Simpsons Major thoughts

[otets]

Hi,

I wonder to know any thoughts about Simpsons Major brush. Who has/had this brush? What can you say about it?

Currently I have next Simpsons:
Duke 3 Best
Duke 1 2-Band
Berkeley Pure
WeeScot Best

Also I have had experience with
Tulip 3 Super
Special Pure
Colonel Best

Thanks

 

[BigJ]

I elected to get a Wee Scot as my travel brush rather than a Major!

The Wee one does everything I could ask, so I have not been tempted by the Major.

But don’t let that opinion stop you!!

 

[otets]

BigJ, thanks for your honest feedback.

You know, I don’t travel a lot, but I really prefer small brushes at home. And I do like my WeeScot, but the handle of Major is captured me ))

Recently I have bought the Duke 1 Two-Band and was so disappointed because it has a huge glue bump. That’s why I am looking for something new, better than Duke 1. For instance I like when a brush splays easily.

 

[Owen Bawn]

I thought about the Major myself at one time but I chose the Classic 1 in Best both for travel and for use at home. A good dense brush, like a miniature Chubby, it also fits in the small Simpsons travel tube.

 

[otets]

Owen Bawn, thanks for your recommendation.

I don’t like dense brush. For instance Duke 1 is too dense for me, because it has a short loft and a huge glue bump. Duke 3 doesn’t have a glue bump and can splay easier than D1. I would say that the Duke 3 is the limit in terms of density for my tasty

 

[arano]

Interested too in experiences with that one.
Thinking of getting that one for travel.

 

[Tomo]

Classic 1 is the ticket for travel.

 

[nemo]

Last time I traveled -- whew, has it been that long? -- I just took along my old Simpson Commodore X1 in a perforated pill bottle and it worked just great. The Major seems pricey and a bit of a gimmick but I'm sure it has a lot of fans.

I do own a Wee Scot but it doesn't see a lot of action.

 

[CJB3]

I bought a Duke 1 for travel, which also fits in the small travel tube.

 

[Steve56]

I have one in Super Badger and used to use it for travel. But a Tulip 1 or a Tulip 2 in a perforated pill bottle is a much superior travel brush.

 

[otets]

I've noticed that particularly everyone uses small brushes only for travel.
As for me, I do like small brushes at home. It seems to be an interesting topic...

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I've noticed that particularly everyone uses small brushes only for travel.
As for me, I do like small brushes at home. It seems to be an interesting topic...

Knots have certainly gotten bigger in recent years but there are a hardcore of smaller brush users. I have a 24mm knot maximum and use the Wee Scot, Classic 1, Coates Fitzwilliam, Duke 3, Chubby 1, M6 and other comparatively small brushes daily. Many artisan makers seem now to offer only 28mm and upwards, often with excessively treated hair, so I am grateful that Simpson continue to offer a range of smaller quality brushes without gel tips. I was surprised to read that you experienced a glue bump with the Duke 1.

 

[nemo]

I've noticed that particularly everyone uses small brushes only for travel.
As for me, I do like small brushes at home. It seems to be an interesting topic...

There are more than few of us regularly using tiny brushes at home: TBOC (Tiny Brush Owners Club) not very active as of late ...

Tiny Brush Owners Club: TBOC

Like the Wee Scott and vie long, omega and others. I just ordered a Wee Scott and have an omega 11407 that I use for travel and I like it a lot.

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[otets]

I was surprised to read that you experienced a glue bump with the Duke 1.

I was surprised too when I had received the Duke 1...
I posted pics and information about my Duke here

Simpsons Duke 1 Two-Band for travel

Hello everyone, Well I caved today...I was going back and forth between the Classic 1 and Duke 1 for travel. I couldn't make up my mind. I then saw the Special Edition Duke 1 on the Simpsons site in Silvertip (seems like "The Duke" is written in a larger font then normal for the Duke 1, I like...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[pdieten]

If a small dense brush isn't your cup of lather then a Major might not be what you're looking for.

I settled this by buying a brass turnback travel brush from The Superior Shave. Mine is a synth and it has excellent splay, flow-through, and face feel; but you can get it as a badger. Not that big either. 20mm

Or if you're willing to go to 22mm, you could look at the Vulfix turnback.

 

[CJB3]

If a small dense brush isn't your cup of lather then a Major might not be what you're looking for.

I settled this by buying a brass turnback travel brush from The Superior Shave. Mine is a synth and it has excellent splay, flow-through, and face feel; but you can get it as a badger. Not that big either. 20mm

Or if you're willing to go to 22mm, you could look at the Vulfix turnback.

+1 on this. Every Simpson I have tried has been relatively dense. It’s one of the qualities Simpson is known for.

 

[Chaucer]

I also prefer smaller brushes for their precision. For travel and at home, these are my smallest:
- Simpsons Case in Best (a remarkable value with soft tips but efficient lathering)
- Shavemac Pure 19mm knot in Rudy Vey beehive handle (fits in the Case’s tube; density just right for me; fairly high loft)
- Omega Mixed Midget (smallest of all; just about free; more scritchy than the others but fun to use)

All of them make and hold plenty of lather for three passes. Overall, I can recommend any of them.

 

[otets]

+1 on this. Every Simpson I have tried has been relatively dense. It’s one of the qualities Simpson is known for.

Not all Simpsons brushes are dense.
For instance, Berkeley has middle density and Wee Scot has low density.
I would say the pricey Simpsons brush the more density it has.
Also, density depends on the loft-knot ratio.

 

[sm29]

For travel I have a Major in super, a Wee Scot in best, and a Classic 1 in synthetic. I briefly had a Case in best. My rankings are first the Major by a wide margin, next the Wee Scot and last the synthetic Classic 1. Maybe the Classic 1 is rated so low because I prefer badger to synthetic.

The briefly owned Case was extreme.y scritchy and much rougher than any othe Simpson best that I own. The Wee Scot packs easily in a a small pill bottle with an easily drilled for ventilation top. It can load directly off a shave stick and is a more than adequate travel brush, but it is very small. The first look at a Wee Scot makes you wonder whether it is a shaving brush or a toy, but the first use shows what a good brush it can be.

The Major is something special. The super badger knot dries relatively quickly yet can handle a three pass shave loading only once. The Turnback handle is comfortable and functional. For those that want a smaller handle, just use the brush without screwing it back into the case. I have used this brush on a number of trips with 10 plus days of daily use and not tired of it. The Wee Scot by comparison felt really small in my hand after a week of daily use.

For perspective, when not traveling my Simpson brushes are Chubby 1 in super, Duke 3 in best, and Classic 2 in best.

For me the premium paid for the Major in super was well worth it.

 

[Owen Bawn]

For travel I have a Major in super, a Wee Scot in best, and a Classic 1 in synthetic. I briefly had a Case in best. My rankings are first the Major by a wide margin, next the Wee Scot and last the synthetic Classic 1. Maybe the Classic 1 is rated so low because I prefer badger to synthetic.

The briefly owned Case was extreme.y scritchy and much rougher than any othe Simpson best that I own. The Wee Scot packs easily in a a small pill bottle with an easily drilled for ventilation top. It can load directly off a shave stick and is a more than adequate travel brush, but it is very small. The first look at a Wee Scot makes you wonder whether it is a shaving brush or a toy, but the first use shows what a good brush it can be.

The Major is something special. The super badger knot dries relatively quickly yet can handle a three pass shave loading only once. The Turnback handle is comfortable and functional. For those that want a smaller handle, just use the brush without screwing it back into the case. I have used this brush on a number of trips with 10 plus days of daily use and not tired of it. The Wee Scot by comparison felt really small in my hand after a week of daily use.

For perspective, when not traveling my Simpson brushes are Chubby 1 in super, Duke 3 in best, and Classic 2 in best.

For me the premium paid for the Major in super was well worth it.

Excellent post that really gives the OP good answers to the questions he asked.