What's new

A review of the Savile Row SR212 with pics.

Howdy All,

I’ve been using my Savile Row ‘big ***’ brush that I got from QED for about two weeks now, so I thought I’d write a review.

The brush’s product ID is “SR12T” (however QED has it listed under “SR212”). It’s a super badger brush with a 30mm knot, and a nice faux-tortoise handle that’s a translucent amber.

Now for some pictorial goodness:


The brush:
full03.jpg


full04.jpg


Some close-ups:
bristles.jpg


closeup.jpg


inside.jpg


An overhead shot:
overhead.jpg


Next to a quarter for comparison to show how big this darned thing is:
quarter.jpg


Next to my handmade Damascus knife with a buffalo horn handle to show how beautiful this darned knife is (I thought it might be a nice pairing with the faux-tortoise… if the tortoise weren’t so faux, it would be):
knife02.jpg


knife01.jpg


The soak:
soak.jpg


What I’ve dubbed the ‘money shot’:
moneyshot.jpg


A dip in the Trumper’s Coconut Oil Shaving Cream tub:
somecream.jpg


After several swirls (don’t ask me to define ‘several’):
firstswirl.jpg


Some (and by some, I mean a veritable boat load) beautiful lather after several more swirls:
lathered.jpg


lathered01.jpg


lathered03.jpg


handlather02.jpg


handlather.jpg


Impressions:

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoy this brush, and for only $82.00, it appears to be good value for the money. As you can clearly see, it whips up shaving cream like Mr. T going to town on a pitiable fool. I haven’t had great results yet using it on soaps, as the bristles appear to be a little soft for that task, but the jury’s still out on that one as I am much more versed with creams. I will say, it does a fantastic job on my B&B shave stick. After applying stick to face, and then brush to face, I end up with a TON of rich, creamy, thick lather (just like with creams).

The feel of the brush is well balanced. The handle fills the hand nicely which makes for an easy, quick, air-infusing swirl. It seems to retain water fairly well. For the sake of the higher ground, I'll refrain from making a Rosie O'Donnell joke here, but sufficed to say, it does the job nicely.

Another plus of this big brush is it really traps in the heat. The first time I used it I was pleasantly surprised to find the lather in it still fairly warm when I went around for pass #2. All in all, I am very pleased with the brush, and have yet to be disappointed by it.

Cheers,

-Nick
 
Nice review and perfect timing! I will be ordering this brush from Charles hopefully in a few days once his soaps are restocked.
 
Randy & Rik: Thanks much.

Rik: You won't be disappointed, the brush certainly gets the job done.

-Nick
 
Nick,

Nice review!

One comment, though. It looks to me like that is too little shaving cream. The lather also looks like mostly air in your pictures. If you want to dork around, try more cream and tell me if your shave improves. I am betting it will get even better than what you are getting now. I think a lot of us are too parsimonious with the cream. Most brushes can whip up an ungodly amount of aerated lather with a miniscule amount of cream, but the shave will suffer. Try it with more cream (and hence more water = more lubrication) and report back.
 
Nick:
Any idea how this brush compares to a Vulfix in terms of bristle softness? I have a Vulfix 2235 that like mentioned here, does a great job on creams. I would like one that has a little stiffer bristles for soap. Any thoughts?
thanks
Jerry
 
Scotto said:
Nick,

Nice review!

One comment, though. It looks to me like that is too little shaving cream. The lather also looks like mostly air in your pictures. If you want to dork around, try more cream and tell me if your shave improves. I am betting it will get even better than what you are getting now. I think a lot of us are too parsimonious with the cream. Most brushes can whip up an ungodly amount of aerated lather with a miniscule amount of cream, but the shave will suffer. Try it with more cream (and hence more water = more lubrication) and report back.


When I first got into this whole shindig I always focused lather and not how lubricted the shave was...after realizing it wasnt about the lather my shave became far more superior than before.
 
gage0921 said:
When I first got into this whole shindig I always focused lather and not how lubricted the shave was...after realizing it wasnt about the lather my shave became far more superior than before.

Right on, bro! That is some of what I hope to capture in my soap tutorial, if I can get pictures which show it.
 
Scotto said:
Nick,

Nice review!

One comment, though. It looks to me like that is too little shaving cream. The lather also looks like mostly air in your pictures. If you want to dork around, try more cream and tell me if your shave improves. I am betting it will get even better than what you are getting now. I think a lot of us are too parsimonious with the cream. Most brushes can whip up an ungodly amount of aerated lather with a miniscule amount of cream, but the shave will suffer. Try it with more cream (and hence more water = more lubrication) and report back.

Scotto,

Thanks for the recommendation; however, I can take a pic for you of my decimated CR Salter Mint tub that would beg to differ with you. :wink:

Actually, if you'll notice, the lather on the brush looks pretty healthy, it's really the last pic (or two) with the lather on my hand that look a little airy. After receiving a phone call, and then searching from room to room for some natural light, the lather had been sitting for easily 10-15 minutes, and had begun to dry out.

-Nick
 
DoubleE said:
Nick:
Any idea how this brush compares to a Vulfix in terms of bristle softness? I have a Vulfix 2235 that like mentioned here, does a great job on creams. I would like one that has a little stiffer bristles for soap. Any thoughts?
thanks
Jerry

Jerry,

I have a Vulfix (with super badger) as well, and I think the SR bristles are softer than the Vulfix, so I'm not sure if it would fit the bill in that regard for you. (Which isn't to say it would be a bad purchase if you're looking to make one. :wink: )

-Nick
 
Very nice.

I tried some Trumpers Coconut Oil Cream tonight that I was given by another member. Very nice, but does anyone else think it smells a little medicinal?
 
Mindflux,

What I had to get over when I first got it is that it's Coconut Oil Cream and not just Coconut cream, so it definitely isn't as coconutty (is that a word?) as I would've liked, but it's still interesting, and pleasant, despite the fact that it does smell slightly off like you've described.

-Nick
 
Nice review, that looks like a nice, luxurious brush.
Trumper coconut oil shave cream? there are so many opinions of this one you would think there are a bunch of different versions of it, but FWIW it remains one of my favorite creams, the one I "hoard" for fear of running out. I haven't noticed a medicinal smell to mine, but coconut oil isn't a strong fragrance like rose or almond, so perhaps you are smelling more of the actual cream?
Just a thought. Either way if you hate yours, send it somewhere it will be appreciated :cool: like my house.....
John P
 
robofunk: Thanks, it certainly gets the job done.

John: Hahaa, Nice try. It isn't my favorite, but it certainly isn't my least favorite.

-Nick
 
DoubleE said:
Nick:
Any idea how this brush compares to a Vulfix in terms of bristle softness? I have a Vulfix 2235 that like mentioned here, does a great job on creams. I would like one that has a little stiffer bristles for soap. Any thoughts?
thanks
Jerry

Gents
It seems like many wetshavers using super badger brushes feel they can work up a good lather with a shave cream but that they may be a little too soft to really work a good lather with a shave soap (Shavemac's being the notable exception). Should we just downgrade to a cheaper quality of badger, say best or pure badger? Does that mean that the highest quality of badger in a particular line may not be the best one to get if one uses a shave soap often? Do stiffer bristles exfoliate better but run the risk of causing irritation to sensitive skin?
Thanks and regards,
Mahesh
 
Top Bottom