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Bought 5 New Simpson Shaving Brushes and 3 MDC's

Update on breaking in the Chubby's.
I'm working on the Chubby 1's in Best and Super.
I know everyone has their own way of breaking in their brush. Here's part of mine. First, I let them soak in warm, not super hot water in one of my Old Spice Shaving Mugs while I get my shower ready. I have 2 steel shaving puc jars with lids that I put pucs in, one currently has a puc of TOBS and the other Dr. Harrington's Lavender. Then I bring them and the brushes in the shower with me being careful not to have them directly in the shower water. I have a rubber maid step stool in the tub, which is kinda spacious, with a fresh hand cloth over it and sit. All of course l, after I have washed myself and begin to lather. I shave my head and I just trimmed my beard to a goat so I have some area to work with. I first hand lather, really loading the brushes up but Not using alot of pressure to splay them out in the beginning. I use brush strokes and small circles. From my hand lather to my face to my head. Basically I'm washing my face and head again with these shaving soaps. I do this half a dozen times or so.
Anyway, the Chubby 1 Super only lost 2 hairs. The Chubby 1 Best lost 15. 😐
When I dry them, I palm the handle while holding the mid to bottom of the knot with 4 fingers and flick at the shower curtain until I barely hear any water hitting it.
Dry off in the shower, step out, grab a fresh towel and gently squeeze the knot then brush stroke it on the towel. My bathroom gets the morning sun, I have a skylight in the shower, and the window sill is a perfect spot to the the brushes dry.
So that's what I did this morning with both brushes. THEY BOTH LATHERED GREAT!
The Super is EXTREMELY SOFT. Not as soft as my custom brush but VERY SOFT, MAYBE TOO SOFT. The Best feels great but I'm concerned about the 15 hairs but I'm not freaking out yet. I have 30 days from purchase to return if I choose.
Tomorrow morning I'll do the same or maybe Monday and let them thoroughly dry. I haven't tried the 2, 3 or Commadore 3 yet. Even thinking of sending the Commadore back in exchange for a Duke or Tulip and just pay the difference.
Anyway, the next week or so will determine some things for me.
But again, they both lathered great. I used the Super for my shave with the MDC original and my Merkur Progress. It was SWEET. I can see using the Super on my head when I get burnt from too much sun.
Fresh water fly fisherman here and Road King cruiser so I get some sun.
Thanks for letting me babble. Enjoy your weekend gentlemen.
 
Update on breaking in the Chubby's.
I'm working on the Chubby 1's in Best and Super.
I know everyone has their own way of breaking in their brush. Here's part of mine. First, I let them soak in warm, not super hot water in one of my Old Spice Shaving Mugs while I get my shower ready. I have 2 steel shaving puc jars with lids that I put pucs in, one currently has a puc of TOBS and the other Dr. Harrington's Lavender. Then I bring them and the brushes in the shower with me being careful not to have them directly in the shower water. I have a rubber maid step stool in the tub, which is kinda spacious, with a fresh hand cloth over it and sit. All of course l, after I have washed myself and begin to lather. I shave my head and I just trimmed my beard to a goat so I have some area to work with. I first hand lather, really loading the brushes up but Not using alot of pressure to splay them out in the beginning. I use brush strokes and small circles. From my hand lather to my face to my head. Basically I'm washing my face and head again with these shaving soaps. I do this half a dozen times or so.
Anyway, the Chubby 1 Super only lost 2 hairs. The Chubby 1 Best lost 15. 😐
When I dry them, I palm the handle while holding the mid to bottom of the knot with 4 fingers and flick at the shower curtain until I barely hear any water hitting it.
Dry off in the shower, step out, grab a fresh towel and gently squeeze the knot then brush stroke it on the towel. My bathroom gets the morning sun, I have a skylight in the shower, and the window sill is a perfect spot to the the brushes dry.
So that's what I did this morning with both brushes. THEY BOTH LATHERED GREAT!
The Super is EXTREMELY SOFT. Not as soft as my custom brush but VERY SOFT, MAYBE TOO SOFT. The Best feels great but I'm concerned about the 15 hairs but I'm not freaking out yet. I have 30 days from purchase to return if I choose.
Tomorrow morning I'll do the same or maybe Monday and let them thoroughly dry. I haven't tried the 2, 3 or Commadore 3 yet. Even thinking of sending the Commadore back in exchange for a Duke or Tulip and just pay the difference.
Anyway, the next week or so will determine some things for me.
But again, they both lathered great. I used the Super for my shave with the MDC original and my Merkur Progress. It was SWEET. I can see using the Super on my head when I get burnt from too much sun.
Fresh water fly fisherman here and Road King cruiser so I get some sun.
Thanks for letting me babble. Enjoy your weekend gentlemen.

totally normal to lose a dozen hairs or so on the first wash. Keep an eye out after 5-10 uses. Don’t use too hot water
Do you mind posting a photo of the Chubbies? Particularly a close up on the best, I want to see how the current batches look
 
totally normal to lose a dozen hairs or so on the first wash. Keep an eye out after 5-10 uses. Don’t use too hot water
Do you mind posting a photo of the Chubbies? Particularly a close up on the best, I want to see how the current batches look
On the sill.
 

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Richard, Are these shots from Simpsons site or are you just a professional photographer?


Had one batch of Simpson shedders (4 duke pures bought @ closeout on Amazon). Other than that, Probably close to 50 Simpsons owned and no other shedders (Maybe one I bought years ago second hand AS a shedder? Can't remember for sure).

That said. Of my Simpsons with almost all it was pretty clear they were fine within the first 3-5 uses or so. I've never had a Simpson that did that 3+ hairs on and off for 20+ uses-thing EXCEPT those 4 dukes. So in my experience, you'll know within your 30 day window if you're good or not.
 
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Richard, Are these shots from Simpsons site or are you just a professional photographer?


Had one batch of Simpson shedders (4 duke pures bought @ closeout on Amazon). Other than that, Probably close to 50 Simpsons owned and no other shedders (Maybe one I bought years ago second hand AS a shedder? Can't remember for sure).

That said. Of my Simpsons with almost all it was pretty clear they were fine within the first 3-5 uses or so. I've never had a Simpson that did that 3+ hairs on and off for 20+ uses-thing EXCEPT those 4 dukes. So in my experience, you'll know within your 30 day window if you're good or not.
I hear that! I'll be giving it my attention over the next week or so, it's going in the shower with me and getting some good soap. If I'm still losing that number, she's gotta go. Not unlike the ex wives. Packed up and out the door. 😎
 
Richard, Are these shots from Simpsons site or are you just a professional photographer?


Had one batch of Simpson shedders (4 duke pures bought @ closeout on Amazon). Other than that, Probably close to 50 Simpsons owned and no other shedders (Maybe one I bought years ago second hand AS a shedder? Can't remember for sure).

That said. Of my Simpsons with almost all it was pretty clear they were fine within the first 3-5 uses or so. I've never had a Simpson that did that 3+ hairs on and off for 20+ uses-thing EXCEPT those 4 dukes. So in my experience, you'll know within your 30 day window if you're good or not.
Who's Richard?
 
Update on breaking in the Chubby's.
...
The Super is EXTREMELY SOFT. Not as soft as my custom brush but VERY SOFT, MAYBE TOO SOFT.

Yeah, the difference when wet, nice that you experience it so clearly!

Anyway, the Chubby 1 Super only lost 2 hairs. The Chubby 1 Best lost 15. 😐

Nothing to worry about in the beginning, see @macintoshBR above and also Simpson Saving Brushes: What should I do if my shaving brush starts to shed bristles?

... and begin to lather. ... I first hand lather, really loading the brushes up but Not using alot of pressure to splay them out in the beginning.

There is no need to splay a damp to wet brush while loading. And depending on the level of pressure and the grade of splay it will damage the hair and the construction of the knot.
Going around in swirls dictated almost by gravity or of course slight pressure as well as doing strokes between opposed cardinal points will perfectly make the soap meet the center of the brush. Badger hair doesn't absorb water, it holds it between the hair, the soap will find it!
If you load accordingly, I promise neither your lather nor it's amount in the brush will suffer when you give up the splaying.
 
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FYI, I don't know if you can tell by the photos, the tips of the Super are noticeably whiter then the Best out of the direct sunlight.

Yep, say hello to the Silvertips. 🖖

As they added in parentheses: Simpson: Home -> Shop -> Brushes -> Super (Silvertip) Badger
There is no "Best (Silvertip) Badger", it's just "Best Badger". ;)
 
FYI, I don't know if you can tell by the photos, the tips of the Super are noticeably whiter then the Best out of the direct sunlight.

Yes, Super / Silvertips are creamier / whiter, Best are yellowish/brownish/tanish, and Pure are grayish. That's the best way to tell if your Best Badger is closer to Pure or closer to Super.

Look at @SharpieB 's M7 in Best. That's the whitest Best Badger tip I've ever seen. Compare it to his Wee Scot (grayish) and the Colonel (yellow/brown) and you get the point

 
Yes, Super / Silvertips are creamier / whiter, Best are yellowish/brownish/tanish, and Pure are grayish. That's the best way to tell if your Best Badger is closer to Pure or closer to Super.

Look at @SharpieB 's M7 in Best. That's the whitest Best Badger tip I've ever seen. Compare it to his Wee Scot (grayish) and the Colonel (yellow/brown) and you get the point
Correct. It is as close to a “Super” as any “Best” I have used. Softer tips than my other Bests and thinner hairs it seems. I can’t really tell the face feel or lathering difference between this M7 and my 2 Simpson Supers (Tulip 3 and Emperor 3).

To each their own, but I own a lot of Bests and this M7 is the best (HA!) of all of them. There is variation.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Yes, Super / Silvertips are creamier / whiter, Best are yellowish/brownish/tanish, and Pure are grayish. That's the best way to tell if your Best Badger is closer to Pure or closer to Super.

Look at @SharpieB 's M7 in Best. That's the whitest Best Badger tip I've ever seen. Compare it to his Wee Scot (grayish) and the Colonel (yellow/brown) and you get the point

That is very helpful, thanks.

🤔 Explains why I love my Simpsons Bests; they are closer to the next grade.

Pulled out a scritchy Muhle Pure (that I hate) and was shocked at its comparitive grey color.

And a low cost "Silvertip" knot I bought; it's really more a Simpson Best.


AA
 
Off topic, but I must say: Your Chubby Special Forces unit there, straight and purely Ivory and all with the same handle shape looks absolutely awesome! Very special. And the Chubby 0.5 on the left blends in almost seamlessly. 😎

Thank you! I am a traditional, I don't like the modern colorful handles as much as the plain ivory.

The Classic 1 is truly special, just used it again this morning. Most people see the Classic 1 as Chubby 0 and the Classic 2 as Chubby 0.5; but one could also say that the Chubby 1 is the Classic 3, Chubby 2 is the Classic 4 and Chubby 3 is the Classic 5
 
FUN with Shaving Brushes!
Ok. Here are my new Simpson Chubby Family and my new Shavemac D01 2 Band. My buddy swapped it to me for a 200 white box of ammo I purchased 3 or 4 years ago at Wally World for like $70 or $80! Take a gander! He said he never used it. It looks like it's never touched water to me! Anyway, I think I got a great deal even if the ammo is going for almost 80 cents a round now. I have a few more boxes.
What do you all think? 😊
 

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CHEESE AND CRAKERS!
I PURCHASED A CHUBBY 2 IN BOTH BEST AND MANCHURIAN!!! THE MANCHURIAN HAS THE BLACK BEAUTY HANDLE.
I THINK I HAVE A SHAVING BRUSH ADDICTION. BTW, MY FAVORITES SO FAR, CHUBBY 1 BEST, AND SHAVEMAC DO1.
HELP!
 
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