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I’m a bowl latherer (Timeless Bowl) and need a new brush, help!

Hi everyone,

A bit about me. I am a bowl latherer, no other way for me. I have a bad thumb and tennis elbow, so I need a handle that is longer and some back bone to whip up easily. I hate super soft brushes without backbone. Price isn’t my chief consideration, I want a brush I can enjoy daily.

Lastly, I use TOBs sensitive skin or Proraso cream (tube). Would love to get to other soaps but the brush/thumb/elbow is my current limitation.

Looked at a Simpsons Emperor 3, not sure about it… thoughts?
 
Are you looking for badger only or would a barber handle boar work as well?

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I’ve had the three different Emperor sizes for 15 years. You won’t find a better brush or more convenient shape and size. Long and slender, perfect for whipping up in any bowl, although I tend to face lather.

Although honestly I think any regular size/shape Simpsons will do. (Regular, meaning not Chubbys and Polos).
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
A couple threads for your perusal...something completely different



I'm too much of a newbie to make any real meaningful contributions but based on those two threads, I know have twin Misturas in both Taj and Butterscotch.... and got a Zenith M23 Manchurian Copper brush because of the recommendations from other B&B old timers: Zenith Copper Manchurian Badger Brush. 27.5mm Made In Italy M23 | eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/255253252265 Last one he has.

I am using all three of these brushes in rotation now.... and enjoying each one very, very much.
 
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I'd say the Semogue SOC Two-band (aka Finest) would be a good match. If you are open to a 50/50 badger/boar mix, there's the Semogue SOC Mistura. Excellent size and shape handle on these, not too big or too small, just right. Handles are available is ash or cherry wood, or resin. Both these brushes are firm without being scritchy.
 
Hi everyone,

A bit about me. I am a bowl latherer, no other way for me. I have a bad thumb and tennis elbow, so I need a handle that is longer and some back bone to whip up easily. I hate super soft brushes without backbone. Price isn’t my chief consideration, I want a brush I can enjoy daily.

You may want to get in touch with Rudy Vey or Bob Quinn (Elite Razors) and have a custom brush made perfectly for you.
Bob Quinn on the left, and Rudy Vey on the right ----- both gentlemen are extremely talented artisans who should be able
to make you a brush according to your desired specifications. Good luck and have fun !

D0950BC8-0DBA-4405-BD5F-5170FB7C9F8C_1_201_a.jpeg
 
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I really like Maseto's Memphis extra-density brush.
The handle is a great length for bowl lathering and the
badger hair has both spine and softness. The best
part is the price! Do a search on a very popular
auction site to find them.

I PIF'ed one to a friend and have been thinking about replacing it ever since...

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I have the Emperor 3 and it is a great brush for bowl latherers such as myself. If you read the Simpson website, they say that it is specifically designed for use with a bowl. Great brush. Should you want something larger, check out the Captain 2. I have both and can recommend them both.
I am normally a Rooney guy, but I like that Emperor 3.
 
You may want to get in touch with Rudy Vey or Bob Quinn (Elite Razors) and have a custom brush made perfectly for you.
Bob Quinn on the left, and Rudy Vey on the right ----- both gentlemen are extremely talented artisans who should be able
to make you a brush according to your desired specifications. Good luck and have fun !

View attachment 1466573
I have looked at the handles Bob Quinn (Elite Razors) has displayed on his web site, and he has a lot taller handles running in the 60-72mm length which should work great for bowl lathering.The fact that you can see the actual handle and then pick the knot of choice is pretty cool.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
One of my favorite brushes for bowl lathering is the SOC boar. I love the look and feel of the wood handle, it's a pretty big brush and the tips become very soft after break-in. It was around $27 the last time I looked.

Personally, I would not use the same brush every day. But you could if you shake most of the water out and keep it in a place with good ventilation.
 
You may want to get in touch with Rudy Vey or Bob Quinn (Elite Razors) and have a custom brush made perfectly for you.
Bob Quinn on the left, and Rudy Vey on the right ----- both gentlemen are extremely talented artisans who should be able
to make you a brush according to your desired specifications. Good luck and have fun !

View attachment 1466573
Could not agree more, both outstanding brush makers.
 
Some great suggestions above!!

I also suggest you consider the following:
Simpsons 50 series (my 57 is a favorite)
Simpsons tulip series (love my T2 and T3 in super)
Contact Rudy Vey for a custom 2-band to your specs
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
Did we overwhelm the OP? He did respond once..... brushes are so subjective. I should add, when I started looking into brushes, it was a challenge for me. There are so many and the prices vary greatly. What one person or several people just rave about doesn't mean the new buyer will like them. I know I read lots of brush threads and also watched what was showing up in the various SOTD threads and I still made two mistakes. Thankfully, they were only $20 a piece.

So... for me, I'm taking the time to figure out who likes the same features in a brush that I do, then take their recommendations. That has worked out much better for me.

I guess the same could be said about most any of the products we use: razors, soaps/creams, brushes, blades... as you well know the list goes on and on. Over and over, we see someone try something and it just doesn't work for them, even though others just love the product.

It is funny to me.... I used to be content with my Gillette Fusion Power... and a can of goo. Don't get me wrong: I love wet shaving and I enjoy the hobby it provides. Ignorance can be bliss, however. I am getting to the point where I'm satisfied with what I have at the moment. But it took me 4 months to get there and that's only because so many of you contributed to my education.

So, I thank all of you who have given me advice this past 4 months. I got to cram or perhaps "condense" is a better word, dozens of years of experience you all have into my brain, one thread at a time.

Sorry for the long post. I hope the OP is still with us and is finding advice that assists him in his journey.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
I'm not sure about your budget but I just use Yaqi brushes and they are solid middle of the road brush. I like to buy them on sale and they have boar, badger and their known synthetic brushes. I bowl lather every day mostly and the brushes work how they are suppose to generating lather, face feel enjoyment, scrubbing + lather painting and they check all the boxes for myself.
There are some great brand name brushes out there and they all work wonderfully, competition makes the other brush manufactures produce great brushes. When bowl lathering I like a shallow bowl about 6 inch Diameter works great for my needs and I still get some clanging of the brush hitting the sides.
Yaqi 24mm high mountain silvertip badger makes this cream lather easily. Good luck in your search.
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Have some great shaves!
 
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