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Simpson and Kent Synthetic Brushes

never-stop-learning

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I took three days off from shaving (blasphemy around here lol) and had my second shave with the Duke 3 synthetic using a known well performing soap. The lathering issues resolved themselves completely and I had a great lather. The Duke 3 has softer tips, yet more backbone than my other synthetics. I really like it a lot. Very good brush.

I'm using the T3 for my Sunday evening shave. Hoping to get a more 'broken in' feel. :cool:
 
I had the Simpson T2 but I gave it away in a Pif. I pretty much used it daily for three months. It had great backbone and lathered really well even on triple milled soaps. The reasons that it is no longer with me are: backbone is nice but so is splay. I found the T2 difficult to splay. The more I shave the more I am able to define what I like and what I don’t like. I prefer a brush that is more well balanced scrub vs splay wise. I found the brush fibers pokey. My skin is sensitive to rough razor blades (Astra SP I am looking at you) and pokey brush fibers. When doing painting strokes the T2 is great. When trying to splay that stubborn brush the fibers irritated my skin. Lastly, using that short handled brush in a deep bowl or scuttle, the handle banged against the sides and it felt unnatural. A longer handle brush just works better for me in bowls and scuttles. In fact most of the Simpson’s writing on the handle wore off. To be honest the short loft also contributed to that issue. There is a lot to like about the Simpson T2 but in the end, it wasn’t for me. YMMV
 

never-stop-learning

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20210307
Razor: Blackland Razors Vector SB
Blade: Schick Proline (4)
Brush: Simpson Trafalgar T3
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper
Lather: Pre de Provance No. 63
Aftershave: Epsilon Mediterranean Blue
Fragrance: Belcam Blue Depths EdT Spray
20210307_200036~2.jpg

A little bit easier to splay the Trafalgar T3 tonight. If it continues to 'limber up' this could get interesting. :)
 

never-stop-learning

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20210311
Razor: Pearl Flexi v2
Blade: Silver Star (1)
Brush: Simpson Trafalgar T3
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper
Lather: Vitos Extra Super Coco
Aftershave/Fragrance: PAA Atomic Age Bay Rum Aftershave-Cologne
shave 20210311.jpg

Comments on the Simpson Trafalgar T3: Third shave is the best one so far. Built a beautiful lather and applied it properly to my face. Plus, the T3 is splaying easier with each shave. Much improved over the first shave. :)
 
Lots of interest in Simpson and Kent Synthetic Brushes lately. So let's see what we have around the Den:

Kent Infinity Plus: 24mm x 55mm
Simpson Trafalgar T2: 26mm x 47mm
Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic: 28mm x 50mm
Simpson The Duke 3 Synthetic: 24mm x 48mm

Measurements are approximate, but pretty darn close.

I also have a Simpson Trafalgar T3 on the way and will add it to the group.

Please add your own contributions to this thread. I only ask that any submissions are for British Synthetic Brushes. :)

First shave with the Kent Infinity Plus to follow. :)

Do you think the Kent Synthetic and Trafalgar fibers the same material?
 
20210228
Razor: Blackland Razors Vector SB
Blade: Schick Proline (3)
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper
Lather: Vitos Extra Super Coco
Aftershave: Original Stetson
Fragrance: Original Stetson
View attachment 1230120
The Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic is an excellent brush. Dense knot. Beautiful soft tips. Splays nicely. Great performance. :thumbup:

Check out the fibres on the Chubby 2 Synthetic and The Duke 3 Synthetic vs. the fibres on the Trafalgar T3 & T2 and the Kent Infinity Plus:
View attachment 1230121View attachment 1230122
The Trafalgars and the Kent are good synthetic brushes. The T2 is probably the most balanced of the three. I have more work to do learning the T3. The Kent would edge out the T2 but it has more scritch than I like. Hopefully both the Kent and the T3 will grow on me.....

The Chubby and The Duke are clearly, to my face, a step or two up the ladder. Soft tips, decent backbone, nice splay, decent flow-through and no scritch. They also cost several times as much.

Just my opinion and YMMV. :)
Thanks for these pics. The Duke synthetic on a Canadian seller site is $110! Whereas the Trafalgars are under $40. Why such a difference I wonder.
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
Thanks for these pics. The Duke synthetic on a Canadian seller site is $110! Whereas the Trafalgars are under $40. Why such a difference I wonder.
Those prices equate roughly to the costs in the UK on the Simpson site. The Trafalgar brushes are the budget line with Sovereign grade fibre, and the Duke 3 is part of the premium line with Platinum grade fibre. The prices you quote look correct to me.
 

BradWorld

Dances with Wolfs
I have a T3. Decent brush. I love big soft brushes. And I like big handles too. So the T3 isnt really as big feeling to me as most people. It has a very small handle. And it has a fairly low feeling loft. As mentioned, the published numbers are really quite meaningless for this brush for some reason. It seems quite a bit smaller than PAA Atomic Rocket, for example, even though its not. I dont really care for the T3. I have not put my finger on exactly what. Overall, the T3 feels a bit lifeless to me. A bit blah. But i have been continuing to use it. One thing is for sure. Contrary to the behavior of most synthetics, the Trafalgar T3 seems to be breaking in... which is weird.

I am not surprised that the Kent would potentially be the same fiber. Never thought about that before now. I had a Kent Infinity. Passed it on. The original small one. While it made a great travel brush for sure, I guess on retrospect, I had the same feelings as the T3. Blah.

Nothing really concrete wrong with either of them. I just have a dozen synthetic brushes I enjoy way more than those.

Here are some photos of the T3 compared to the PAA Atomic Rocket, which is a size of brush I enjoy. You can see how the Rocket looks gigantic compared to the T3.

2021-03-20 14.36.53.jpg


2021-03-20 14.37.08.jpg
 

never-stop-learning

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Staff member
I have a T3. Decent brush. I love big soft brushes. And I like big handles too. So the T3 isnt really as big feeling to me as most people. It has a very small handle. And it has a fairly low feeling loft. As mentioned, the published numbers are really quite meaningless for this brush for some reason. It seems quite a bit smaller than PAA Atomic Rocket, for example, even though its not. I dont really care for the T3. I have not put my finger on exactly what. Overall, the T3 feels a bit lifeless to me. A bit blah. But i have been continuing to use it. One thing is for sure. Contrary to the behavior of most synthetics, the Trafalgar T3 seems to be breaking in... which is weird.

I am not surprised that the Kent would potentially be the same fiber. Never thought about that before now. I had a Kent Infinity. Passed it on. The original small one. While it made a great travel brush for sure, I guess on retrospect, I had the same feelings as the T3. Blah.

Nothing really concrete wrong with either of them. I just have a dozen synthetic brushes I enjoy way more than those.

Here are some photos of the T3 compared to the PAA Atomic Rocket, which is a size of brush I enjoy. You can see how the Rocket looks gigantic compared to the T3.

View attachment 1239325

View attachment 1239326

Nicely stated. :)

The T3 is a good brush, but I have a number of synthetic brushes that I reach for first.
 
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