Don't Pigeon-Hole Your Brushes (or Soaps)

[texbilly]

We are life-long learners.

I recently traded for a puck of Floris JF soap (the new formulation, sans tallow, wonderful scent) and gave it a try last night. Being a soap, I reached for one of my favorite soap brushes, Rooney 1/2. Soaked the brush for a few minutes, loaded it with a few swirls. No luck. I just couldn't get a thick lather going and not much of what I did produce. Loaded the brush again. Similar result.

So on a whim, I reached for what I've considered up to now to be a cream brush - Kent BK4. Easily one of the softest (read least dense) brushes I have. Wet it under warm water, loaded it with a few swirls and POW! Thick, luxurious lather and plenty of it.

I'm sure this was a combination of this particular soap formulation and its need for air (in this case from the Kent's knot) to generate good lather, but this taught me to experiment more and never assume the labels we assign to our toys cannot be changed!

How about you guys?

 

[WhosYerBob]

I'm trying to narrow everything down to my minimalist kit of just one of each of the basics. Anything more than that and SWMBO will make her displeasure known.

 

[Hreafn]

well beings how i have a bk4 and a kim song brush, i use them for soaps creams and super lather. I never have been like this is for creams and a this is for soaps.

 

[valmara1971]

I'm trying to narrow everything down to my minimalist kit of just one of each of the basics. Anything more than that and SWMBO will make her displeasure known.

+1 on that. You want more than 1 brush? Forget it! Not that I have asked for more than 1 brush that is but I know it's not worth even thinking about
Was just looking at the shave and the huge brush collections there. Is there help for people like us?

 

[bythbook]

+1 on that. You want more than 1 brush? Forget it! Not that I have asked for more than 1 brush that is but I know it's not worth even thinking about
Was just looking at the shave and the huge brush collections there. Is there help for people like us?

what? you want I should send you a brush???? hahahhaha (I could.... )


anyhow - with the exception of my bristle brushes, I do not reserve any brush for one or the other... and I just might give those ol' boars a try with cream just for the heck of it!

 

[Tha Baron]

Exactly the reason why we should all have MORE of everything than we think we need (or want) to have...

 

[Dharion]

The Kent BK4 is a true allrounder.

 

[texbilly]

I should add I don't have a huge badger brush den by B&B Brush Collector standards - five, with one more on the way (for now). At least my RAD has largely shifted from DE purchases to brushes, soaps, creams, scents, blades, the occasional straight....OK, I still need professional help.

After the Kent and my C&E BBB, my brushes are pretty dense - Rooney 1/2, Simpson Chubby 2, Tulip 3 - and I do use them with soaps and creams, but with varying results depending on the brush and soap/cream combination. But somewhere along the line I established the soft/floppy brush bad rule for soaps. Clearly, this is way too limiting so a new door has opened.

Speaking of that Kent BK4, I am quickly becoming a fan of the little brush and its all-around performance. This after I had elevated dense brushes as the only way to go. For my penance, I shall post a review in the brushes section.

And then there's boar....

 

[jkh]

I couldn't agree more ... I owned a Savile Row 3824 that lathered soap like nobodies business, despite its tall loft and bulbous shape.

 

[Emmett]

Both my brushes do equally well with creams and soaps and I don't think I'd ever buy a 'specialized' brush. Congrats on your discovery, though. Many happy lathers with the Kent!

 

[English]

The Kent BK4 has been the standard by which I judge shaving brushes for many many years. It always makes me laugh when I read posts that say how much the new owner likes the box it comes in.

Now as for Floris not working with your other brush, that worries me.
Are you sure it wasn't just because you were using a new soap. It always takes a couple of shaves to get through the outer crust of a new tripple milled soap and enjoy the really rich lather that then flows once the surface layer has been softened up a bit

But a BK4 and a puck of Floris is just about as good as it gets.

 

[Baloosh]

Your first two attempts with the Rooney softened up the top of the soap enough for the BK4 to work.

 

[bythbook]

I hope you guys are right about the BK4 - I just bought one on your recommendation!!!!! (Thanks, B&B.)

 

[texbilly]

Now as for Floris not working with your other brush, that worries me. Are you sure it wasn't just because you were using a new soap. It always takes a couple of shaves to get through the outer crust of a new tripple milled soap and enjoy the really rich lather that then flows once the surface layer has been softened up a bit

Your first two attempts with the Rooney softened up the top of the soap enough for the BK4 to work.

Excellent points. Although I can't easily recall other triple milled soaps exhibiting the same but of course they're not all the same. I remember my first Tabac lather exploding without the assistance of some softening water. Then again, I grate most of my other soap pucks into containers, so.....

 

[texbilly]

I hope you guys are right about the BK4 - I just bought one on your recommendation!!!!! (Thanks, B&B.)

Well based on my short history, you have made a wise investment!

 

[DrZoidberg]

I just recently bought a C&E Super Badger which I was told isn't the best for soaps. Being that all I have so far is VDH soap I figured I would get some creams later to use with the new brush. I got it in the mail and figured I'd try it out and whoa! I've never gotten lather that rich out of VDH.

 

[texbilly]

I just recently bought a C&E Super Badger which I was told isn't the best for soaps. Being that all I have so far is VDH soap I figured I would get some creams later to use with the new brush. I got it in the mail and figured I'd try it out and whoa! I've never gotten lather that rich out of VDH.

Another data point established for the "go for it" approach. Well done!

 

[garyg]

Well, this has me thinking. I have a loose & long rotation of razors, brushes & soaps that has a pretty wide range. I always get shaved though, but it might be Mama Bear's Halloween with a Beehive, cleared with an Injector, to today a Black Tip with a 1/1 with Irisch Moos whipped up with a vintage.

I don't always get a great lather, perhaps I should consider the brush & soap combo & keep track?

 

[texbilly]

Well, this has me thinking. I have a loose & long rotation of razors, brushes & soaps that has a pretty wide range. I always get shaved though, but it might be Mama Bear's Halloween with a Beehive, cleared with an Injector, to today a Black Tip with a 1/1 with Irisch Moos whipped up with a vintage.

I don't always get a great lather, perhaps I should consider the brush & soap combo & keep track?

My approach is generally like yours, Gary - I go with whatever strikes me at the moment. I don't want to write a book about it, but I've found a little more attention can go a long way!

 

[Antique Hoosier]

The BK4 is such a great brush that I've owned it no less than 4 seperate times. I currently enjoy a HUGE Vulfix #41 and it does just great with soaps too!