Loving the Wee Scot, but is it The One?

[tbress]

I've been using my new Wee Scot for the last two weeks or so and I am loving it. Let me count the ways:

• It lathers up very quickly and holds enough lather for my 2.5 pass shaves (WTG, ATG, touch-up)
• It puts the lather exactly where I want it, especially in the moustache area
• It splays nicely on my face, I feel like I'm using the entire bristle surface area. It doesn't take much longer to cover my face than it does with my Duke 3
• My Duke 3 has more of a paint-brush action, the Wee Scot is more of a splay-and-swirl technique which I much prefer
• The splay-and-swirl technique gives me much better massage action, exfoliation, and beard softening. The feel of the Wee Scot on the face is fantastic.
• Because it is smaller it is easier to whip up the initial proto-lather from soaps in small containers (like Cella)
• The brush is speedy, allowing a pretty vigorous application of the lather
• I have long fingers and I naturally seem to want to use a fingertip grip on a brush (fingers extended almost straight pinching the end of the brush handle). The diameter of the Duke 3 is too large for me to do this comfortably, but this grip is perfect for the Wee Scot

The brush does have some downsides. As others have reported, the handle can get pretty soapy. I didn't think this would be much of a problem when I ordered the brush, but as I mentioned above I've found the size of the brush allows me to apply the lather pretty vigorously, getting some great facial massaging action. This causes me to grip the brush more tightly at times, and if the handle is soapy the Wee Scot can squirt out from my fingers like a watermelon seed. This happened to me twice in the last two weeks. I've toned it down a bit and have gotten in the habit of running water over the handle whenever I wet the tip of the brush. This has helped cure the soapy handle problem.

My plan was to use the Wee Scot exclusively for the first week, and then alternate it with the Duke 3. But I've found myself using the Wee One almost exclusively. The times that I have used the Duke 3, it seemed monstrously big to me. In fact, after lathering up with the Duke 3 I was unsatisfied and relathered my face with the Wee Scot to "get it right".

At this point I realized that the Duke was in trouble. I now know that I definitely prefer smaller brushes, but is the Wee Scot The One? Or is there an intermediate size between the two that I would be even happier with? I've been scouring the Simpsons line up, and I am curious about the Duke 1, the Berkeley 46, the Classic and maybe the Case. Any opinions out there? I'm interested in hearing from anyone out there in a similar situation: someone who tried the Wee Scot and then looked for a brush that was just as good, only a tad bigger.

 

[Mick]

This table might help you out. In the end I got all 3

 

[brucered]

i own the Wee and Case....for me, the Case gets much more use then the Wee. i have yet to try a Duke 1, Classic or Omega Mighty Midget

as cool and intriguing the Wee is, i find the Case to be a better size for me. it's a great face lathering brush and is my go-to travel/camping brush and gets the odd use at home as well. the more i use it, the more i enjoy it.

 

[tbress]

This table might help you out. In the end I got all 3

Simpsons	Wee Scot	Case	Duke 1
Loft	35 mm	42 mm	46 mm
knot	14 mm	19 mm	19 mm
Handle	32 mm	42 mm	39 mm
Total Height	67 mm	85 mm	85 mm

You, sir, are an enabler! Not that there's anything wrong with that. Which "feels" more like the Wee Scot, the Case or the Duke 1? Of the three, which one is your favorite?

 

[djh]

I hear you about the Wee Scot. It certainly punches above its weight and is a great little brush. Although mine sees regular use, I tend to favour a large(r) brush.

 

[global_dev]

any density rating column?

This table might help you out. In the end I got all 3

 

[tbress]

any density rating column?

I'm curious about that as well. The Wee Scot is definitely less dense than my Duke 3, and I think I prefer that. It helps with the "splay and swirl" motion. The Duke is pretty dense, I think that's why you have use a paint brush motion with it.

 

[LeftyT]

The Wee is, quite honestly, my brush that the others are measured against. I currently have:
Wee Scot
V-L 13061 with custom loft
Vintage V-L Horse/Badger mix
Omega 10066
Omega 40033
Vintage Fuller with restored pure badger knot
Custom Rudy Vey 18/42 Finest

Of my brushes, I use the V-L 13061 the most, with the Wee coming in at a close second. As far as feel and performance are concerned, the Vey performs almost exactly like the Wee, but the size is more in line with a normal brush. It could well become my most used brush, but I haven't had it long enough to know for sure.
The Wee Scot puts owners in a funny position, in that it makes us look for another brush that we love as much as we do it, meanwhile, the answer is hidden in the palm of our hand...under a beautiful mound of lather created by the answer.

 

[leonidas]

....omega 599

 

[tbress]

The Wee is, quite honestly, my brush that the others are measured against. I currently have:

The Wee Scot puts owners in a funny position, in that it makes us look for another brush that we love as much as we do it, meanwhile, the answer is hidden in the palm of our hand...under a beautiful mound of lather created by the answer.

Very true. It's tempting to get a custom brush by taking a larger handle and dropping the Wee Scot in the hole and filling up any gap with epoxy.

I've been doing some more research, I'm leaning toward replacing my Duke 3 with a Classic 1. Don't know if I will like it as much as the Wee Scot, but there is only one way to find out.

 

[DavidB]

A great small brush for face or bowl lathering is the Savile Row 3118 18mm silvertip sold by qedusa.com. Really a wonderful brush and a good price. I like brushes small, and this one works wonderfully. Compact enough that I use it as a travel brush.

Dave

 

[taco8slo]

I have the Classic 2 and really enjoy it though it is quite dense. I also have the Berkeley and really enjoy that brush as well though it is less dense than the Classic 2. Both bloom much more than the Wee Scot and offer their own characteristics to enjoy. The Wee Scot is a unique little beast.