I just jumped on the opportunity to trade my simpson chubby 2 in best with all its firm scrubbing glory for a Kent BLK12. Not sure what I got myself into but it called my name is all I can say. Not sure if I truly grasp how big and floppy it might be. Anyone else make this jump? What can I expect?
Anyone go from face latherer' to BK12?
- Thread starter Mo-beffah
- Start date
You can expect a very large brush, one that will make the Chubby look small in comparison. I had one for a while. It was decadent luxury and I did use it to face lather. I like big brushes but even a Plisson 20 is smaller than the BK 12. It's a fun brush to use. I found it manageable and did enjoy using it. Enjoy it.
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- #3
I keep hearing plush, decadent, cloud like, etc. It sounds incredible. I will try it to face lather of course but I think I'm gonna try out getting into bowl lathering for the first time and really commit to it. Time to get a big enough bowl 
The two times I've used a Kent BK8, this is what it felt like while face lathering:
A BK12 would feel like skipping the mop and just sticking my face in this:
A BK12 would feel like skipping the mop and just sticking my face in this:
Thanks grantmm. Now, whenever I think of a Kent, my mouth is going to water.
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- #6
Oh man.
Ha! Sidenote, that scuttle turned into a sauce holder is genius.
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- #8
I'm a bit scared now. I traded some specialty soaps along with my chubby 2. And I figure I could try this amazing crazy brush and if I don't fall in live trade it for pretty much any brush I could think of. I have a merkur silvertip that my fiancé confiscated. That thing is CRAZY soft and I like to use it to switch up the routine. If this thing is anything like that then I will be pleased. But this is probably 9mm bigger of a knot and probably 6mm higher of a loft. I seriously don't know what to expect lol. But the sauce and basting does not sit well with me lol.
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- #9
OH and I just realized you said "while face lathering". That's good. I'm not expecting that EVEN though I have read a few reviews where people face lather with hard soaps with the bk12. Most are bowl latherer's with this it seems.
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
In the past 7 plus years I have owned the BK12 twice...Ultimate Luxury brush...I face lathered with it back when Trumper made a decent Rose hard soap. Thought about buying one again maybe 2 years ago...went through maybe 3 brushes since then, all Simpson and check that...2 Rooney's too. Now I have a Tulip 1 in Super of course and I am very happy...until I sell it for an Emperor, which I have wanted since 2007. Try the BK12 but they have poor residual value I will warn you.
I wouldnt worry too much about the size. I own a regulary use a T12 in pure and find it a pleasure to use. The BK8 is (regardless of what you've heard) a great brush and only a little smaller than the BK12. I face lather and shower shave with 7 different sizes of Kent brushes and all are great.
You definitely went polar opposite with the trade, from scrubby dense face lathering machine to ultra soft and moppy (not floppy per se). I am definitely a fan of the former and not so much the latter.
I've enjoyed having the BK12 in my rotation. It is HUGE!!! My attempts at face lathering with it have been difficult, and would have probably been pretty funny to watch (picture a lot of shaving cream up my nose!). However, I've had considerable success using my scuttle and bowl lathering with the BK12. It lathers quickly and as everyone else has mentioned it is about the softest most luxurious thing you could imagine when applying the lather to your face. Bottom line, it's a difficult brush to face lather with in my opinion.
The Kent Brushes are beautiful to look at and just too floppy, soft and luxurious for me to use more than once every two months or so. I can't imagine giving up a Chubby 2 for a Kent. The Emperor on the other hand is in a class by itself. I have a 3 and probably would pick it as my only brush if I had to give up all but one. It would be a hard decision to let go of my Chubby1 Best but the Emperor might just win out.
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- #15
Well you guys aren't making me thrilled about the trade lol. I saw the pictures and fell in love with the handle shape. Which is funny because when I started reading threads on here in my research I found a lot of people hate the look of it. I have a perfect open mouthed bowl that I will be lathering in. And I always shave at night after a shower so I don't think I need to scrub for minutes to get my whiskers moisturized so I think applying lather comfortably is my goal for trying this out. Here's to hoping!
No.... Not exactly.....
I did use a Rooney 3XL as a face lathering brush for a while (until I ran out of soaps)
I did use a Rooney 3XL as a face lathering brush for a while (until I ran out of soaps)
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- #17
Wow. So it arrived today. Amazingly soft. Gonna bowl lather some original razorock xxx tonight with a new feather in my slant. Here is two pictures recently taken to show the difference in size in relation. It is the same stand and same exact wire setup to hold the brush.
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- Thread starter
- #18
You can see how the chubby had a lot of room before it touches the bottom while the bk12 is actually colliding the tips of the hairs with the bottom of the stand. Will report back after the shave.
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- #19
Just had my first lather with it. Here it is in what I thought was my big bowl. Oh boy.
then I actually had a hard time whipping a lather in the bowl. I have bowl lathered with every brush I've owned at one time or another. I think maybe I loaded up too much soap. Only swirled xxx for about twenty maybe thirty seconds. I had to keep adding more and more water to the bowl. I've NEVER used that much water before when adding. So here I was stuck.
then I actually had a hard time whipping a lather in the bowl. I have bowl lathered with every brush I've owned at one time or another. I think maybe I loaded up too much soap. Only swirled xxx for about twenty maybe thirty seconds. I had to keep adding more and more water to the bowl. I've NEVER used that much water before when adding. So here I was stuck.
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- #20
To me it looked like a loaded brush ready for face lather. It wasn't the plan but gotta roll with the punches. It is decadent, it is like a cloud, it is big. But it got the job done comfortably. It didn't splay lather down my chest and on the floor and the doors. I didn't even get it clogged in my nose or ears. Whipped up a really nice lather for a full three pass and a chin touchup, all while loaded in the brush. When I rinsed there was still enough lather in the brush for five scuttles. Here's the behemoth for reference. I have a big head lol.
