Moving up from a Colonel Best?

[ej4]

Hi -

I've been wet shaving now for a year, come Christmas. Last year I got myself an xmas gift of wet shaving gear; definitely something I should have done long ago.

I currently own my first (and only) brush - a Simpson Colonel X2L in Best. I really have no complaints about this brush, but I also have no comparison to know how 'good' or 'bad' it really is.

I'm thinking about the upcoming gift giving season again , and along with a new razor (EJ89 I think….), I'm looking to treat myself to another brush.


I currently only use a bowl for lather
I prefer 'classic'aesthetics (ok, maybe sorta picky, but I can't stand those modernistic handles;wouldn't matter how good the brush was, I'd never use it)
I'd like an'upgrade' to the Colonel; something that might be noticeably different(??)
Prefer under $200;the chubby 2 in Super would be my next stop but I think I'll hold off for aspecial occasion
Wouldn't mind trying an alternative quality brand
I tend to be in the'buy once, cry once' category for purchases like this, so while I don't mind good value, I desire a high quality product from a high quality company.


Any suggestions?
Thanks!

 

[Loric]

While I love using a Chubby its really a face lather brush. The best thing about a Chubby is its density, and it might hog more lather than you would like if you bowl lather. Extra density is really about face feel and to a lesser extent backbone.

I'm not a bowl lather guy, so I'm not the best person to make a suggestion for you, but Thaters, M&F, and even Kent have amazingly soft brushes you might enjoy more. Honestly though, if Rudy Vey has some of his Ivory acrylic left that would be the best classic handle I could think of. The swirled marble just offers a little more character than a plain white material. He only had a couple pieces left when I got mine a few weeks back. Plus, he can tailor a brush to your tastes.

 

[andrestole]

The duke 3 two- band is a nice step up IMO, nice backbone and soft tips. Not a higher loft than the colonel, but a bigger knot. I am sure you will get alot of other great tips, but this is mine antways.

 

[ej4]

Thanks, guys.
Just did some searches on Thaters; seems the jury is out on customer service...hmm.....

Couldn't find a lot on M&F or Kent. Seems there should be other premium brands? Bullgoose has Plisson - eeks - a bit over my price range, but they do look nice. Maybe if I bought it this month, he could delay shipment till xmas, so it would show up on the Nov credit card instead of Dec....she might not notice....

Was hoping to pick up something other than a Simpson (not because I don't like the Colonel - but just to try a different brand); but maybe the Duke is my choice.

Any others?

thanks!

 

[Mick]

If you enjoy bowl lathering the Kent BK8 is hard to beat. It is one of my tops in that category.

You can pick one up for $126.53 (delivered) at this URL: http://www.feelunique.com/p/Kent-Mens-Large-Shaving-Brush

 

[Mick]

Another top pick in my stable of bowl lathering brushes is the Da Vinci 290....

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/297106-Da-Vinci-290-Globe-Handle-Brush-Review

 

[Henrik]

My choice of top-enders may not very inspirering. I go for Simpons everytime. Boring? Not the least. I like the Colonel very much (and reach for mine often!) but I prefer the more denser ones. The Chubbies 1 and 2 are great. And last week I got me a Duke 3. It´s dense a h*ll as well. The Dukes and Chubs have always remained the "true" classics of the Simpson range as that was what you were asking for in your post. They have remained best sellers for decades... And there is a reason why I guess.
All of those above (that I got) are spectacular. I prefer the Best grading- without the slighest hesitation. I face lather exclusively.

 

[Marco]

If you want to stick with Simpsons I think the brushes in the Polo, Persian Jar and Fifty Series are fantastic for bowl lathering. If you want to try another brand, why not a Shavemac?

 

[ej4]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I may end up with a Simpson in the end, but I will do a little more searching on Shavemac and Kent

 

[ej4]

Just wanted to close the thread - I ended up with a Da Vinci 290.
Customer service from promakeupbrush was great - it was back ordered and I got a personal email from Amy letting me know the status and again when it was shipped. Couldn't ask for more.

I've been using it a couple weeks; definitely smoother than my Colonel. At this point, I'd say I prefer it, but I'm still getting used to it. It sucks up a lot more water, as my first lather with it was just awful - waaay too thin. With a couple extra shakes before starting to lather, I'm getting it dialed in and it does great. I do have to use a bit more cream in the bowl, as it sucks it up.

I don't have a lot of experience with brushes, but overall, I'm real happy with it, glad I tried it, and would definitely recommend it.

 

[Quigg]

The duke 3 two- band is a nice step up IMO, nice backbone and soft tips. Not a higher loft than the colonel, but a bigger knot. I am sure you will get alot of other great tips, but this is mine antways.

So happy to read this, André! LIke the OP, I have been wet shaving for a little over a year and my best brush so far is the Colonel. I just received a gift card that covered most of the cost of a better brush. So what did I order? A Duke 3! I can't wait to receive and try it.

 

[andrestole]

So happy to read this, André! LIke the OP, I have been wet shaving for a little over a year and my best brush so far is the Colonel. I just received a gift card that covered most of the cost of a better brush. So what did I order? A Duke 3! I can't wait to receive and try it.

Sounds great, you will love it The "duke" is a great brush.