Custom Shavemac: need help

[beardybrewer]

Hello, I read this thread on which detailed how to best ask for brush recommendations.


I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on a Shavemac 44140 with ebony handle and would like a little advice and reassurance.

1. Current brushes: I started with a Muhle 21mm pure badger and more recently an Invisible Edge 24mm whitetip. I find the Muhle is a great face latherer, reasonably precise, but not very dense and tends to fan out a lot when lathereing. The whitetip is still fairly new to me. I really like the feel and density and although it has a bigger knot it fans less so isn't much messier. To be honest, I'm still learning this brush. Currently it takes a bit more effort than the Muhle.
2. Lathery leanings: I'm partial to hard soaps and face lathering.
3+4. What I think I want: For my next brush I am considering a custom Shavemac 44140 silvertip. From what I have read they have a reputation for having good backbone for hard soaps. I'm undecided on knot and loft. Standard specs are 24mm and loft 56mm. I might aim for 22mm and loft 55mm in a bulb shape. I want an efficient face lathering brush, a bit scrubby but not scritchy, with beauty to boot. Hence the custom chrome and ebony handle as this will be displayed proudly.
5. Budget: While I'm averaging 1 brush a month so far I'm happy with the custom price quoted.
6. Size: I have chops and a van dyke beard so want a smaller more precise brush. I don't want to be cleaning lather out of my beard all day! Also, thus far I'm a 1pass + touch ups shaver. Shavemac seems to reserve their more exotic handles for big brushes which is why I went custom. From the two brushes I own and considering their size and density, I think a 22mm knot and 55m loft will be a good size. But I am least sure on this point and need some reassurance please!
7. Candidates: I've mentioned the Shavemac and was tempted by the Muhle Purist and Sophist. I'll admit I'm going heavily on aethetics here. The thought that their silvertip may be even floppier than my pure badger made me reconder a Shavemac.
8. SBAD: Well really I'm not after a big collection and am happy to pay a premium for what I hope will be my primary brush for a long time.

I don't mind hearing about other options, but am pretty excited about the Shavemac. I mainly want a little guidance and reassurance that the size I'm considering is about right.

 

[Samjax]

I think for hard soaps and face lathering - the original spec 24/56 may be a better way to go than 22/55. If going 22mm, I would probably (personally) look to go more in the 22/50 - 22/52 range.

 

[Gam]

I'll second that.

 

[texaninkc]

I'd keep the knot at 22mm but shorten the loft to about 50 as Samjax mentioned. 55 would be too floppy, especially with the silvertips. I'd go as low as 48 but that's just my preference.

 

[Cochese2323]

I just bought a custom brush from Rudy Vey with a 22mm Shavemac DO1-2band knot and I had him set it at 46mm. I prefer hard soaps and face lathering, so a shorter loft really gives it that extra backbone to work with really hard soaps like MWF, DR Harris, Tabac, etc

 

[jpipes3]

I just bought a custom brush from Rudy Vey with a 22mm Shavemac DO1-2band knot and I had him set it at 46mm. I prefer hard soaps and face lathering, so a shorter loft really gives it that extra backbone to work with really hard soaps like MWF, DR Harris, Tabac, etc

Yep. Just my opinion, but 22/55 or 24/56 is a FAR cry from anything scrubby or precise. Replace 55-56 with 45-46. I face lather, and love me some scrubby brushes. My badgers are 22/45 and 24/47 2-bands, and my boar is a 22/47. I'm not even sure I would call those precise. I had a Shavemac D01 2-band that was about 20/42. Now THAT was precise.

 

[beardybrewer]

Thanks for the excellent feedback! So far you've convinced me to reduce it to at most 22/50. I need to see what loft my Invisible Edge is to gauge if I want it even shorter.

 

[Face&Head]

With the Shavemac silvertip 3-band hair (the D01is denser) for what you want I'd drop the loft to 48 mm tops with a 22 mm knot and 46 mm would be preferable.

 

[Elbe]

Just for the records: The shown Mühle isn't in pure, it's a synthetic fibre.

 

[wimbouman]

A very nice Shavemac you have chosen!

As an alternative, Muhle makes a very luxurious similar brush, the 93 H 85:

I have one of these, from the time they were made bespoke and can say they are soft but firm and luxurious.

Thater has one also, a very nice specimen also:

 

[celestino]

As has been mentioned, shorter loft will be better for face-lathering. Good luck.

 

[Scritchnscrub]

My two cents: I agree with shortening the 22mm loft to enhance scrubbiness - but if it's scrubbiness you value, Shavemac Silvertip isn't the very best choice IMHO. Also, as you shorten the loft, flow-through may suffer. If it were me, I'd choose 22/52 for maximum flow-through. It won't be scrubby but it will have good backbone and release the lather beautifully. I'm sure 22/50 will be fine too.

If you are looking for some scrub without scritch, I'd consider M&F Blonde or - if you have the bucks - a Thater 2 band or Simpson Manchurian. An LE Simpson Rover would be perfect for you too if you could find one on the BST.

 

[beardybrewer]

As an alternative, Muhle makes a very luxurious similar brush, the 93 H 85:

I have one of these, from the time they were made bespoke and can say they are soft but firm and luxurious.

I was seriously considering this brush but was concerned it was too floppy. My Muhle pure badger has no backbone and fans down to the handle. Yet it releases all that lather and works surprisingly well with a pleasant level of scritch. Translating that experience to their low-density silvertip made me nervous it would be even floppier which is how I came to consider Shavemac. I think it will be a bit denser yet still soft. I'm still considering this brush as winter wears on and my face gets wrecked from cycling in the freezing cold.

My two cents: I agree with shortening the 22mm loft to enhance scrubbiness - but if it's scrubbiness you value, Shavemac Silvertip isn't the very best choice IMHO. Also, as you shorten the loft, flow-through may suffer. If it were me, I'd choose 22/52 for maximum flow-through. It won't be scrubby but it will have good backbone and release the lather beautifully. I'm sure 22/50 will be fine too.

This raises an interesting point: flow-through. I actually read in an older thread posted by someone with 3 Shavemacs (silvertip, D01 3 band, D01 2 band) that the whitetip had the best flow-through. I feel my invisible edge (IE) is a bit of a lather vacuum. I have concerns about needing to load up with loads of product for what is usually a single pass. As I mentioned, I'm a 1 pass plus touch-ups shaver. I don't need 3 passes worth of lather in there. I want to be able to create a good face lather rather quickly.

I think I was perhaps mistaken by stating I wanted something scrubby. Maybe I should have said firm with minimal bloom to keep the precision. Or maybe I should say I simply don't want a mop. This whole discussion makes me realize how little I know and is making me nervous about custom ordering the wrong thing. I could, of course, opt for their D01 knots in 3 or 2 band adjusting the loft in an attempt to acheive perfection. I could also be swayed to change knot size with the proper arguement (between 19-24mm). I'm overwhelmed!

Btw, wouldn't it be cool if there was a shaving brush which worked like lipstick allowing you to adjust the loft up and down? Patent pending.

As they are so inexpensive, I'm thinking I'll pick up a Semogue 620 to cheaply experince a scrubby brush. I feel I would really enjoy that when I've missed a few days.

For my primary brush I want small & firm (precise; no mops), soft and scritchless (makes me think silvertip) and quickly creates and easily releases lather (enough for just 1-pass + touch-ups).

 

[Cochese2323]

Btw, wouldn't it be cool if there was a shaving brush which worked like lipstick allowing you to adjust the loft up and down? Patent pending.

Patent owned. Ask and you shall receive

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/136231-Show-Your-Custom-Shavemac!?p=4262981#post4262981

 

[Intrigued]

I was seriously considering this brush but was concerned it was too floppy. My Muhle pure badger has no backbone and fans down to the handle. Yet it releases all that lather and works surprisingly well with a pleasant level of scritch. Translating that experience to their low-density silvertip made me nervous it would be even floppier which is how I came to consider Shavemac. I think it will be a bit denser yet still soft. I'm still considering this brush as winter wears on and my face gets wrecked from cycling in the freezing cold.



This raises an interesting point: flow-through. I actually read in an older thread posted by someone with 3 Shavemacs (silvertip, D01 3 band, D01 2 band) that the whitetip had the best flow-through. I feel my invisible edge (IE) is a bit of a lather vacuum. I have concerns about needing to load up with loads of product for what is usually a single pass. As I mentioned, I'm a 1 pass plus touch-ups shaver. I don't need 3 passes worth of lather in there. I want to be able to create a good face lather rather quickly.

I think I was perhaps mistaken by stating I wanted something scrubby. Maybe I should have said firm with minimal bloom to keep the precision. Or maybe I should say I simply don't want a mop. This whole discussion makes me realize how little I know and is making me nervous about custom ordering the wrong thing. I could, of course, opt for their D01 knots in 3 or 2 band adjusting the loft in an attempt to acheive perfection. I could also be swayed to change knot size with the proper arguement (between 19-24mm). I'm overwhelmed!

Btw, wouldn't it be cool if there was a shaving brush which worked like lipstick allowing you to adjust the loft up and down? Patent pending.

As they are so inexpensive, I'm thinking I'll pick up a Semogue 620 to cheaply experince a scrubby brush. I feel I would really enjoy that when I've missed a few days.

For my primary brush I want small & firm (precise; no mops), soft and scritchless (makes me think silvertip) and quickly creates and easily releases lather (enough for just 1-pass + touch-ups).

Shavemac has made a brush just as you descibe. I don't see it on their Website right now but you could try emailing Bernd to see if it is still available.

 

[Scritchnscrub]

...For my primary brush I want small & firm (precise; no mops), soft and scritchless (makes me think silvertip) and quickly creates and easily releases lather (enough for just 1-pass + touch-ups).

Buy Shavemac's standard 177 Silvertip in 21mm or 23mm or get the Savile Row (from QED USA) 22mm Silvertip. These are three great options for what you've described above. If you don't like the handles they come with, get the knot from a 177 and ask Bernd to put it into whatever handle you want. Leave the loft alone. Bernd's dimensions will give you the best all-around performance. Oh - and get it in a bulb for the best backbone.

 

[beardybrewer]

Thanks for all the advice. I also asked Bernd from Shavemac and he suggested a 48mm loft. I'm also going to go for a bulb shape and no logo. What do you guys think?

44140 Custom Shaving Brush Ebony

Silvertip
Knotsize: 22 mm
Loft Length: 48 mm
Shape: bulb
Handle: Makassar Ebony with Nickel
Logo: none

Hope I wasn't foolish not going to D01 silvertip, but it's not final yet!