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My first Simpsons brush - question about instructions

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After about a decade of wet shaving and mostly using boar brushes and Whipped Dog brushes I finally got myself a Simpsons Brush. After much deliberation on price and knot size etc I went with the Commodore X3 in Best Badger due to the handle being bigger and the 24mm knot. My question is the instructions that came with it say not to use circular motions and only painting strokes. Fair enough, but will circular motions truly damage the hairs? With my other brushes especially when I shave my head (a much larger surface area then my face) I would always use circular motions to get the lather on and hydrate then I would finish with painting strokes. Would I still be okay doing this or is it best to just use painting strokes only?
 
Memory serves me they are a little more forgiving of the circular motions nowadays. They are more worried about over splaying damaging the brush more easily than circular motions. At the end of the day its a shave brush and imo, it needs to be splayed and used in a circular motion to even make lather so their literature has never made sense to me. I tried once to lather a Whipped Dog Silvertip in a bowl with only using back and forth motions without splaying or circular motions and finally gave up after about 30 min and had nothing but unuseable lather!!
 
@godlike Yes, I had the same anxiety.

I was very kindly PIF'ed a Duke 1 and didn't use it because of those instructions. I thought I would destroy it in some way. But to my limited knowledge and use, just a painter would make no sense in how I use a brush. The circular, whisker lifting exfoliating process is part of my lathering routine. That involves splaying.

I PM'ed the donor and he said to ignore them. Been using it happily ever since.

Interesting that the instructions seem to be more general than I thought. I assumed it was a Duke 1 thing.
 
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Of the 4 Simpson brushes I own, I have honestly never looked at the insert.

I typically build a few heavily scented lather loads to help de-skunk and soften the tips.

I hope you enjoy that brush as much as I love using my Commodore x2 in Best
 
My question is the instructions that came with it say not to use circular motions and only painting strokes. Fair enough, but will circular motions truly damage the hairs?
No.
A reply from Simpson's Managing Director, Mark Watterson HERE. :wink2:
With my other brushes especially when I shave my head (a much larger surface area then my face) I would always use circular motions to get the lather on and hydrate then I would finish with painting strokes. Would I still be okay doing this or is it best to just use painting strokes only?
Yes. :yesnod:
 

captp

Pretty Pink Fairy Princess.
I have yet to damage a brush (Simpson or any orher brand) by using circular motions. I Do it for loading, building lather in my scuttle and initial application of lather to face.
IMO those instructions go back to before the use of modern "super" glues.
If I ever do damage a brush because of circular motions, I'll get back to you and warn you against it. Just like those 3 pack a day smokers who quit and become evangelical anti-smokers.
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
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After about a decade of wet shaving and mostly using boar brushes and Whipped Dog brushes I finally got myself a Simpsons Brush. After much deliberation on price and knot size etc I went with the Commodore X3 in Best Badger due to the handle being bigger and the 24mm knot. My question is the instructions that came with it say not to use circular motions and only painting strokes. Fair enough, but will circular motions truly damage the hairs? With my other brushes especially when I shave my head (a much larger surface area then my face) I would always use circular motions to get the lather on and hydrate then I would finish with painting strokes. Would I still be okay doing this or is it best to just use painting strokes only?

Oh my gosh, what a beautiful brush that is! Simpson is a top notch British brand of brushes, and you even got a Best Badger 3-band! That is one of the finest brushes that you can buy IMO, take care of it, and love it. But ya, I do question the instructions insert, that seems a bit of BS to me. I am certainly not the resident expert on brushes, but it just seems like BS anyways.

If you didn't use circular motions, you would not be applying lather properly to your face and head. And if you didn't use circular motions to gather up the soap from the puck, well, its going to take you a very, very, very, long time to gather up the soap. Just use the brush as you've always used your brushes, it will be fine.

Now, in regards to new badger brush smell, when mine comes in the mail from a little slow row boat from China, I have plans to soak my brush in shampoo for awhile, then I will rinse it out, and fully let it dry. With use of the brush in shaving soap afterwords, the smell should be pretty much gone by then as well, it doesn't take very long. I know this already from my experience with my current badger brush.
 
Not to long ago I decided to buy one more brush, and it would be a badger brush. Simpson Chubby 2 Best. My way of using it is heavy loading from soap with a damp brush. I load it using gentle circular motions and face lather with gentle/"medium" circular motions. I get the lather I want without getting to much lather deep in the knot, and this way It's a lot more easy to clean and maintain.
 
Thanks for the replies, comments and compliments Gentlemen! Shaved with it today, definitely been missing out all these years. Didn't break in or anything since it was already sterilized and out of the box performance was stellar. Can't even fathom how much better it can get with time! The one thing i noticed within minutes is the ease at which Lather was being made plus the soft feel. It made the lather so creamy that it washed off my Razor like water. If you are someone who's been on the fence about spending the little extra for a Simpsons, don't hesitate to pull the trigger! It did shed some hairs but expected for the first few times I presume
 
I've had 25 brushes, including 8 Simpsons, 4 Rooneys, 3 Thaters, Shavemac, Saville Row and others. I've used circular motions with them all and never had a problem. As long as you don't mash them into the soap or face, I don't see a problem using circular motions. Shedding of hairs the first week isn't unusual.
 
I’m a light splayer, swirler, and then painter to smooth it all out. I’ve never had a problem. I just make sure I rinse the brush out well and comb it before I hang it up to dry.

I have one Simpsons brush that loses a hair every three shaves or so. It’s a pretty dense one and hasn’t been used much tho. All my others (many) never have a problem!
 
Use it like you stole it! Life is too short to lose sleep over using your awesome new brush as a brush. PSA, the brush will out live you sadly enough, so you can do whatever brings you pleasure. Circles, zig zags, splaying, paint strokes, and even overloading with your favorite lather just because you can. Happy shaving.
 
The only thing I wouldn't do is press the knot hard against you face. And don't use scalding hot water. Rinse it after each use and let it dry. Otherwise use it however makes you happy.
 
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