Simpson and Kent Synthetic Brushes

[BradWorld]

I've got trust issues with synthetics that cost over $100. This $10 tuxedo lathers better than anything else on my shelf. Drives me crazy.

I have a couple of more expensive synths, but they are artisan produced custom brushes. In those cases you are paying for the workmanship and care put into turning the handle, and setting the knot. Essentially the same knots as the cheaper brushes. But it’s all in how it’s set, and the feel of the handle. Worth the expense. And I enjoy to support small business as well.

But, I have a Haircut & Shave Tuxedo (like yours, but different handle) that I got from a PIF table at a local shave meet up, and it’s amazingly luxurious, and a pleasure to use.

 

[MtView]

For those who have used the synthetic Duke 3 and synthetic Chubby 2, have you used them with dark soaps like Haverford? Did they get discolored at all? I'm just wondering how the Platinum holds up.

 

[SharpieB]

For those who have used the synthetic Duke 3 and synthetic Chubby 2, have you used them with dark soaps like Haverford? Did they get discolored at all? I'm just wondering how the Platinum holds up.

I have the Chubby 2 synth and have used it with a few very dark soaps. No staining or discolouration at all.

 

[BigJ]

View attachment 1231928

The Duke 3 is a great brush. They all are.

+1! GREAT line up!!

 

[Owen Bawn]

Came across on the twitter machine earlier today... Simpsons have the Chubby 3 synthetic with the Sovereign Fibre back in stock.

 

[SharpieB]

Came across on the twitter machine earlier today... Simpsons have the Chubby 3 synthetic with the Sovereign Fibre back in stock.

Wow. That might be the first new brush put up on their site this year. Their website is atrocious in general though.

Price is good on the CH3 but the Soverign bristles aren’t nearly as good as the Platinum IMO.

 

[MtView]

I used my Duke 3 synthetic for the first time today with Haverford. I‘m not a big synthetic user because it‘s a circle of I haven’t liked them so I don’t use them so I don’t like them. I’ve tried the Omega Evo, the Trafalgars and the FS fiber that’s supposedly the same as Muhle synthetic silvertip. They were ok, but not my thing.

I enjoyed using the Duke 3 synth. It was as soft on my face as my softest silvertip, but with backbone. It seemed to hold and release water and lather pretty evenly.

I follow the Simpsons guidelines for brush use. I may lightly splay my badgers, but I don’t try and splay my synthetics because I find it a frustrating experience. I didn’t try to splay this one either although I did splay it a little at times. I didn’t find it much easier to splay like my other synths, but I don’t try very hard either. I ended up mostly loading with the brush tips.

I also noticed that the Platinum doesn’t seem to dry out after rinsing as quickly as my other synths.

If my badgers disappeared overnight, I could definitely use this one as a daily driver and might put it in the rotation just for the variety / fun of it.

 

[LoveTheSlant]

Wow. That might be the first new brush put up on their site this year. Their website is atrocious in general though.

Price is good on the CH3 but the Soverign bristles aren’t nearly as good as the Platinum IMO.

Curious why they didn’t make the CH3 in platinum.

 

[andromeda673]

I have a Simpson T1 and I'm in love with it, so much so that I'm going to get a T3 because I want something a little bigger and I love the overall feel and they truly do whip up a lather so much faster, which kinda blows my mind. I wasn't into synthetics at all till I tried one........you won't be disappointed with the Trafalgar line, the price and the quality are banging.

 

[J-MN]

Here's mine. The Duke 3 just showed up today, so will be using it for the first time tomorrow. As for the rest of them, I like them all other than the Trafalgar T3. It's a nice enough brush, but is just too big for me.

Simpson, Trafalgar T3
Simpson Trafalgar T2
Simpson, Trafalgar T1
Simpson, Duke 3
Simpson, Chubby 2
Kent, Infinity Silvertex

 

[SharpieB]

Here's mine. The Duke 3 just showed up today, so will be using it for the first time tomorrow. As for the rest of them, I like them all other than the Trafalgar T3. It's a nice enough brush, but is just too big for me.

Simpson, Trafalgar T3
Simpson Trafalgar T2
Simpson, Trafalgar T1
Simpson, Duke 3
Simpson, Chubby 2
Kent, Infinity Silvertex

You need the new limited Chubby 3 Synthetic and then you are set.

Shop

www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com

 

[J-MN]

You need the new limited Chubby 3 Synthetic and then you are set.

Shop

www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com

Since you mentioned it, I'm still trying to figure out the purpose of the Chubby 3 Synthetic. It seems like it would be very similar to the Trafalgar T3, except for being more than double the price. While the specs say that the T3 is a 26mm knot, mine looks to be about 29-30mm, which would align with the Chubby 3. It would make more sense to me if they had used the Platinum grade fiber. I'm sure it will sell, though, and I'm looking forward to reading some reviews, even though it's a brush I have no interest in owning.

 

[MtView]

The more I use my Duke 3 synthetic the more I like it. I noticed that it doesn't seem to dry quickly. Does anyone use this brush as for travel?

 

[J-MN]

The more I use my Duke 3 synthetic the more I like it. I noticed that it doesn't seem to dry quickly. Does anyone use this brush as for travel?

I agree that the Duke and Chubby synthetics do seem to take longer to dry than other synthetics. Not sure if it's due to the unique fiber used or if it's just because they're both so dense.

 

[Lee93]

Just arrived! I am really impressed with its quality. It will be the only brush that I will alternate with that of Rudy Vey.

 

[MtView]

Just arrived! I am really impressed with its quality. It will be the only brush that I will alternate with that of Rudy Vey.

It's a great brush. I could use it every day. It makes me see the possibility that one day synthetics will be the dominant brush type. On second thought, I don't know that they aren't already.

 

[MtView]

I agree that the Duke and Chubby synthetics do seem to take longer to dry than other synthetics. Not sure if it's due to the unique fiber used or if it's just because they're both so dense.

I thought I was nuts, but I think my Chubby 1 Super and my Tulip 3 Super dry faster. That's probably what makes this a great everyday brush. As a travel brush, I may look to something that drys faster and I would be upset if I lost the Duke 3 or Chubby 2 synth.

 

[pierrelortie44]

I used the Duke 3 synthetic today and really enjoyed the soft tips and good backbone. I also liked that it was more densely packed than some of my other synthetics.

I'm reserving final judgement until I get more time with it, though. I used a new soap and had trouble generating a good lather and what lather I did generate the brush seemed to want to hold onto.

I figure this problem will resolve itself once I get back to a known good performing soap. Thinking I'll use some MdC Agrumes for tomorrow's shave.

I have the Duke3 Platinum, using the MdC Rose soap these days. I’ll tell you, compared to my Emperor Super badgers, the synth Duke quickly chews up the soap and retains it all with no foaming. Bowl and face lathers efficiently, painting motion is best.

 

[shiomoto]

Kent's latest 2020 Silvertex knots are not bad either. Not too sure how they compare to the Infinity plus knots, but they offer a much more comfortable pleasant face feel than the original Infinity knots. Personally, I prefer Kent's 2020 Silvertex over Simpson's Trafalgars and Muhle/EJ STF.

 

[AndyPanda]

I just acquired a Duke 3 in Synthetic Bristle and I'm really impressed so far. Plenty of backbone and super soft tips. I'm still getting used to using a synthetic but it just might convert me.

I have not tried the Kent synthetics yet -- I have vintage BK4 and BK8. They are both super soft and luxurious (some say floppy but I think they are about perfect).