I have narrowed a choice down to the Kent BLK8 and Simpsons Duke 3 from an earlier thread of mine. The problem is I have no scale of comparison for them. I have seen them side by side, but that doesn't tell me their size relative to a face or something else of standard size.
Kent BLK8 and Simpsons Duke 3
- Thread starter mwhals
- Start date
the BLK8 is bigger on the face, softer and better performing.
it's the reason the BLK8 is still in my den and used regularly and the D3 was sold.
the D3 is denser, scritchier and much more exfoliating. The BLK8 is pure luxury and pillowy soft.
for me, there is no comparison. the BLK8 performs much better and like no other brush i have tried. if you look around, for $120 shipped to US/CAD from UK, it's a bargain in that price range.
here is my pic (for others to see if needed) when i still had the D3.
it's the reason the BLK8 is still in my den and used regularly and the D3 was sold.
the D3 is denser, scritchier and much more exfoliating. The BLK8 is pure luxury and pillowy soft.
for me, there is no comparison. the BLK8 performs much better and like no other brush i have tried. if you look around, for $120 shipped to US/CAD from UK, it's a bargain in that price range.
here is my pic (for others to see if needed) when i still had the D3.
Try the Duke 3 in 2 Band... Very soft tips with decent backbone... And not as large on the face...
Between the two, I'd opt for the Kent.
i know the D3 outsells the Kent by a long shot, but ever wonder why you see a lot of Dukes on the BST and rarely any Kents 
it's because one you have one, you keep it. It's that good.
it's because one you have one, you keep it. It's that good.
I just got a BLK8 in the mail and tried it out for the first time yesterday. Very soft, and fairly large on the face. Depending what soaps you tend to use, the Kent may or may not be a good choice. I tried using it with Tabac yesterday, and building a lather and loading the brush. The Simpson will have a little more backbone, so it would likely be easier to use with triple-milled soaps like Tabac or MWF.
If you use softer soaps, like Proraso or creams, I don't think you could go wrong with the Kent.
I have two Kent brushes (BLK8 and BK4) and a Simpsons Duke 2. I'll likely keep all of them. Different brushes work for different soaps, and sometimes it's good to give a brush longer than a day to rest and fully dry out.
If you use softer soaps, like Proraso or creams, I don't think you could go wrong with the Kent.
I have two Kent brushes (BLK8 and BK4) and a Simpsons Duke 2. I'll likely keep all of them. Different brushes work for different soaps, and sometimes it's good to give a brush longer than a day to rest and fully dry out.
- Thread starter
- #7
That brings up a thought. I only used creams since I started and was thinking about trying some soaps to give variety. Maybe get the Kent for creams and a different one for soaps. Tabac or MWF are a couple I wanted to try. Would the Duke 3 be recommended or is there a better one for the harder soaps? I would want it to be along the same quality as the brushes I listed in this tread. I have many gift cards to use. 
That brings up a thought. I only used creams since I started and was thinking about trying some soaps to give variety. Maybe get the Kent for creams and a different one for soaps. Tabac or MWF are a couple I wanted to try. Would the Duke 3 be recommended or is there a better one for the harder soaps? I would want it to be along the same quality as the brushes I listed in this tread. I have many gift cards to use.
I like your thinking!
Seriously, almost any brush will do a good job at collecting soap from a puck or lathering cream in a bowl. The real differences become apparent once you apply the brush to your face. I happen to enjoy a scrubby brush and have plenty which fit that description, however when my Thäter 4125 comes up in the rotation (it loads soap like a champion and has the most impossibly soft tips) I really enjoy the change of scenery.
I have a Kent BLK8.
I bought before I was aware of the difference merits of face lathering vs bowl lathering, soap vs cream, or badger vs boar vs horse hair brushes.
It's the biggest and softest brush of the 31 I've accumulated since becoming addicted a couple of years ago.
I don't use the Kent all that much because I find I like to face lather with a stiffer backbone brush.
Because of that preference I tend of late to go more to the boar.
Guess I like a bit of rough trade when face lathering.
Plus, while the feel of the Kent is absolute luxury on my face I find I can control the lathering with my smaller boars (and badgers) better.
YMMV.
I bought and sold the Kent twice. It's big and luxurious, but it's not the "King of the Hill" that it once was; my Kimson and Rod Neep (Extra Silvertip) are both softer and denser. If you like the Kent's tall handle, consider a Simpson Polo 8 in Super 3-band or 2-band.
I'm about ready to let my Polo 8 in super go..... It's not what I thought it would be. Rather disappointed in how it performs (for me anyway)... I'll give it another couple months to make sure I don't like it but after that it had better rock my sox or it's out-a-here
- Thread starter
- #13
I started out face lathering and continue doing it that way. I want to try bowl lathering and soap, for more variety. I do think a couple of new brushes could give me some variety. I only have one brush now and it has very little apparent backbone.
- Thread starter
- #14
Budget is not important, although I do not think $200+ will be that much better for a brush. I have about $300 from Christmas and a reward at work. I have a stash of money I can add to it. It has been three years since I started and the brush I am using is the one I bought originally. It doesn't seem to hold much lather, which is why I want to try bowl lathering. I am not necessarily married to these two brushes and have started to consider Thater too.
The Duke is going to do better as a face lathering brush and the Kent is going to do better as a bowl lathering brush.
Neither of these will do a respectable job at both methods of building lather.
They are both one or the other type of brushes so if you are locked into these two, you will need to decide which method you want to use and get the brush that works the best for that lathering method.
to me, the Kent 8 is a much better face lathering brush then the Duke 3 was...go figure, but i like pillow soft brushes 
give me a Thater 2 over a Duke 3 any day of the week, they aren't even in the same league.
give me a Thater 2 over a Duke 3 any day of the week, they aren't even in the same league.
to me, the Kent 8 is a much better face lathering brush then the Duke 3 was...go figure, but i like pillow soft brushes
give me a Thater 2 over a Duke 3 any day of the week, they aren't even in the same league.
I think my BK8 is a real softy. It might not be normal or average. I don't think I have ever tried to face lather with it. I know it has a hard time loading some soaps as it just bends in half instead of taking up soap
Even old Mr. Gravity can make it bend in half
Even old Mr. Gravity can make it bend in half
if they are filled with water my shavemacs do that too, as does my T2 and Rooney Old Stock.
The Duke 3 in Best is really a mixed bag. I had one with a decent amount of scritch that I just didn't care for. However, I've acquired another Duke 3 in Best that has tips as soft as anything I own. From what I've heard on the forums Simpsons Best hair will vary in softness depending on the batch of hair you get in your particular brush. I also have a Duke 3 in 2-band and it's one of my favorite brushes. I've never owned a Kent so I can't help you on those.
I think that is the issue I have with simpson brushes. I never know what i'm going to get, until i get it, so I'm done buying them until their is constancy in their knot softness and shape and even size.
yeah, if you are one of the lucky guys who can afford to buy 6-8 at one time, you can have Mark hand pick one for you, but most of us are buying from online vendors. and even thought Superior has pics of them, you still don't know how soft or scritchy it will be until you get it.
I actually enjoyed my D3 when I first got it, then i acquired a few other quality brushes and realized it was not all it appeared to be, so it got sold.
it's one of those brushes I wanted to love and tried to, but it just didn't work out for me. my next brush in that style/shape will be a T&H or Rooney.
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