Simpsons The Duke 2 Pure Badger Shaving Brush

Well, I guess I got nailed by one of the problem Simpsons.
Bought the Duke 2 in pure this past Jan. Wanted a shorter loft brush with good density for soaps and didnt want to pay an arm an a leg. I fell in love with the Duke 2 from the start. Really like this brush. I was aware of the scattered reports of problems with the recent Simpsons but took the chance for 50 bucks. Shed maybe 2 or 3 in the first couple of uses then not a single hair shed for 2 or 3 weeks. Unfortunately, the brush then started dropping hairs daily and has been getting worse and worse. Actually dropped close to a dozen hairs each of the last couple of uses. I like the brush so much that I requested an exchange from the retailer. I was going to give another sample a try. The reports of problems are scattered enough that I would expect that the "bad" samples are in the minority ... atleast I would hope so. But unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) they had none in stock with a long backorder time. Great retailer though, gave me a full refund. I would love to own another Duke 2 in the future but I'll wait and see what the future holds for the Vulfix owned Simpson brushes.

No ratings posted because I dont think it's fair to condemn what is/was, for me, a great little brush based on my experience with the one "bad" sample.

i've had this brush for around 5 months now and have used it regularly on both on soaps and creams. it is particularly good on soaps. i can't recommend it highly enough. it is a solid performer with a great pricetag. cheers,

paddy

This brush came about as a recommendation by Lee. I purchased my PJ2 Best from Lee back in early summer, and the man is on top of his Simpsons! Very affordable, The Duke 2 is seldom mentioned on the forums, so I was excited to give it a go.

Quality: The overall construction of this brush is fantastic. There is the worry of the label falling off, but a coating of nail polish eliminate that concern. The faux ivory handle is smooth and seamless. There is not glue showing at the base of the bristles.

Density: Considering where this brush falls in the price line, I was a bit concerned about the density of the brush. One use eased the worry. This brush is dense. The bristles have plenty of backbone, and the word floppy doesn't belong here. This little brush is stout!

Stiffness of tips: Day one, the brush was a bit scratchy. This was after being soaked in Borax and in a Rosemary/Mint shampoo. Day two, the scratchiness was all but gone. Day three, not a trace.

Softness of tips: Of the four pure badger brushes I own, this one doesn't deserve to be included in the group. The tops are very soft. No, it's not in the category of a big knot silvertip, but after 3 uses, I forget that this is pure brush. Even with the stiff bristles, the brush is very soft on the face.

Ergonomics: Upon receiving the brush, this became a concern. It's a very short handle, and I tend to like the longer handles. I can't compare it to the Chubby brushes, but I due to the "roundness" of the brush, I have nicknamed it "Squatty Body". Even with my large hands the brush is easy to hold and work with.

Latherability: The Duke 2 gets "10" in this category. The only issue was on Arko Shave Stick day, with the first application. The stiffness of the bristles kicked in and the first lather was a bit tough to build. For passes two and three, no problems. The brush works well with Floris soap (the only hard soap I used), glycerin soaps and creams. It's like a lather grenade. A few swirls and "boom", the lather is building.

Overall: I'm proud to have this brush in my stable. With it's short and thick handle, it offers something I may never have tried without Lee recommending it. Maybe someday in the future I'll pick up a Chubby, but for now, this brush gets the job done, and it will see a lot of work!





The PJ2 Best and The Duke 2 Pure side by side

Overhead shot of the PJ2 and Duke 2

My collection of pure badger brushes. Notice how much lighter the badger hair is in the Duke 2.

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