Kim Son Horn Handles and Brushes

[branford]

I'm in the market for a new high end brush, and recently came across the Kim Son natural cattle horn and bone handles and complete brushes. Actual horn handles at those prices appear too good to be true. However, after searching for reviews, I found very little and most mentions were quite old.

Can anyone offer any current insight as to the quality of both the handles as well as the completed silvertip brushes?

Thanks.

 

[Merkur25]

I owned one and felt that it was a very well made brush. They are larger in size, mine was around a 28mm knot, so if you dont like bigger brushes then look else where.

As for the handle, they are some of the best IMHO. I believe they supply other manufactures with brush handles as well.

Also for the money you really can't beat it. I think I spent under $100 for a 28mm silvertip in a genuine horn handle, pretty amazing actually.

 

[branford]

Merkur25, thank you for your insight. May I ask why you parted with your brush?

 

[Merkur25]

Merkur25, thank you for your insight. May I ask why you parted with your brush?

I dont care for larger brushes and I had a good friend of mine ask to borrow it and after he did he said he was keeping it lol!

I have plans to buy another one but I just never got around to it.

 

[Merkur25]

Here are some photos of my brush:

 

[vocalistbob]

They make great 3-band brushes; good density with ultra-soft tips and yes, genuine horn handles - and you can't beat their prices. The downside is that it can take months (literally) for your brush to be delivered. I bought two from them - the first took about three weeks and the 2nd took over two months.

 

[branford]

Vocalistbob, thank you. Were you brushes recent purchases and what are their sizes/lofts? Also, are your brushes firm enough for face lathering?

BTW, post pictures if you have them!

 

[JeffBr]

I have 3 (1) from BST and 2 from

http://www.handicraft-vn.com/shop/shaving-brush-custom-luxury-c-168_183.html

Kimson are among my favorites....large and soft with backbone. Delivery was 3 weeks for first and 2 months for 2nd....as Vocalist Bob stated.

 

[dalecooper51]

My experience with Kimson was less than satisfactory.

 

[breitlingman]

I bought a handle only from kimson, and the quality is very good. I mounted a tgn finest in it. My handle is pretty much perfect. I couldn't ask for better made, aside from maybe a slightly different design.

 

[branford]

I bought a handle only from kimson, and the quality is very good. I mounted a tgn finest in it. My handle is pretty much perfect. I couldn't ask for better made, aside from maybe a slightly different design.

I'm also considering ordering a handle and then using a TGN knot, maybe their new High Mountain White knot. What size knot did you install in you handle and do you recall the depth of the hole?

Thanks.

 

[vocalistbob]

I bought one about 18 months ago and the other about 6 months ago. I sold the first one, which I now regret, when I went through a phase of using 2-bands exclusively. My present brush is 29mm (nominal 28mm) x 56mm loft. I face-lathered with it yesterday. It probably isn't an ideal brush for hard soaps, but it's fine for creams and croaps.

Vocalistbob, thank you. Were you brushes recent purchases and what are their sizes/lofts? Also, are your brushes firm enough for face lathering?

BTW, post pictures if you have them!

 

[solexman]

they look pretty great

 

[Tim_McD]

If you are looking for another option in natural horn, I suggest that you try the QED Select, for $110 shipped.

http://www.qedusa.com/select-select-natural-horn-silvertip-badger-24mm-knot-p-427.html

The knot is 24mm, but it opens up to a wonderfully dense bloom that feels bigger. Here is mine

 

[Merkur25]

If you are looking for another option in natural horn, I suggest that you try the QED Select, for $110 shipped.

http://www.qedusa.com/select-select-natural-horn-silvertip-badger-24mm-knot-p-427.html

The knot is 24mm, but it opens up to a wonderfully dense bloom that feels bigger. Here is mine

Correct me if I am wrong but QED gets there handles from Kimson..... Why pay more?

 

[dalecooper51]

Correct me if I am wrong but QED gets there handles from Kimson..... Why pay more?

So you don't have to wait for months and hound him with unanswered emails when he is 2 months past the original promised delivery date.

 

[Merkur25]

So you don't have to wait for months and hound him with unanswered emails when he is 2 months past the original promised delivery date.

I have only had great experiences with Kimson. So I cannot comment on that. I received my brush within 3 weeks and emails were promptly returned within a couple days. He is on the otherside of the earth.....

 

[dalecooper51]

I have only had great experiences with Kimson. So I cannot comment on that. I received my brush within 3 weeks and emails were promptly returned within a couple days. He is on the otherside of the earth.....

Unfortunately, that is about the exact polar opposite of my experience with him. Mine was at least 2 months and he skirted all my emails until I asked for a refund. Then I heard back that he broke my bone handle and it would be 2 more months. He sent me a black horn one instead which was not what I had wanted, but took just so I could get something. There was also a 2 year ordeal where a forum member at the highroad tried to get pistol grips and never received anything. It is in the archives there if you are interested.

Normally if I have a bad experience, I keep it to myself, but this was above and beyond crappy.

It's not my money and if the OP wants to gamble on it, it really makes no difference to me.

 

[DevilDog0402]

I purchased a set of buffalo bone grips for a 1911 from them several years ago, and have been quite pleased with them. It did take about a month IIRC, but considering that they are handmade (to-order) literally across the globe, I didn't take issue with the wait time.

Here's a pic of the grips:

 

[breitlingman]

I'm also considering ordering a handle and then using a TGN knot, maybe their new High Mountain White knot. What size knot did you install in you handle and do you recall the depth of the hole?

Thanks.

I put a 24mm TGN Finest in the handle.. Just checked my emails with Kimson: The size of handle I purchased was a 40mm Diameter, 50mm high, built for a 24mm knot. Hole depth of 17mm. The actual hole diameter was around 26mm, and probably would have fit a 26mm knot in it if I'd wanted something a bit scrubbier. Here's a pic I took back when I got it.