Newbie looking for some loft advice

[catfell]

I'm new to wet shaving, so I don't have a regular shaving cream or soap yet.

I've read the stickies about picking a brush, and narrowed my choice to a Rooney 3/1 super. The problem is, Vintageblades and Classicshaving seem to have the same Rooney 3/1 super in different lofts. Vintageblades is a 44mm, and Classicshaving is a 55mm. Seems like a big difference.

As of now, I like the way Proraso green works, but my wife hates the smell. Santa brought me a hard soap, but since I'm brushless, it's hard to compare if I like cream or hard soap.

Which loft is a better all-around choice for both cream and soap? We have a tiny bathroom, so there is little chance for me to have multiple brushes.

 

[djh]

I would suggest that a loft of around 50mm would serve you well for an all-round brush with that knot size. It might be best to contact one (or both) of the Vendors that you have mentioned and ask them to try to select a brush with the desired loft for you.

 

[Luc]

I don't have any experience with a Rooney but Welcome to B&B!

 

[bluemantra]

I ordered my Rooney 3/1 in super from vintage blades and it is an amazing brush!!!! It's my work horse.

 

[Loric]

I have used a 3/1 and would say get a loft in the mid 40's. A 3/1 at 55mm loft would be very floppy and of little use for soaps. I am going to preface this by saying I'm a dedicated soap guy, but 50mm might be ok, but in my experience some Rooney supers can be a touch floppy, so I would err on the side of caution and go with something shorter.

What hard soap did you get?

If SWMBO hates the smell of Proraso the white smells like a slightly mediciny tea. Then the other popular option for Italian soft soap would be Cella (lathers just as well), and it smells like sweet almonds, almost a marzipan cherry scent.

 

[catfell]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

@Loric: SWMBO got me D.R. Harris Arlington soap in a mahogany bowl. I can only assume she likes the smell of it. I attempted to do a brushless two-hand lathering that didn't work very well. The Cella sounds like it might appeal to Mrs. Catfell's nose. It's certainly worth a try.

Also, she got me a brush from a place in NYC called Min. The brush is their own label and they've been closed due to the recent blizzard, so I have not been able to find out who makes it for them. But I do know that by my measurements, the loft is around 60mm and would probably be way too floppy for hard soap.

 

[beginish]

I ordered my Rooney 3/1 in super from vintage blades and it is an amazing brush!!!! It's my work horse.

+1. Either e-mail them or give them a call, Jim and Erin make a habit of finding just the right brush for you out of their stock.

 

[drumana]

The 3/1 in super with the shorter loft will be the better one. IMO, the larger loft Rooney brushes are too floppy and don't work well with soaps. I've got a 3/1 super from VB (short loft) about 2 years ago and still consider it one of my best brushes.

 

[njpaddy]

We have a tiny bathroom, so there is little chance for me to have multiple brushes.

My bathroom is big enough, but my wife claims the space. I sectioned off part of a drawer in my dresser for creams, soaps and extra DE's. My 2 brushes and current DE I keep on top of my dresser.

I ordered my Rooney 3/1 in super from vintage blades and it is an amazing brush!!!! It's my work horse.

Same here.

 

[grump]

I love shorter lofts in the 42 to 46mm range. I face lather with some bowl lathering.

They will shred soaps with a vengeance. The 45mm loft range will still work up cream very well.

You should be happy with the Harris soap.

Will you be face lathering or bowl lathering?

 

[catfell]

I'm looking at getting a scuttle and lathering in it. I've got a Georgetown scuttle on the way. (I know it's not as good thermally as some of the others, but I found a finish/pattern/color that SWMBO won't complain about.)

But the jury's still out between hard soaps and creams. I figure I can lather in the scuttle with either soap or cream and still manage a nice warm lather.

 

[baquah]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

@Loric: SWMBO got me D.R. Harris Arlington soap in a mahogany bowl. I can only assume she likes the smell of it. I attempted to do a brushless two-hand lathering that didn't work very well. The Cella sounds like it might appeal to Mrs. Catfell's nose. It's certainly worth a try.

If you give the Arlington a solid try with a scrubby brush, I think you'll appreciate it quite well; using your hands won't work quite as well, unless perhaps you rub the puck on your face while hopping on one foot, and....wait...just get a nice brush