Help Me Pick My New Brush Simpsons Colonel X2L in Best Badger

[Craig_From_Cincy]

I'm in the market for a new brush. I currently have a Vufix 2236 in Super, a Simpsons #56 in Best, and a Jagger Best that's branded for CO Bigelow. The Simpson is a great brush though a bit small (both in overall height and knot size), the Vulfix is a great cream brush but a but too large for soaps as well as being a bit floppy, and the Jagger is a decent but unexciting backup brush.

I would ideally like a brush with more backbone, one that has a longer handle, decent knot size, and is a good soap brush in particular. A Silvertip might be the ticket, but I'm open to any suggestions. As to cost, I'd like to stay around $100 with a hard limit of $125.

I've been looking at a couple of brushes that I'd welcome some feedback on

Semogue Owners Club -Super Badger with Cherry Wood Handle
http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/seowclsbawic.html

Simpson PJ2 in Best Badger
http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/sipj2inbeba.html

Rooney/T&H Classic Lavender Silvertip
http://www.truefittandhill.com/detail_00352__19.html

Simpsons Colonel X2L in Best Badger
http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/sicox2linbeb.html

These are just a few that have caught my eye, I'm open to any other suggestions.

Thanks for your help!

 

[yellafella321]

If you want more backbone, you'll probably need to start looking at 2-bands. The 50 series is already on the denser side for Simpsons. I had a Duke 3 best, and it ended up just fanning out and turning into a big pillow. 2-band is the way to go.

 

[Kooze]

Of the 2 you've listed, I have the soc 2-band, and have had and sold 2 colonel x2l's.

Although the colonel is a good value brush, I don't think it has a lot of backbone, and prefer the soc 2-band more.

I have a good amount of brushes, including boars, simpson in best and 2-band, and Semogue mixed knots. Of those, I really cannot recommend the Semogue mixed-knots enough.

the Semogue owners club 2012 SE is just a great brush. For $75 shipped, its really a steal. Plenty of backbone, excellent flow through and a good size(24 mm) knot. I only face lather croaps and soaps which it handles with ease. However, the loft and handle are certainly large enough to bowl lather as well.

http://www.italianbarber.com/semogue-special-edition-owners-club-2012

Otherwise, I'd either contact Rudy vey and ask that he make a custom brush, perhaps with a shavemac knot or try to get in on the M&F group buy.

 

[Reevers]

I've been amazed at how dense my Simpson Commodore X3 is. I toyed between the X2L and the X3 and went with the X3 inthe end. There's a great X3 vs Duke review on B&B which gives a great run down of the X3, have a look! Good luck!

 

[yellafella321]

I've been amazed at how dense my Simpson Commodore X3 is. I toyed between the X2L and the X3 and went with the X3 inthe end. There's a great X3 vs Duke review on B&B which gives a great run down of the X3, have a look! Good luck!

I've had both the Duke 3 and Commodore X3. My commodore actually had a firmer backbone than the duke, but that was partly because mine had a shorter loft of 48mm. Still, neither of these brushes came close in backbone to my 2-bands.

 

[seanusa]

+1 to the X3 I recently purchased this one and have found it to be money well spent