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Simpson, I hate you #SBAD #BAD #MAD

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
It’s taken a while but the Duke 3 SiLVERTiP has finally arrived in Australia from the Isle of Man. I used it today for the first time and it totally blew me away. I agree with your assessment 100%. Hands down the plushest and most luxurious brush I’ve ever used.

Soft, springy and dense. Zero scritch, nice bloom and good flow through. It’s a great size and kicks up lather like a storm. The knot is more of a bulb shape than my other Simpsons which lean more toward hybrid. Bulbs are my favorite knot shape so this is a welcome deviation from the norm. There was not a single hair lost in the first deployment which is always a good omen for things to come. Like you this is now the sweetest brush I own.

I can’t be sure if they’re all this good or if I just got lucky. All I can say is that this one is off the charts. The current batch of SiLVERTiP seems to be something very special.

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She's a looker! Lovely knot. I agree with you. I don't know what Simpson's 2 band was like years ago but the hair they are selling right now is extraordinary to my mind.

Here's to many years of enjoying your new brush.
 
Yiasou Xirafakis,

The Superior Shave in Jacksonville, Florida makes stands for many Simpson brushes, including the Chubby 3. Thesuperiorshave.com Great prices on new Simpson brushes. That I know of, you can only order new Simpson Manbhurians directly from them, not other retailers. Someone please correct me if I am wrong and you know of someone who retails new Simpson Manchurians.

Take care,

Nick P.

Thanks for the tip. The $54 stand looks nifty but instead I used some $4 aluminum wire which I bent into a stand and it holds the brush perfectly. Try it yourself. I'd be interested in your results.
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
Thanks for the tip. The $54 stand looks nifty but instead I used some $4 aluminum wire which I bent into a stand and it holds the brush perfectly. Try it yourself. I'd be interested in your results.
I would be interested in seeing your results. Any chance of a photo?
 
I love Simpsons brushes. Of the 4 I own, they all hold tons of water and make heaps of lather in no time at all. For me, it’s purely a matter of finding the one that has the ideal knot and handle characteristics for the specific application. The rest is merely a matter of silly old money. Buy away!
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
is that a 2-band Super? I have the T3 in Super and it's a definite 3 band silvertip type knot.

Yes, it’s a 2-band Super. It was sold to me as not being the ‘unicorn’ 2-band, but I have a Chubby 1 with that unicorn hair and I can’t tell much if any difference. The T3 has softened up a bit with use and ‘clean’ soaps.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
Yes, it’s a 2-band Super. It was sold to me as not being the ‘unicorn’ 2-band, but I have a Chubby 1 with that unicorn hair and I can’t tell much if any difference. The T3 has softened up a bit with use and ‘clean’ soaps.
I can't speak to the alleged 'unicorn' 2 band hair from the old days, as I've never used it. But I've tried top notch badgers from most people producing them right now, and these 2 Dukes in two band that I've bought in the past 2 years are the most perfect brushes I've ever used. Note how, in typical Simpsons fashion, the loft on the ruby brush is several mm higher than the ivory one- all part of the charm!

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Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
Nice looking pair there @Owen Bawn I believe that they set the loft differently for each batch of hair, but I could be mistaken.

Here’s a trio. On the left, Chubby 1 Super 2-band allegedly with the ‘unicorn’ hair, the T3, and on the right, a Chubby 1 3-band with what Jarrod Connerty called ‘brunette badger’. It‘s a warmer color than than most Best knots, and if you were blindfolded you could not tell the difference from the 2-bands. Note that the Chubbies have the older yellower handle stock.

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Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
Nice looking pair there @Owen Bawn I believe that they set the loft differently for each batch of hair, but I could be mistaken.

Here’s a trio. On the left, Chubby 1 Super 2-band allegedly with the ‘unicorn’ hair, the T3, and on the right, a Chubby 1 3-band with what Jarrod Connerty called ‘brunette badger’. It‘s a warmer color than than most Best knots, and if you were blindfolded you could not tell the difference from the 2-bands. Note that the Chubbies have the older yellower handle stock.

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Handsome. I like and own quite a few Simpsons in Best. As everyone says, they are variable, and that's fine with me. Out of the bunch I have a Chubby 1 and a Duke 3 that stand out. With their backbone and thicker hair, each is better than virtually all of my 3 band Supers, and that is a high compliment indeed. But I think you've got me beat right there. Again, a handsome trio.
 
What's the consensus between the current manchurian and 2 band silvertip? I just received the T1 in 2 band and it seems pretty good (maiden voyage will be later today or tomorrow). I can tell the knot is a little small for my tastes, but I knew that going in. Will make a great travel brush.

As predicted, I am looking at larger brushes again. Either another Chubby 2 or a Duke 3 in either 2 band silvertip or Manchurian hair. I have had one brush in manchurian years ago and I recall it having tons of backbone but just a bit too much scritch for my liking, so it was sold off. Are the current manchurian brushes still like this? Which hair type is softer?
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
What's the consensus between the current manchurian and 2 band silvertip? I just received the T1 in 2 band and it seems pretty good (maiden voyage will be later today or tomorrow). I can tell the knot is a little small for my tastes, but I knew that going in. Will make a great travel brush.

As predicted, I am looking at larger brushes again. Either another Chubby 2 or a Duke 3 in either 2 band silvertip or Manchurian hair. I have had one brush in manchurian years ago and I recall it having tons of backbone but just a bit too much scritch for my liking, so it was sold off. Are the current manchurian brushes still like this? Which hair type is softer?
I prefer the SiLVERTiP myself. After that, I'd choose the 2 Bests I referenced above, then Super, and finally Manchurian. But mind you, I own a Manchurian M7, a Manch Chubby 1, a Manchurian Duke 3 and an M6, so it isn't like I hate the hair grade. The M7 and the Duke are 5-7 years old, and they are more pleasant and softer than the 2019 Chubby 1 and the M6 I bought in August of this year. I don't know if I'd use the word scritch- it's really more like a different sort of rub. They may 'rub you the wrong way,' but I haven't experienced scritch as such. I can tell you that the 2 band in the Dukes they are selling now is outstanding hair.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
Nice looking pair there @Owen Bawn I believe that they set the loft differently for each batch of hair, but I could be mistaken.

Here’s a trio. On the left, Chubby 1 Super 2-band allegedly with the ‘unicorn’ hair, the T3, and on the right, a Chubby 1 3-band with what Jarrod Connerty called ‘brunette badger’. It‘s a warmer color than than most Best knots, and if you were blindfolded you could not tell the difference from the 2-bands. Note that the Chubbies have the older yellower handle stock.

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Try these 2 for different lofts- the jade G3 is from 2017; the ivory is more recent. The knot on the ivory brush is both smaller and tighter than the jade. As such, it really performs like a Chubby 1. I didn't ask for it- it is just regular stock off the shelf. But a pleasant surprise indeed. My 2 Eagle 3's in Super are very, very different.
Sorry for the poor quality ipad photos. Can't yiz tell I'm workin' here?

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Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
What's the consensus between the current manchurian and 2 band silvertip? I just received the T1 in 2 band and it seems pretty good (maiden voyage will be later today or tomorrow). I can tell the knot is a little small for my tastes, but I knew that going in. Will make a great travel brush.

As predicted, I am looking at larger brushes again. Either another Chubby 2 or a Duke 3 in either 2 band silvertip or Manchurian hair. I have had one brush in manchurian years ago and I recall it having tons of backbone but just a bit too much scritch for my liking, so it was sold off. Are the current manchurian brushes still like this? Which hair type is softer?

The silvertip is a much softer knot with less backbone than the Manchurian. Manchurian has a thick, springy hair shaft, silvertip has a quite thin and flexible hair shaft. Consequently, the silvertip is usually denser and bulb shaped, the Manchurian is usually less dense and more fan shaped. If you’re looking for backbone, the Simpsons 2-band silvertip won’t get you there.

The T1 is one of the best travel brushes IMO, it will fit in a standard pill bottle (with a domed cap). Drill some holes in the bottle for ventilation and you’re good to go. It’s a larger knot and better brush than the Major IMO, though my T1 is a Super Badger.
 
Curiosity sometimes gets the best of me and I know that even if I pick one, the other one will always be a mystery and tug at my brain.

Therefore the only logical solution was to order both. An M7 Manchurian and Duke 3 in 2 band super are on the way. Used the Tulip 1 last night and confirmed it is an excellent brush. Great hair and masterful at face lathering. Just a little smaller than my usual preference. However, it will be keeping a spot in my den as it provides something different from my other brushes and was truly a joy to use.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
Curiosity sometimes gets the best of me and I know that even if I pick one, the other one will always be a mystery and tug at my brain.

Therefore the only logical solution was to order both. An M7 Manchurian and Duke 3 in 2 band super are on the way. Used the Tulip 1 last night and confirmed it is an excellent brush. Great hair and masterful at face lathering. Just a little smaller than my usual preference. However, it will be keeping a spot in my den as it provides something different from my other brushes and was truly a joy to use.
I like the way you're thinking! Please share photos when they arrive! I used a Duke 3 two band last night after posting about it earlier in the day and yes, it is everything I claim it to be. What a brush.
 
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