Simpsons Two-Band CH2

This brush is amazing! I've been wetshaving for over 6 years now, and in that time I've tried all manner of brushes from inexpensive to ridiculously overpriced--this one tops them all!

I originally wanted a Chubby 1 due to knot size. Unfortunately, I started my search far too late; all of the 2-band Chubby 1s appear to have been adopted already. I reluctantly started searching for a Chubby 2 with that grade of hair. Fortuitously, I found but a single 2-band brush remaining at a retailer. I did not hesitate!

When the brush arrived, I was immediately impressed by the density of the brush and the feel of it in the hand. My fears remained about the knot size--this brush is a beast!


My first test lather went swimmingly. I palm lathered (first attempt ever at this) up some Tabac and was immediately rewarded with thick, luscious lather. I was duly impressed. One of the most remarkable things I noticed was that the knot did not splay out as I worked the lather. The 2-band hair has serious backbone and this baby held her shape like a champ! The tips were soft, but she works soap like it's not even there! And when the dust had settled, I was amazed that the bloom remained incredibly tight and dense...


The next day I whipped up some L'Occitane Cade and was again impressed with the brushe's capabilities. This thing makes short order of every soap I've thrown its way. I've used it exclusively for the past week, and it has not lost a single hair! During that time, I've become enamored of the soft, delicate tips combined with the stiff, aggressive backbone.

I'm about to start my experimentation with creams, if this thing lathers creams the way it does hard soaps, the other brushes in my den (boar and badger alike) may quickly find themselves on the endangered species list!

This is absolutely one of my favorite brushes. Unlike some, mine actually has quite a bit of scritch to it. I love the feel of this brush. It gives me a great scrub while producing great lather. On my scale, it's actually a fairly small brush. Nothing on the order of a Polo 14 or a BLK12 but big enough to not get lost on my face The density and backbone are perfect. Not the cheapest brush you can buy but one that is truly a good value!

I pondered getting a Stubby before picking up this 2-band Chubby. I expected more density. Compared to a Chubby 2 in super it seems much smaller, less dense. It seems close in density to Rooney 3/2 in super even though the Chubby has a larger knot. The Rooney's handle size makes it tower over this Chubby, lol.

I have had it long enough to feel confidence in the quality. No shedding whatsoever. I don't see it fanning out, ever. I like the shape. Nice backbone. Very soft tips. The handle is a little small for my G5 scuttle, but face lathering is quite nice.

I think the 2-band hairs are thicker than the 3-band. So, even though the knot size is the same there are fewer hairs in the 2-band knot, and because of the shape it just doesn't feel as dense.

It is a soap/cream hog. That's ok. It doesn't hold as much water as the 3-band, so it requires a few extra drops in the scuttle.

All in all, a very fine brush. It could be a little larger. I wonder about a 2-band CH3 or a Stubby 3XL. Maybe someday.

I love my Chubby 2 band. It took some breaking in time (as stated above) but the tips are just about perfect for me now that it has. The is ties for my most dense two band brush (tied with my Shavemac D01 flat top two band). It loads fast, lathers amazing, and feels just about right on the face (not to soft or floppy on the face).

New out of the box it felt to bulb shaped for me, but as it is breaks in the shape is just fine. In fact as time goes on it feels much more fanish than the bulb shape would suggest.

My only lasting quality problem has been that the gold color on the sticker has washed off over time. I happen to like the look of it as it builds on the two tone aesthetic of the brush. The newly black and white sticker, white handle, and black and white knot look beautiful together. I could just see some people taking issue with it, so I included this fact.

I got mine on close out but it was still pricey at $170 from Vintage Shaving. Though for the quality and utility I think the price was fair.

Its a great brush and well worth the money and break in time.

This brush is great, but not for everyone due to it's density factor. It takes some breaking in, as do all Simpson two bands. But the knot is so big on the CH2 that it takes longer. It can be a bit of a lather hog at first but the flow through improves with time as it breaks in and opens up. The CH2 two band takes a little getting used to.

The handle is very ergonomic and the large knot feels wonderful when lathering up. The only downside to this brush is that it needs more product to get the lather going - and then when it does get going it doesn't stop. Enough lather for 10+ passes, probably... pretty crazy, actually... It definitely feels like the most manly brush I own. It's a luxurious beast. The more I use it the more I like it.

It's probably a little overpriced, but IMO it's worth the coin. As with all Simpsons (that I've owned), the quality is impeccable. It's only lost a handful of hairs in the past couple of months, which is nothing considering how dense the knot is. Aesthetically, it's the best looking brush I've owned. It makes quite a statement up on the shelf in the bathroom.

I was tempted by one of these but I hear that the loft of the two-bands are higher than their Super equivalents.

Is this true? And what is the loft on yours?

Thanks for the review.

John

Thank you for the review, wonderful pictures! This is absolutely a brush on my short list.

Price
Quality
Density
Backbone
Softness of Tips
Ergonomic
Latherability