Duke 2 or TGN Finest 2 Band?

[Steve_in_CT]

My old Duke 2 is still my all time favorite. I have been using a Crabtree & Evelyn Edwin Jagger but it's too floppy. I'm breaking in a Vulfix 404, and while I have some hope for it, I don't think it will make me forget the Duke 2. So my question is: put a TGN Finest 2 band in the old handle, or just buy a new Duke 2? Or is there some other knot that would have the same characteristics as the Duke 2?

Am I kidding myself by looking for a less expensive alternative? After all, the Duke 2 is still shy of $100 and I do have a birthday coming up. (I'll send the shipping address to anyone interested in sending a generous birthday gift.)

 

[rexcarolus]

I must be missing something, Steve. What is the issue with your old Duke 2? If the hair is worn out, you can send it to Simpsons to have them put new hair in. That will keep the nostalgia alive.

 

[ChiefBroom]

I must be missing something, Steve. What is the issue with your old Duke 2? If the hair is worn out, you can send it to Simpsons to have them put new hair in. That will keep the nostalgia alive.

Good suggestion.

 

[hon]

Since you already had a Duke 2 why don't go for a Duke 3, Classic 2 or Chubby 1?
The D3 is bigger, the CL2 and CH1 both having similar size as the Duke 2 but denser.
You might like them more than the D2.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

I must be missing something, Steve. What is the issue with your old Duke 2? If the hair is worn out, you can send it to Simpsons to have them put new hair in. That will keep the nostalgia alive.

It is worn out, although I do still use it. I contacted Simpsons and received a prompt and polite response. The gist of it was that it would be less expensive to replace it than to have them put a new knot in it. Since I have the handle, I thought of putting a TGN knot in it, but I'm just afraid that when I'm done I won't like it as much as if I just bought a new Duke 2. I don't know enough about the details of each know to know which would best replicate the Duke 2.

 

[tailoredfamcam]

Buy new Duke 2 AND re-knot the old Duke 2 with a TGN Finest.

 

[vpayne]

I'd recommend you get a comparable size 2 band finest from TGN. You will be glad you did. If not, you're only out a few bucks and will have learned a lot. FWIW.
Vic

 

[rexcarolus]

That is probably true once you factor in shipping that it is cheaper to buy the new Duke 2. If you have Simpsons replace the hair, I think they would probably be open to "upgrade" the hair to 2 band Super/Silvertip (of course for an upcharge). Getting this hair in a new Duke would be a custom order, so if you are curious to try this hair, it may be worth it to do the reknot through them.

If your Duke is pre-Vulfix, and if it were me, I would want to have that in my rotation since the handles have such great hand-turned character. I have two pre-Vulfix Duke 1s, and they are both really nice to use.

TGN Finest in a short loft comparable to most Dukes will be a lot stiffer and may hog the lather more than the Best hair. You would probably need to increase the loft compared with the original design if you use that TGN.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

That is probably true once you factor in shipping that it is cheaper to buy the new Duke 2. If you have Simpsons replace the hair, I think they would probably be open to "upgrade" the hair to 2 band Super/Silvertip (of course for an upcharge). Getting this hair in a new Duke would be a custom order, so if you are curious to try this hair, it may be worth it to do the reknot through them.

If your Duke is pre-Vulfix, and if it were me, I would want to have that in my rotation since the handles have such great hand-turned character. I have two pre-Vulfix Duke 1s, and they are both really nice to use.

TGN Finest in a short loft comparable to most Dukes will be a lot stiffer and may hog the lather more than the Best hair. You would probably need to increase the loft compared with the original design if you use that TGN.

Yes, it is pre-Vulfix. So what TGN knot and loft do you think most closely replicates the Duke 2?

 

[NSmalls]

TGN Finest in the Duke Handle is the best idea in my opinion. I would not try performing this operation without a caliper though. You need to measure the opening of the hole in the handle and then order a knot size 2mm smaller. So if the hole is 22mm I would order a 20mm knot. I just found this out in my first restoration project.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

TGN Finest in the Duke Handle is the best idea in my opinion. I would not try performing this operation without a caliper though. You need to measure the opening of the hole in the handle and then order a knot size 2mm smaller. So if the hole is 22mm I would order a 20mm knot. I just found this out in my first restoration project.

Thanks. I asked this question in the restoration forum, but I'll try here as well: is there someone you can recommend who will do the restoration? I did a trial run on an old, inexpensive handle and ruined the handle removing the old knot. I don't want to take a chance with the Duke handle.

 

[rexcarolus]

Please post pics of the brush if you can. The Duke series came in both 2 band and 3 band Best. This will certainly make a difference in finding a replacement knot that approaches the original. I was careful not to write "matches" since most agree that the pre-Vulfix Simpsons hair often was different from anything on the market today (including current Simpsons).

After learning that it is a pre-Vulfix, the best options I think are either selling it on the BST and using this to fund a new Duke or just retiring it and keeping it on display among your shaving gear.

I've had a pre-Vulfix Simpsons reknotted by the factory and they did a wonderful job.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

It's obviously the one on the right. I do still use it, but for whatever reason (I don't use a circular motion) the bristles have broken off quite a bit.

 

[rexcarolus]

Thanks, Steve. Handsome brush, even in its current state. I think most tend to think today's 3 band Super grade is more comparable to the old Best. I've never had a good Simpsons Super 3 band (my one and only was too prickly), so I'm not sure exactly what it would be comparable to.

A dense silver tip is probably what you want. But unless you want the bragging rights (and experience) of doing the reknot yourself, I say have a pro/semi-pro do it. You don't want to mess this up. If you want it really done right, I'd say send it to Rudy Vey and have him source a Shavemac knot that duplicates what you have. There are other good people whom others will mention, I'm sure.

If there's any story behind the brush (where and when you got it), I'm sure many here would read it with great interest.

 

[jwilock]

That is probably true once you factor in shipping that it is cheaper to buy the new Duke 2. If you have Simpsons replace the hair, I think they would probably be open to "upgrade" the hair to 2 band Super/Silvertip (of course for an upcharge). Getting this hair in a new Duke would be a custom order, so if you are curious to try this hair, it may be worth it to do the reknot through them.

If your Duke is pre-Vulfix, and if it were me, I would want to have that in my rotation since the handles have such great hand-turned character. I have two pre-Vulfix Duke 1s, and they are both really nice to use.

TGN Finest in a short loft comparable to most Dukes will be a lot stiffer and may hog the lather more than the Best hair. You would probably need to increase the loft compared with the original design if you use that TGN.

How can you tell if a Duke is pre-Vulfix?

 

[studdmstr]

I'd contact Rudy Vey about reknotting that Duke. He does excellent work and I know he works with TGN knots, but he might have additional suggestions.

 

[Galhatz]

Have both D2 and tgn finest.
They are nothing alike, the D2 is more scrubby. The backbone depends on the loft. I only tried the finest knots from tgn so i can't compare to others.
The only other brush i own that reminds me of the D2 is my SOC 2-band, only bigger.

How long have you had it?

 

[Teddyboy]

I have two TGN finest that I like. But they don't come close to the Duke 2 in best. Frankly, I would go for a Duke 3, but definitely the Duke 2 over the TGN finest.