I have had some problems with Simpsons Chubby 2 consistency and QC with regards to the knot. I have tried twice to get a fair in hand evaluation in the high profile stores in downtown London in England. I have not liked what I have seen and felt so my single Simpsons brush was a Berkeley until I PIFed it some time ago. My observation is that the quality of the Simpsons knots in best badger has been unpredictable during the last five years.
With that background I was very pleased by the recent announcement from Simpsons that they will be concentrating on the standard brushes and leaving the limited edition brushes production to a minimum and only sold via their own site. This announcement was followed by a rumor that the quality of the Chubby 2 in best was at an all-time high. The rumor was confirmed on the Shavenook forum by the mods there.
This led me to take the plunge when a good deal showed up on a Chubby 2 in best. Buying an unseen and untouched Simpsons brush is certainly not what I would recommend but the deal was too good to pass on. To my relief the rumor of the softness of the knot was very easily confirmed after the initial 10 latherings. The brush is up to its hype now!
My intention with this shootout is to compare the Chubby to my custom Shavemac 3 band D01, since this Shavemac is my favorite brush in the very dense department. In spite of the low hype factor I have learned that my big Shavemac is as dense and luxurious as they get. It has during the last few years outperformed every contender, including a previous Chubby 2 in best on loan. I have been using my Chubby2 now for 14 shaves. I think the knot will further loosen up, but not by much.
The actual measurements are these: Shavemac D01 in fan 27/50 mm and my Chubby2 is 30/52 mm in a semi fan loft. Be aware that the measurements of Simpsons brushes vary a lot. I think the post shave bloom of my Chubby2 knot is not what I have seen pictures of before or experienced first hand. I have a recollection of a more bulbous loft. You can judge this for yourselves from the pictures below!
Method and background
I have been DE shaving for 8 years (and part time since 1980) and have evaluated quite a few brushes along the way, mostly ad hoc. I have finally arrived at this check list on brush properties (which I have shamelessly copied from an ancient B&B post!). This is my strategy for brush comparisons and it is highly subjective. Your preferences and methods will vary!
My way of shaving consists of a shower, face wash to exfoliate, brush soaking in cold water during shower, cold water shaving with 2+ passes (XTG, ATG + clean up), cold water rinse and an AS. I pick up the soap from a puck or apply the puck or stick directly to my face. I apply extra moisturizer once a week or daily during cold/dry season. I shave every day and all my shaves for the last five years have been BBS.
For a brush to qualify into my den I have to consider it my desert island brush and furthermore it has to add something unique to the existing mix.
It is up to the reader to decide which features of a brush are the most important. Here are mine:
Face feeling
of the brush on my face is the most important property to me. I dont want any scritch, prickliness or unpleasantness at all! The face feeling of the brush is a determined by its knot, loft (hi low), profile (fan bulb), bristles (synth/horse badger 2/3 banding), backbone and density. The density is the most elusive characteristic of the knot and commonly not specified in any consistent way from manufacturers and vendors.
The face feeling of my Chubby is soft (for a Simpsons best) without noticeable scritch. It is still rougher than a Shavemac finest, but the softest Simpsons in best I have used. The rumor of the present batch softness of the tips is hereby confirmed. The rumor also pointed out that the tips were whiter than before but I cannot confirm that because of lack of comparison and only vague memories of the color of the tips.
The focus of the Chubby is a bit problematic for me. Because the brush is a semi fan rather than a bulb the focus of the brush is somewhat unclear. I can feel the whole loft but since the loft is not as dense as the Shavemac it feels weaker on the skin. I am unable to confirm the degree of bulbiness in a broken in Chubby 2, but I have a vague memory of more bulb Might also be my old fogeyness playing a prank on me. The feeling is somewhat vague also because of the lesser density of the knot, compared to the one of the Shavemac.
The fan D01 Shavemac is a different beast altogether. The face feeling is firm and soft. It is a true wall of badger and the result of me trying out several variants. Because of the density and the fan shape of the knot I get a distinct feeling of an endless brush. The control of the lather building lies in the low loft and the density of the knot. This is an extremely dense knot, decidedly denser than the Chubby. The tips are clearly softer than those of the Chubby.
Lathering
For me the lather building and release are the second most important characteristics of a brush. The size, loft, material and density of the knot are important properties in this respect.
The Chubby is big but surprisingly agile in lather building. I have used Pré de Provence throughout this testing period with very good results. I did also build a few lathers with my other favorites (Mystic Water and Martin de Candre). It is very easy to adapt to the different soaps with the Chubby. I have even indulged in my favorite game with the Pré de Provence: using Marcos wet method. The Chubby is almost able to hold the water! This is wet shaving at its best!! Pure luxury.
The Chubby is surprisingly easy when it comes to release the lather. Or maybe I get this sensation since the Shavemac holds on to the lather more, hard to tell. Because of the density and the quality of the hair the Chubby is decidedly more eager to release the lather than the Shavemac.
The Shavemac is again different. It does easily produce an astonishing amount of very dense and wet lather and the quality of the lather is easy to control. The feeling of extreme luxury is present in every use of this brush. The density is unparalleled in any brush I have ever used. This is the perfect size for me, simply because it is built for me after testing two other 3 band D01s. I cannot even imagine any brush outperforming this one for me.
Backbone
is dependent on what material the knot is made of and how the loft is set, in height and density. The backbone of a brush is important in assisting to pick up the soap from the puck and spreading it on the face. A weak backbone will result in unintended splaying and potential harming of the brush while building lather.
The backbone of the Chubby is surprisingly soft. After writing this sentence I realize that I was comparing it to the D01 2 bander that I recently received from Rudy Vey. Compared to the extremely dense 3 band Shavemac D01 it is weaker, as expected. However there is an astounding amount of backbone considering the knot is in best badger. The sheer amount of badger hair in the knot makes this backbone very usable and consistent. I really enjoy this aspect of the Chubby.
The D01 has a lot more backbone because of its density and bristle type. This extra backbone I use to load more water and soap from pucks. Pure luxury! However this huge brush hogs soap so lathering from sticks on the face is not very easy.
Knot
is responsible for the bloom, and for the amount of water and soap a brush holds.
The Chubby has a knot Simpsons call best badger. It is comparable to a Shavemac in finest. Due to the sheer size of the knot it holds water and soap to a surprising degree. This is the signature of this famous brush and is to be respected as such. There is no denying that a Shavemac in finest with these measurements would perform better with regards to holding both water and soap. I know this for a fact after having used a Shavemac in finest with a 30/52 knot.
The Shavemac brush is extremely easy to load with adequate amounts of water and soap in all conditions I use it in. The control of the water to soap ratio is very easy to maintain. The knot of the Shavemac is clearly superior to that of the Chubby both in holding water and soap.
Handle
aesthetics and comfort is a very personal choice. I use all my brushes for face lathering and this usage calls for a rather compact handle. The total height of the brush should not be too tall or it will be uncomfortable to hold to the face.
I have to admit that I am partial to the octagonal handle by Shavemac. I consider this the ideal handle. Well, of course I would not order a custom brush with a for me inferior handle!
The handle of the Chubby is rather uninspiring and clumsy for me. This is of course the downside of a standard brush.
The knot on the left has the kind of bulbous shape I thought I remembered from the previous Chubby2 I tried. The brush is a prototype of a discontinued line of Pur Tech STF2 synthetics. It measures about 31/56 mm. It also has a more comfortable handle than the Chubby has.
Conclusion
My conclusion after this shootout is that the Chubby 2, in this incarnation, is for me a pleasurable brush. Because of the swaying QC of this brand I have not had the pleasure of owning a Chubby 2 until now. That is a shame. I do realize that the nice batch of Chubby 2s might be over any day, but this is the nature of standard brushes. Do not take this write up as a guarantee in any way!
I enjoy this brush despite its obvious shortcomings compared to one of my favorite custom brushes. It has a very nice lather building capacity and release and I expect to get over my somewhat irrational memory of a more bulbous and precise face feeling. As the knot loosens up I also expect it to hold more water and soap.
For a brush to make it to my rotation I should consider it my desert island brush and it should bring something new to the existing rotation. Will the Chubby 2 make it to my rotation? I am not sure, I will have to ponder upon that question some more. Id like to see more and stabler water retention and further softer tips even after a while on the shelf. I have some bad experiences of finest brushes needing a couple of lathers before softening up the tips after some weeks on the shelf. That wont do in my rotation, I change brush every Saturday and expect all my brushes to perform directly after the breaking in cycle.
Shavemac brushes can be configured and ordered here: http://www.shavemac.com/products/Experts/Shaving-Brush-EXPERTS-SELECT.html?currency=USD and of course Rudy Vey can make any handle to any Shavemac knot.
The availability of the current batch of Chubby 2s is limited to the Simpsons website at http://www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_CHUBBYB . A lot of vendors carry the Chubby 2, but not necessarily of the latest batch.
My other brush comparisons can be read here:
badger v boar: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/416591-Brush-shootout-Badger-v-boar
small brushes: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ushes-shootout
synthetic brushes: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...brush-shootout
big brushes: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/397957-Big-brushes-shootout-(pic-heavy)
With that background I was very pleased by the recent announcement from Simpsons that they will be concentrating on the standard brushes and leaving the limited edition brushes production to a minimum and only sold via their own site. This announcement was followed by a rumor that the quality of the Chubby 2 in best was at an all-time high. The rumor was confirmed on the Shavenook forum by the mods there.
This led me to take the plunge when a good deal showed up on a Chubby 2 in best. Buying an unseen and untouched Simpsons brush is certainly not what I would recommend but the deal was too good to pass on. To my relief the rumor of the softness of the knot was very easily confirmed after the initial 10 latherings. The brush is up to its hype now!
My intention with this shootout is to compare the Chubby to my custom Shavemac 3 band D01, since this Shavemac is my favorite brush in the very dense department. In spite of the low hype factor I have learned that my big Shavemac is as dense and luxurious as they get. It has during the last few years outperformed every contender, including a previous Chubby 2 in best on loan. I have been using my Chubby2 now for 14 shaves. I think the knot will further loosen up, but not by much.
The actual measurements are these: Shavemac D01 in fan 27/50 mm and my Chubby2 is 30/52 mm in a semi fan loft. Be aware that the measurements of Simpsons brushes vary a lot. I think the post shave bloom of my Chubby2 knot is not what I have seen pictures of before or experienced first hand. I have a recollection of a more bulbous loft. You can judge this for yourselves from the pictures below!
Method and background
I have been DE shaving for 8 years (and part time since 1980) and have evaluated quite a few brushes along the way, mostly ad hoc. I have finally arrived at this check list on brush properties (which I have shamelessly copied from an ancient B&B post!). This is my strategy for brush comparisons and it is highly subjective. Your preferences and methods will vary!
My way of shaving consists of a shower, face wash to exfoliate, brush soaking in cold water during shower, cold water shaving with 2+ passes (XTG, ATG + clean up), cold water rinse and an AS. I pick up the soap from a puck or apply the puck or stick directly to my face. I apply extra moisturizer once a week or daily during cold/dry season. I shave every day and all my shaves for the last five years have been BBS.
For a brush to qualify into my den I have to consider it my desert island brush and furthermore it has to add something unique to the existing mix.
It is up to the reader to decide which features of a brush are the most important. Here are mine:
Face feeling
of the brush on my face is the most important property to me. I dont want any scritch, prickliness or unpleasantness at all! The face feeling of the brush is a determined by its knot, loft (hi low), profile (fan bulb), bristles (synth/horse badger 2/3 banding), backbone and density. The density is the most elusive characteristic of the knot and commonly not specified in any consistent way from manufacturers and vendors.
The face feeling of my Chubby is soft (for a Simpsons best) without noticeable scritch. It is still rougher than a Shavemac finest, but the softest Simpsons in best I have used. The rumor of the present batch softness of the tips is hereby confirmed. The rumor also pointed out that the tips were whiter than before but I cannot confirm that because of lack of comparison and only vague memories of the color of the tips.
The focus of the Chubby is a bit problematic for me. Because the brush is a semi fan rather than a bulb the focus of the brush is somewhat unclear. I can feel the whole loft but since the loft is not as dense as the Shavemac it feels weaker on the skin. I am unable to confirm the degree of bulbiness in a broken in Chubby 2, but I have a vague memory of more bulb Might also be my old fogeyness playing a prank on me. The feeling is somewhat vague also because of the lesser density of the knot, compared to the one of the Shavemac.
The fan D01 Shavemac is a different beast altogether. The face feeling is firm and soft. It is a true wall of badger and the result of me trying out several variants. Because of the density and the fan shape of the knot I get a distinct feeling of an endless brush. The control of the lather building lies in the low loft and the density of the knot. This is an extremely dense knot, decidedly denser than the Chubby. The tips are clearly softer than those of the Chubby.
Lathering
For me the lather building and release are the second most important characteristics of a brush. The size, loft, material and density of the knot are important properties in this respect.
The Chubby is big but surprisingly agile in lather building. I have used Pré de Provence throughout this testing period with very good results. I did also build a few lathers with my other favorites (Mystic Water and Martin de Candre). It is very easy to adapt to the different soaps with the Chubby. I have even indulged in my favorite game with the Pré de Provence: using Marcos wet method. The Chubby is almost able to hold the water! This is wet shaving at its best!! Pure luxury.
The Chubby is surprisingly easy when it comes to release the lather. Or maybe I get this sensation since the Shavemac holds on to the lather more, hard to tell. Because of the density and the quality of the hair the Chubby is decidedly more eager to release the lather than the Shavemac.
The Shavemac is again different. It does easily produce an astonishing amount of very dense and wet lather and the quality of the lather is easy to control. The feeling of extreme luxury is present in every use of this brush. The density is unparalleled in any brush I have ever used. This is the perfect size for me, simply because it is built for me after testing two other 3 band D01s. I cannot even imagine any brush outperforming this one for me.
Backbone
is dependent on what material the knot is made of and how the loft is set, in height and density. The backbone of a brush is important in assisting to pick up the soap from the puck and spreading it on the face. A weak backbone will result in unintended splaying and potential harming of the brush while building lather.
The backbone of the Chubby is surprisingly soft. After writing this sentence I realize that I was comparing it to the D01 2 bander that I recently received from Rudy Vey. Compared to the extremely dense 3 band Shavemac D01 it is weaker, as expected. However there is an astounding amount of backbone considering the knot is in best badger. The sheer amount of badger hair in the knot makes this backbone very usable and consistent. I really enjoy this aspect of the Chubby.
The D01 has a lot more backbone because of its density and bristle type. This extra backbone I use to load more water and soap from pucks. Pure luxury! However this huge brush hogs soap so lathering from sticks on the face is not very easy.
Knot
is responsible for the bloom, and for the amount of water and soap a brush holds.
The Chubby has a knot Simpsons call best badger. It is comparable to a Shavemac in finest. Due to the sheer size of the knot it holds water and soap to a surprising degree. This is the signature of this famous brush and is to be respected as such. There is no denying that a Shavemac in finest with these measurements would perform better with regards to holding both water and soap. I know this for a fact after having used a Shavemac in finest with a 30/52 knot.
The Shavemac brush is extremely easy to load with adequate amounts of water and soap in all conditions I use it in. The control of the water to soap ratio is very easy to maintain. The knot of the Shavemac is clearly superior to that of the Chubby both in holding water and soap.
Handle
aesthetics and comfort is a very personal choice. I use all my brushes for face lathering and this usage calls for a rather compact handle. The total height of the brush should not be too tall or it will be uncomfortable to hold to the face.
I have to admit that I am partial to the octagonal handle by Shavemac. I consider this the ideal handle. Well, of course I would not order a custom brush with a for me inferior handle!
The handle of the Chubby is rather uninspiring and clumsy for me. This is of course the downside of a standard brush.
The knot on the left has the kind of bulbous shape I thought I remembered from the previous Chubby2 I tried. The brush is a prototype of a discontinued line of Pur Tech STF2 synthetics. It measures about 31/56 mm. It also has a more comfortable handle than the Chubby has.
Conclusion
My conclusion after this shootout is that the Chubby 2, in this incarnation, is for me a pleasurable brush. Because of the swaying QC of this brand I have not had the pleasure of owning a Chubby 2 until now. That is a shame. I do realize that the nice batch of Chubby 2s might be over any day, but this is the nature of standard brushes. Do not take this write up as a guarantee in any way!
I enjoy this brush despite its obvious shortcomings compared to one of my favorite custom brushes. It has a very nice lather building capacity and release and I expect to get over my somewhat irrational memory of a more bulbous and precise face feeling. As the knot loosens up I also expect it to hold more water and soap.
For a brush to make it to my rotation I should consider it my desert island brush and it should bring something new to the existing rotation. Will the Chubby 2 make it to my rotation? I am not sure, I will have to ponder upon that question some more. Id like to see more and stabler water retention and further softer tips even after a while on the shelf. I have some bad experiences of finest brushes needing a couple of lathers before softening up the tips after some weeks on the shelf. That wont do in my rotation, I change brush every Saturday and expect all my brushes to perform directly after the breaking in cycle.
Shavemac brushes can be configured and ordered here: http://www.shavemac.com/products/Experts/Shaving-Brush-EXPERTS-SELECT.html?currency=USD and of course Rudy Vey can make any handle to any Shavemac knot.
The availability of the current batch of Chubby 2s is limited to the Simpsons website at http://www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_CHUBBYB . A lot of vendors carry the Chubby 2, but not necessarily of the latest batch.
My other brush comparisons can be read here:
badger v boar: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/416591-Brush-shootout-Badger-v-boar
small brushes: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ushes-shootout
synthetic brushes: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...brush-shootout
big brushes: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/397957-Big-brushes-shootout-(pic-heavy)
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