all, this is the famed Simpsons brush that gets so much acclaim. But I had never truly fallen for this brush, so after much research and thought, I made the trade.

I am glad that I did. This brush is what I have been looking for. I love the size - I know some don't like a brush this big, but it works great for me. The brush holds the lather nice and warm between passes. The soft tips massage my face. It is not as dense as the Chubby, but it is dense enough for my tastes. I have had no problems lathering with this brush - it works equally well with my creams (TOBS, Musgo, CF, C&E) and my soaps (QED, MWF, T&H, C&E). This is what I have been wanting. My only complaint is that, once the brush dries, looking at it from above, it doesn't stay perfectly round. That, and with such a large knot size, I am having problems finding an inexpensive stand - I don't feel like paying the $30 for the stand that Shavemac offers.

Great brush!

I recently got my Shavemac 220 and while I had some initial inhibitions related to its size I am delighted to say that it is an exceptional brush. In the month that I have been using it, the brush has not lost one hair. I use it with various creams (mostly Trumper's almond; various C&Es) and it lathers beautifully. I have found that to keep the the cream working at its best I pass the brush very, very rapidly ... perhaps no more than one or two seconds ... under the hot water spout and then swirl it in my bowl. The result is that I give this brush the highest possible marks in all respects.

I just received a replacement brush from Bernd due to hair loss in my first one. I echo Tim's statements in his review. It's a great fall/winter brush due to it's heat retention.

The 220 does very well for creams, but it shows it's true face when used with soaps. The stiffness makes it easier to charge the bristles with soap, the density makes for a rich, thick lather, and the softness makes it a pleasure to apply. One criticism I hear of this brush is that after the 1st pass, the lather applied is thin due to most of it hanging out on the core. On the occasions that this happens to me, I actually find it beneficial in that the core lather is staying warmer. My solution is to pump and swirl the brush in the bowl prior to each pass. Not a real problem in my book.

This my first big brush, but not my last. Shavemac's are well known for their density and softness and their trademark lightbulb shape. And this brush is no exception.
The price of a Shavemac is the lowest point of this brush and has they has steadily risen over the past few years, it would be wise to get one as soon as possible. But still at less $140 this brush is a steal for its quality, size, a 28mm knot and durability.
The Qualtiy of my brush is on par with the best that I own or have personally seen. The only low point was trace amounts of glue that collected at the handle of the brushes, but after several uses the trace amounts disappeared and the brush looks flawless.
Density, Shavemacs are known for their density once again the 220 is the picture of density. This is the densest brush I own and I love it, it will whip up loads of lather in no time and with it's size it retains enough water to keep the that lather warm and slick through your final pass. I love dense brushes, but I have read where some people actually find the 220 too dense. So if you are a fan of floppier brushes, which I personally am not, you may not like that about this brush.
The stiffnes with wonderful, perfect exfoiliation and I love the flex of the bristles. Very stimulated with out ever being prickly. Just perfect!
The handle is wide and made of good quality imitation ivory, providing a good sturdy grip to those with both large and small hands. Also the brush blooms out very little after its first use and with the bulb shape and density/stiffness combination the brushhead stays tightly together, so lather easily and quickly goes exactly where you want it. If you're fearful of a bigger brush, no need to fear this one, you can easily and effectively get your lather exactly where you want it miminal effort.
Finally latherabilty, where do I begin. I love this brush some of my more "classic" creams, in particular Taylor's Rose, a soft, dense luxurious brush paired with a classic British fragrance. Loads of lather in just a few swirls and the way the lather stays warm, I can't get enough.
I highly recommend this brush, I find it to be an excellent combination of softness, density and stiffness and one that will lead to excellent shaves.