Guess what.....YEP another which one of these brushes. In almost a year of using a brush, and with Christmas a few months away, I am looking for a new brush. My only brushes have been the VDH, an Omega 81052, and a Vulfix pure badger. The VDH is OK, the Omega is Great, the vulfix was floppy as all get out and I couldn't even hardly pick up soap with it. Now this was early on so it was probably more me than the brush but I parted with it so I will never know. That being said, I am "almost" strictly a soap user (one tube of cream in my den that gets used maybe once a month) and lather in a bowl. I do palm lather MWF. I don't face lather because it just irritates the heck out of my face. All that being said I see a ton of love for rooney's for soap users and especially a 1/1 for face lathering. What about bowl lathering, I think I would need more loft and could go with a bigger knot. Anyway I am open to suggestions and am curious about your experiences. I am looking into either a Rooney 3/2 (that is style three, medium?) in best, a Simpson Commodore X3 in Best, or a Shavemac 23mm in finest. Those are right in the middle of my price range I guess if there is something that I just have to have that is a bit pricier I could find a way to part with the extra $. Hope that is the right amount of info (not to much or not enough). Thanks in advance.
ATTN: Bowl latherering, soap users.
- Thread starter danparker77
- Start date
Being a relative newbee, my experience with brushes is somewhat limited, but out of the once I have, and have tried, the Kent BK2 is my favorite for soaps and bowl lathering. It loads up well, is quite dense, and it's the only badger I have that works great to bowl lather MWF.
But I have not tried either Rooney, Shavemac or Simpson yet, so when get to do that, my opinion might change. Thinking of getting a Simpson soon.
But I have not tried either Rooney, Shavemac or Simpson yet, so when get to do that, my opinion might change. Thinking of getting a Simpson soon.
Unequivocally, the Simpson Harvard H4, if it's in your price range. I have a lot of brushes, and NOTHING bowl lathers soaps like this one. MWF was trivial to bowl lather with it.
Traditionally, brushes for bowl lathering have a slightly longer handle, like the Rooney style 3, and a bit more loft, but something around 50mm should be fine.
I mostly bowl lather soaps myself. I have a Rooney 3/1 in silvertip (they don't have "best", the grade above silvertip is super), a TGN finest 22mm w/extra hair knot that I made into a brush, and the Semogue Owners Club.
The Rooney is a nice brush, and bowl lathers soap just fine, it makes TONS of lather.
I find my self liking my inexpensive TGN finest (two band) even more. The TGN knot is less dense, which initially turned me off, but it has plenty of backbone, and holds less water, and lather, than the Rooney. It also gives BACK the lather easier, has a great feel on the face, and works well with hard soaps.
The SOC is a great brush, I know you are looking at badgers, but it's still my fave for MWF. Nice and soft, dense, holds plenty of lather, really does a great job on hard soaps.
Of these 3, I am least enamored of the Rooney. It has GREAT build quality, soft hair, easily makes a mound of lather, but it's the one I use the least. It worked well with creams, I just don't use them much anymore.
If I was going to buy another brush, I would get a Simfix Grosvenor, or a Shavemac D01 two band.
I mostly bowl lather soaps myself. I have a Rooney 3/1 in silvertip (they don't have "best", the grade above silvertip is super), a TGN finest 22mm w/extra hair knot that I made into a brush, and the Semogue Owners Club.
The Rooney is a nice brush, and bowl lathers soap just fine, it makes TONS of lather.
I find my self liking my inexpensive TGN finest (two band) even more. The TGN knot is less dense, which initially turned me off, but it has plenty of backbone, and holds less water, and lather, than the Rooney. It also gives BACK the lather easier, has a great feel on the face, and works well with hard soaps.
The SOC is a great brush, I know you are looking at badgers, but it's still my fave for MWF. Nice and soft, dense, holds plenty of lather, really does a great job on hard soaps.
Of these 3, I am least enamored of the Rooney. It has GREAT build quality, soft hair, easily makes a mound of lather, but it's the one I use the least. It worked well with creams, I just don't use them much anymore.
If I was going to buy another brush, I would get a Simfix Grosvenor, or a Shavemac D01 two band.
+1 on TGN Finest
I have a Simpson Commodore X2. I bought it last week. I only have had VDH brushes before but I think its a great bush for bowl lathering with Proraso and tabac.
I am almost exclusively a bowl latherer. The suggestion of the Harvard H4 is Spot on. It takes any soap and generates a ton of lather. It is a large brush and not one I would use as a face latherer.
The only brush that comes close or surpasses is the Eagle G3 in Best. For creams..... The Milkchurn
The only brush that comes close or surpasses is the Eagle G3 in Best. For creams..... The Milkchurn
I have heard that rooney are not what they once were, I don't know if to believe it because my rooney is a super brush, I love it for my soaps and creams, like you I have a really soft brush which is getting a bit too floppy compared to my rooney.
I have a Rooney 3/1 Super and wouldn't recommend it for bowl lathering. The handle is too short and lather gets all over the handle. This may not bother some but it drives me nuts. I try to keep the handle dry as possible while shaving.
My favorite brush for bowl lathering is the Kent BK8. It has a reputation for being floppy but I think it is near perfect in every aspect. Appearance, density, amount of backobone and performance. I actually face lather with this brush more than bowl lather and it works great. I have recently acquired a Savile Row 3824 which might give the Kent BK8 a run for the money once fully mastered and broken in.
Keep us posted and let us know what you end up with.
My favorite brush for bowl lathering is the Kent BK8. It has a reputation for being floppy but I think it is near perfect in every aspect. Appearance, density, amount of backobone and performance. I actually face lather with this brush more than bowl lather and it works great. I have recently acquired a Savile Row 3824 which might give the Kent BK8 a run for the money once fully mastered and broken in.
Keep us posted and let us know what you end up with.
