Help me chose a new brush

[pierrelortie44]

My Simpson Emperors are getting a little old and worn after 20 years. I am looking at their synthetics. Captain Sovereign grade for its Emperor-like shape, and maybe also Duke 3 Platinum to try this bristle grade. The Chubby 2 shape is not quite for me, I mainly bowl lather.

Then again, maybe the Trafalgar Sovereign is good enough, Marco likes it. It’s much less expensive.

 

[pierrelortie44]

Ordered the Duke 3 Platinum, should fix that for the next decade at least.

 

[Go West Young Man]

An inexpensive, yet great performing and great looking brush is the Trafalgar. My favourite is size 3.

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Is it the handle size or the loft that you like? The 3 seems way too big for my tastes, but I'm looking at videos now.

 

[Marco]

Is it the handle size or the loft that you like? The 3 seems way too big for my tastes, but I'm looking at videos now.

Actually both. Synthetics do not hold as much water as badgers, hence it's not really that big compared to a natural bristle brush with the same knot size.

P.S. I have all three sizes in the Trafalgar range. All are great.

 

[Owen Bawn]

I echo @Marco's sentiment regarding the superb quality of the Simpsons' Chubby 2 and Duke 3 synthetics. I love mine. That said, the M7 in Platinum is the finest synthetic I've ever used.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Actually both. Synthetics do not hold as much water as badgers, hence it's not really that big compared to a natural bristle brush with the same knot size.

P.S. I have all three sizes in the Trafalgar range. All are great.

I've got a T2 in my cart right now.... Unfortunately I'm in the "too close to my birthday to buy myself anything" window so I may have to hold off a little bit on this purchase, but I think I'm decided!

 

[Marco]

I've got a T2 in my cart right now.... Unfortunately I'm in the "too close to my birthday to buy myself anything" window so I may have to hold off a little bit on this purchase, but I think I'm decided!

The T2 sounds like a wise choice if you're afraid of size 3 being too big. Please, keep me updated once you get it!

 

[Mark1977]

As mentioned above, Yaqi Familia Segrada is great. I love that brush. Yaqi makes excellent synthetic brushes and very reasonable prices.

 

[Quasimodo]

The Semogue boar Targa C5 has a 24mm knot with a 50mm loft. It is a stylish brush and is comfortably soft against the face while still having a nice amount of backbone. It has a good ergonomic handle and the shorter loft means it doesn't bloom/splay too wide. Maggard is selling it for $28.

 

[pierrelortie44]

Can someone explain how and why the Sovereign and Platinum bristles are different?

 

[Marco]

Can someone explain how and why the Sovereign and Platinum bristles are different?

Platinum fibers are of better overall quality, featuring better flexibility, better water retention properties and better softness on the tips. They cost more and price point of the brushes made with these premium grade fibers obviously reflects.

That said, Sovereign fibers are still excellent and among the finest for a budget synthetic brush.

 

[BobbyB]

Give Noble Otter's brush consideration. You get one at a Central Market if there is a store near you, or on line. Mine is a great brush and whips up a thick, creamy lather. The handle is easy to grip.

 

[rsp1202]

View attachment 1632950

Give Noble Otter's brush consideration. You get one at a Central Market if there is a store near you, or on line. Mine is a great brush and whips up a thick, creamy lather. The handle is easy to grip.

Just did. It's true.

 

[BobbyB]

Just did. It's true.

Did you purchase one of their brushes?

 

[rsp1202]

Did you purchase one of their brushes?

Got it from The Shave Supply as they're fairly local.

 

[pierrelortie44]

I got the Duke3 Platinum and had my first shave.

It retains much water, I loaded my MdC soap quickly and easily without any foaming, thick lather all retained. A brief and rough bowl lather followed by face lather. The lather really should be applied and worked in paintbrush motion as Simpson recommends. Scrubbing with the bristle tips as with badger brushes doesn’t work well at all, and the brush is too stiff, pointy and scritchy.

It’s been mentioned that synthetic brushes are just different from badger, and should be accepted as such. Since the painting motion works best, maybe paintbrush shapes would be most appropriate for synthetic brushes, like the M6 and M7 and maybe the Captain. Maybe the broad stout formats like the Chubby, Duke and Trafalgar, which excel at bristle tip scrubbing, are not the best choice here, yet they seem the most popular.

I am very curious about the Trafalgars, they are 1/3 the price of my Duke3.

Overall I’m very happy, my worn Emperors will be retired, and I am done with expensive and unethical animal bristles forever.

 

[Andris83]

I got the Duke3 Platinum and had my first shave.

It retains much water, I loaded my MdC soap quickly and easily without any foaming, thick lather all retained. A brief and rough bowl lather followed by face lather. The lather really should be applied and worked in paintbrush motion as Simpson recommends. Scrubbing with the bristle tips as with badger brushes doesn’t work well at all, and the brush is too stiff, pointy and scritchy.

It’s been mentioned that synthetic brushes are just different from badger, and should be accepted as such. Since the painting motion works best, maybe paintbrush shapes would be most appropriate for synthetic brushes, like the M6 and M7 and maybe the Captain. Maybe the broad stout formats like the Chubby, Duke and Trafalgar, which excel at bristle tip scrubbing, are not the best choice here, yet they seem the most popular.

I am very curious about the Trafalgars, they are 1/3 the price of my Duke3.

Overall I’m very happy, my worn Emperors will be retired, and I am done with expensive and unethical animal bristles forever.

This might only apply to Simpson synths. I splay all my synths (none of them Simpson)

 

[awk_m4]

Omega 10005, a wooden handled boar. Medium size, excellent backbone, soft (when broken in).

More substantial than badger yet none of the splattering/unyielding tendencies of synthetics.

Should be <$15 and available in drug stores.

I’ve used this brush a lot recently and I really like it. It’s my first non synthetic brush and it’s the only one that I’m not afraid to mash when brushing. It feels like it’s going to be very durable .

 

[BusterBLX]

I have used a Bulldog Bamboo synthetic for 18 months (gift) - its done its job -- just showing wear to handle so was an excuse to chip in another brush

Took a leap of faith with the Yaqi Sagrada Familia 24mm -- can happily recommend.
All in its a nice brush and continue to like / enjoy the more familia i get with it!

 

[JoWolf]

My trusty old favorite brush is finally giving up the ghost - the slight donut hole in the top is now a crater of broken and missing bristles, it's less than half the brush it used to be! I picked it up in a random PIF so long ago that my DM's don't go back that far, pre-2012! It's been so long since I've bought a brush I don't even know where to start....

I'm a face latherer, mostly soft soaps so need a bit of backbone but as un-scritchy as possible. I like to have my face gently massaged in the mornings, not exfoliated . No preference on badger vs boar vs synthetic, price around $25 if possible. Eyeballing it, I'd probably like something in the 24mm range, and I prefer a more traditional handle (no clear resins, no rainbow colors).

Anyone have any decent suggestions?

Dark Wood Boar Brush (Wenghe) Short by Zenith 24x52mm Knot. B24 – The Gentle Shave. Under twenty five bucks.

I have two larger Zenith boar brushes. Which I prefer over all other brushes. Excellent softness combined with gentle exfoliating when preferred. They do take awhile to fully break in but well worth the effort. I face lather.
The Zenith B35 31mm, my fixed four brush. A tad larger than you’re looking for. I shave face and head together lots of lather and the big soft brush delivers luxurious shaves.