Oh you Chubby 2

[Owen Bawn]

I really wanted to use my new-ish M6 Manchurian today but I thought better of it when I remembered I have a solemn responsibility to lay waste a pile of Cella, so I used the Chubby 2 Super again. There's really nothing like it. Nothing. Even if you hate big badgers you have to try one of these, even if you just borrow one. I'd never want a big Chubby as my only brush, but it's great to know they're out there.

 

[Owen Bawn]

The Chubby 2 in Best just tore through the Cella once again. Despite loading the daylights out of this soap each day with these ridiculously hungry brushes the tub still has a lot of soap in it. The Chubby 2 makes exquisite lather, I'll give it that. And I think I enjoy the added backbone and face feel of the Chubby 2 in Best more than I enjoy the feather like softness of the Chubby 2 in Super. Tomorrow I'll use the Super and I'll be here telling you the exact opposite thing. We're allowed to contradict ourselves in this game.

 

[cwiscarolina]

I have a Parker 22 mm badger brush, that I got as a gift from my wife (when we were dating, years ago.) She's asking if I would like a new shaving brush for my birthday, coming up soon. I'm more of a cream user but sometimes will mess with soaps. I prefer to face lather. The Parker I use works well and I really cannot complain about it.

Would the Chubby 2 Best be my best bet? (Face lathering, creams.) I'm seeing a lot of posts about the Best being superior to the Super.

 

[FarmerTan]

"Chubby 2, or 'you great big beautiful doll.'" Yeah, it's a gift.

 

[Owen Bawn]

Actually after 3 solid weeks of use the Cella made my face break out and I had to back off my 3017 plan. Used in a rotation I have never had any ill effect from Cella, but using it every day wasn't so good. I used the Chubby 2 in Super just yesterday, actually. I squirted a giant blob of Proraso 'blue' cream into the big wet knot and had a face lather that was so decadent and which felt so good that I should probably call Father McDonough to see if he'll hear my confession.

 

[Basil]

I don’t have a chubby brush but I’m really tempted to get one in super.

I have a Rooney stubby 3 which is kinda the same that I love though.

 

[SgtCrppls]

I usually like badgers in the 22-24mm range, so I have all sorts of Simpson Eagles, Dukes, a Chubby 1, and several M7s in different grades of hair. Then I have Chubby 2's in Best and in Super. They sit on the shelf unused for weeks at a time. I look at them and think about how I could sell both of them and be well on my way to getting a Duke 3 or an Eagle 3 in SiLVERTiP. But I don't. They sit there, almost mocking me.

Finally a day comes when either I haven't shaved in a few days or I want to eat up some soap quickly, and I reach for one of them. Like today. I have a tub of Cella that is...ahem...aging. It still works well but it has turned a parchment colour, so I've been trying to use it up before it turns slurry pit on me. So I took the first Chubby 2 I saw down. It just happened to be the Best version. I loaded it forever. I was joking elsewhere that I loaded it for 88 seconds, but in fact I did really load it heavily. I took it to my face and if you have a Chubby you know what happened... my face was caressed by that soft wall of badger. My knees started to buckle. How and why do I forget this feeling? Just a sublime and delightful shave. There is nothing like using a big Chubby. Nothing.

So tomorrow I'll use an M7 or Emperor, and then the next day a Duke, and then an Eagle in Pure, and a month will pass and I'll again start to wonder if I should sell the Chubbys. Or maybe I'll just use the Chubby 2 in Super tomorrow...

I feel the same way when I finally used my Chubby 2 Super a few days ago

 

[SgtCrppls]

I have a Parker 22 mm badger brush, that I got as a gift from my wife (when we were dating, years ago.) She's asking if I would like a new shaving brush for my birthday, coming up soon. I'm more of a cream user but sometimes will mess with soaps. I prefer to face lather. The Parker I use works well and I really cannot complain about it.

Would the Chubby 2 Best be my best bet? (Face lathering, creams.) I'm seeing a lot of posts about the Best being superior to the Super.

The Best would probably be your best bet if you like a little scrub to your face lather, it is what I would pick.

 

[Roy]

I recently bought chubby2 synthetic, and is now my fav brush. Soft, backbone, splays etc, and produces fantastic lather.

 

[cwiscarolina]

The Best would probably be your best bet if you like a little scrub to your face lather, it is what I would pick.

Thanks for the input, seems to be the consensus as I read through. I think you understand I just want some reinforcement on this!

It's ordered, will be here Thursday.

 

[SgtCrppls]

Thanks for the input, seems to be the consensus as I read through. I think you understand I just want some reinforcement on this!

It's ordered, will be here Thursday.

You will love the brush

 

[FarmerTan]

Actually after 3 solid weeks of use the Cella made my face break out and I had to back off my 3017 plan. Used in a rotation I have never had any ill effect from Cella, but using it every day wasn't so good. I used the Chubby 2 in Super just yesterday, actually. I squirted a giant blob of Proraso 'blue' cream into the big wet knot and had a face lather that was so decadent and which felt so good that I should probably call Father McDonough to see if he'll hear my confession.

You are a better man than me! I love that stuff, but it's really the only thing that lights my face up while I'm actually still using it! It's weird what gets some of us.

 

[Shavely Manden]

Thanks for the input, seems to be the consensus as I read through. I think you understand I just want some reinforcement on this!

It's ordered, will be here Thursday.

You won't regret it. I have CH2's in Best, Two-band, and Synthetic, and the Best really is the stand-out of the lot. (Though no surprise there...Simpson Best is one of my favorite hairs...I love me some scrub.)

You are a better man than me! I love that stuff, but it's really the only thing that lights my face up while I'm actually still using it! It's weird what gets some of us.

Does that include other almond-scented soaps? The almond scent seems like the thing in Cella most likely to give someone an allergic reaction.

 

[Roy]

Cella makes great hand soap! Take a small amount then smear it on your palms.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Cella makes great hand soap! Take a small amount then smear it on your palms.

Agreed, I had not used my Cella cream in a long while and it turned yellow and hard. I scooped the lot out of the red tub and shaped it into a bar for use in the shower. It leaves my skin feeling great and seems to be improving some patches of dry skin.

 

[cwiscarolina]

Came today. I didn’t shave yet but lathered up some Williams Expert cream. Looks good. Lost a few hairs but guessing that will stop.

 

[cwiscarolina]

First shave done. Used Vi John Icy Mint. I’m not used to the “scritchy-ness” of a brush of this style. And I’ve never had one this dense, nor have I had one with such pushback.

All that said, as I was face lathering in circular swirls, it hit me. It just hit me. Wow.

The end result of this shave was basically the same as I always have: a damn fine shave.

However, I did feel like I was on a road trip with extra leg room, as someone alluded to before.

My only complaint is that I lost a couple hairs today since opening. I am hoping this does not continue.

All in all, I hope it continues to get better as I’ve read.

 

[flat_tire]

Those chubby knots are packed with lots of hair and will probably lose some for the first few shaves (at least mine did, but nothing excessive).

I am still after my ultimate brush (chubby 2 in 2 band silvertip). I have tried most simpson's hair offerings and 2 band silvertip is my favorite. In order of least to most favorite...

- Synthetic - My chubby 2 in synthetic is the softest thing I have ever felt when dry. However, I am not as much of a fan when using it. It seems like the bristles stay together more than I like and I have to press harder than desired to get it to splay out.
- Best - Seems like the most variance and could end up with a super-ish knot. Good scrub and mostly soft but every knot I have tried had a few hairs that just poked my skin more than I like (I like zero pokes)
- Manchurian - More consistent than Best. Much more backbone than any other knot types. A good scrub / scritch without the prickliness I get from Best. Not my favorite but definitely has a use when looking to scrub off a few layers of skin.
- Super - So soft!! Very uniform hair with zero pricks. Hair doesn't have much backbone. Like lathering with a cloud.
- 2 band silvertip - My perfect balance of softness (zero scritch whatsoever!!) and more backbone than super (but less than manchurian).

 

[Robert G]

Those chubby knots are packed with lots of hair and will probably lose some for the first few shaves (at least mine did, but nothing excessive).

I am still after my ultimate brush (chubby 2 in 2 band silvertip). I have tried most simpson's hair offerings and 2 band silvertip is my favorite. In order of least to most favorite...

- Synthetic - My chubby 2 in synthetic is the softest thing I have ever felt when dry. However, I am not as much of a fan when using it. It seems like the bristles stay together more than I like and I have to press harder than desired to get it to splay out.
- Best - Seems like the most variance and could end up with a super-ish knot. Good scrub and mostly soft but every knot I have tried had a few hairs that just poked my skin more than I like (I like zero pokes)
- Manchurian - More consistent than Best. Much more backbone than any other knot types. A good scrub / scritch without the prickliness I get from Best. Not my favorite but definitely has a use when looking to scrub off a few layers of skin.
- Super - So soft!! Very uniform hair with zero pricks. Hair doesn't have much backbone. Like lathering with a cloud.
- 2 band silvertip - My perfect balance of softness (zero scritch whatsoever!!) and more backbone than super (but less than manchurian).

Excellent summary! Around 2006-2007 I acquired four Chubby 3 two band supers from Robert Johnston who was the owner of The English Barber. The hair is unlike anything else I’ve tried. They’re not as densely packed as the current CH3’s and offer excellent flow through. The tips don’t feels as soft and cloud like as the current supers, but also don’t have any scritch or poke. I wish I knew what’s their equivalent in the current Simpsons offerings. I suppose they qualify as 2 band SiLVERTiP? Also, the tips are more white than silver as contrasted with the current 3 band supers.

 

[NJDJ]

My newest addition to my den. Chubby 2 Ebony Manchurian.