3 brushes, asking for thoughts or them.

[Boogie]

In my quest to find the perfect companion brush for my Savile Row 3118 I think I’ve narrowed it down to three choices, and would like to ask any of you who have experience with any of these brushes to post your thoughts or feelings. The three brushes are:

-Rooney Style 1, small with Super Silvertip
-Savile Row 3120 Silvertip and
-Simpson Duke (not sure what size yet, but would assume that it would be with Best)

I’m mostly a soap user, about 90% of my stash is soaps. I am also a 100% lather on the face kind of guy. I’m wanting something just slightly bigger then the 3118, but smaller then the Shavemac 429 that I have.

So, if you have any thoughts on how any of these brushes perform, please post away.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time for this.

 

[boboakalfb]

Clay,

I don't have a Duke but I do have the first 2 brushes and enjoy them very much.

Since you love your 3118 but want something just a bit bigger then the obvious choice would be the 3x20. Maybe get a 33 series handle to change things up a bit.

The Rooney 1 SSS is a great little brush as well. Firm with very soft tips...similar to the 3120 but maybe a tad firmer.

Hopefully others will chime in on these as well as the Duke series. I know they have quite a few fans.

 

[Suzuki]

Get the Rooney or Duke 2 in best.

I have the Rooney #1 large silvertip - its a little on the big side, but a fantastic combination of soft/luxurious with firm/resiliant bristles - even the large works great on soaps and lathering on the face - but I often wish I had the small.

The Duke 2 in best is a great brush - not quite as soft as the Rooney (but mines's only been used about 10 times. Great on soaps and face-lathering.

If I had to recommend just one, I would probably go with the Rooney #1 small in silvertip (I have the standard silvertip and really like it so wouldn't pay more for the higher grade of silvertip - the Rooney finest is in another snack bracket all together). The hair is just a little bit softer at the tips

The Duke 2 is no slouch either and is great if you like a little bit of scritchy (but still quite soft and will likely soften with use).

Of these brushes work better with soaps/face-lathering than my SR3122 (not saying that the SR isn't a great brush - just that its more of an "all-rounder" while the Rooney #1 small and Duke 2 have been designed with soaps/face lathering in mind.)

The only drawbcak to the Rooney #1 or Duke is that the handles are short, which some don't like and can make lathering in a narrow bowl/mug a PIA.

 

[yomuppet]

...
If I had to recommend just one, I would probably go with the Rooney #1 small in silvertip (I have the standard silvertip and really like it so wouldn't pay more for the higher grade of silvertip - the Rooney finest is in another snack bracket all together). The hair is just a little bit softer at the tips
...

+1, my thoughts exactly.

I've also had both Super and Silvertip, and IMO silvertip is a better value, if you can deal with tips that are a bit more grey. Best of luck.

J

 

[Boogie]

I went ahead and went with the Rooney, as it was a little cheaper then the other brushes, but still sounds like a quality brush. Now all I have to do is unload my little Edwin Jagger brush to help pay for this new purchase.

 

[SilkySmooth]

I went ahead and went with the Rooney, as it was a little cheaper then the other brushes, but still sounds like a quality brush. Now all I have to do is unload my little Edwin Jagger brush to help pay for this new purchase.

I thought the Rooney would be more expensive than the others.


Guess not.



==Tom

 

[Boogie]

I thought the Rooney would be more expensive than the others.


Guess not.



==Tom

I thought so too, but the Super Silvertip I bought off Classic Shaving was only 75.00. The Savile Row I was thinking about was 89.00 and the Simpson was over 100.00. If the Rooney does not work out for me, I'm sure I can sell it on the B/S/T forum.

 

[yomuppet]

I thought so too, but the Super Silvertip I bought off Classic Shaving was only 75.00. The Savile Row I was thinking about was 89.00 and the Simpson was over 100.00. If the Rooney does not work out for me, I'm sure I can sell it on the B/S/T forum.

Exactly, I think you made the right call. Of course, you may just go back and buy the other two eventually anyway

After trying the Duke and SR312*, the Rooney was a much better value (strictly IMO). Best of luck.

J

 

[SilkySmooth]

You could have sold any one out of the three here.


==Tom

 

[Suzuki]

For some reason, the Rooney's don't get talked up that much - my #1 large silvertip is a fantastic brush - one of the densest knots I've ever seen and the standard silvertip is great quality for the price.

At $75 bones, the #1 small super silvertip is a great buy - I suspect you couldn't tell the difference between the super silvertip and the genuine silvertip for $65.

I have the Duke 2 in best that I like very much - but I always wonder whether I'd like the Roney #1 better. If I didn't already have the #1 large, I would have bought the small instead of the Duke.

Let us know how you like your brush!

 

[Taz]

simpson all the way

 

[yomuppet]

simpson all the way

But such a gamble... and ~$25 more.

J

 

[Boogie]

simpson all the way

At some point I will get a Simpson, and knowing me, it will be sooner then later. Much to the dismay of my wife I'm sure. I really struggled with what brush to buy, I wanted all three of them so bad that I know that eventually I will get around to buying them all.

SBAD sucks sometimes, as I'm sure many, many members here can attest too.

 

[Boogie]

For some reason, the Rooney's don't get talked up that much - my #1 large silvertip is a fantastic brush - one of the densest knots I've ever seen and the standard silvertip is great quality for the price.

At $75 bones, the #1 small super silvertip is a great buy - I suspect you couldn't tell the difference between the super silvertip and the genuine silvertip for $65.

I have the Duke 2 in best that I like very much - but I always wonder whether I'd like the Roney #1 better. If I didn't already have the #1 large, I would have bought the small instead of the Duke.

Let us know how you like your brush!

When I finally decided to order the Rooney I wondered if there was a big difference in the Super Silvertip and the Genuine Silvertip. I decided to go with the Super knowing that if I got the Genuine, I’d always wonder if the Super was better. So thought I’d just start off with the Super and save my self some trouble. I went through the same thing when I bought my Edwin Jagger brush. I didn’t know whether to get the Best or Super hair and ended up going with the Best due to price. Once I got it I almost immediately wished I’d gone with the Super.

I’ll be sure to post on here my thoughts, and maybe even do a review of the brush.

 

[Dale]

When I finally decided to order the Rooney I wondered if there was a big difference in the Super Silvertip and the Genuine Silvertip. I decided to go with the Super knowing that if I got the Genuine, I’d always wonder if the Super was better. So thought I’d just start off with the Super and save my self some trouble. I went through the same thing when I bought my Edwin Jagger brush. I didn’t know whether to get the Best or Super hair and ended up going with the Best due to price. Once I got it I almost immediately wished I’d gone with the Super.

I’ll be sure to post on here my thoughts, and maybe even do a review of the brush.

Congratulations on your decision! I recently purchased a Rooney 1/1 Pure and now wish I had spent the extra $25 for a Super. But I wanted a small scrubby brush and now I realize that my old boar is much more comfortable to use than the Pure. I shall see if my Dad likes it and then I will get a Rooney 1/1 Super. It should do a great job of lathering on the face and still be firm and soft (so I hear). And of course I have my eye on a couple Simpsons which I know I will love.

 

[DustBow]

I think you made a good choice as well.
You already have a SR and a Shavemac so might as well change things up a bit and go with a new brand. Plus the Rooney is a fan style knot which will give you even more variety compared to the SR & Shavemac bulb styles.
Definitely the safer choice considering the premium you pay for Simpsons and the sketchy QC lately that people still are complaining about.

My next brush purchase is going to be a Style 3 Size 1 - as long as you don't go w/ the Finest, they appear to be great value brushes.

 

[Boogie]

Congratulations on your decision! I recently purchased a Rooney 1/1 Pure and now wish I had spent the extra $25 for a Super. But I wanted a small scrubby brush and now I realize that my old boar is much more comfortable to use than the Pure. I shall see if my Dad likes it and then I will get a Rooney 1/1 Super. It should do a great job of lathering on the face and still be firm and soft (so I hear). And of course I have my eye on a couple Simpsons which I know I will love.

I'm with ya, Simpson brushes, to me, are like the Holy Grail. They seem to be the pinnacle of shaving brushes and I can't wait to give one a go.

Sure is weird how SBAD works. not long ago I picked up, what I think is the perfect brush for me in the 3118, and here I am buying a Rooney yesterday and already talking about buying a Simpson. I need to pick up a second job.

 

[DustBow]

The Savile Row I was thinking about was 89.00

So did the 20mm SR's go up from $85 to $89 ?
I wonder if the entire line had a small price adjustment?
Ron may need to update the SR info thread

 

[Boogie]

So did the 20mm SR's go up from $85 to $89 ?
I wonder if the entire line had a small price adjustment?
Ron may need to update the SR info thread

It may have been 85.00. I know that I e-mailed Charles to ask him prices on the 20mm knot brushes and he gave me a price in the 90 dollar range. Then about 10 minutes later he e-mailed me again telling me that he accidently gave me the wrong price for the 20mm knot brush and that it was actually in the 80 dollar range, so it may have been 85.00 now that you mention it.