Soap Users, what is your preferred brush for face lathering, and bowl lathering

[Memphis]

Hi, I like to do both, depending on my mood, and time restraints. I find face lathering a little faster. With that being said, which brush is your go to brush for face lathering with soap, and for bowl lathering with soap


Thanks
Craig

 

[Sir Lurkalot]

Simpson "The Colonel" badger. Once I got the face lathering down, I quit using a bowl. The Colonel works really well.

 

[Mick]

When I am in a hurry I always grab my Duke 2 and a shave stick..... If I have a little more time and want to use a hard soap it is the Rooney 3xl.

Bowl lathering... I have way too many to pick just one but if forced I would have to say my BK8 (Kent)

Now if you want a swiss army knife, one size fits all, jack of all trades brush that can bowl lather with the big boys and face lather as well as a Duke.... There is only one I have found and that one is the Da Vinci 293 bead handle. Totally amazing brush and if I HAD to get down to only one brush this one would be it....

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/297253-Da-Vinci-293-Bead-Handle-Brush-Review

 

[redrako]

Most badger brushes with backbone or most boar brushes are fine for face lathering soaps.

I rotate Semogue 1460, 1250, 1800, 830 and 1305 and occasionally Omega Pro 49 (all boars) and Frank Richmond 24mm Finest, TGN 24mm Finestand most recently Vintage Blade 24mm 2-band.

Note that if you go boar, boar brushes require a break-in time of about 20 lathers to really ramp up as they break in.

As to bowl lathering soaps, I rarely ever do that.

 

[dpm802]

Regardless of using soap or cream, my favorite brush for face lathering is Semogue 1305.

Sadly, mine is going on 4 years old and seems to be past its prime, so I need to get a replacement. I'm worried that if I get another 1305, it won't break in as perfectly as this one did.

 

[Memphis]

Simpson "The Colonel" badger. Once I got the face lathering down, I quit using a bowl. The Colonel works really well.

That's the brush I have

 

[njpaddy]

A Simpson Rover might be my best for face lathering soaps, but I rotate 6 badger brushes and rarely use any twice in a row. The only time I bowl lather is when I get a new brush and want to do a test lather to wash out the loose hairs. The last time I was bowl lathering to shave, I was using a Simpson Colonel. My son-in-law has that brush now.

 

[Memphis]

Regardless of using soap or cream, my favorite brush for face lathering is Semogue 1305.

Sadly, mine is going on 4 years old and seems to be past its prime, so I need to get a replacement. I'm worried that if I get another 1305, it won't break in as perfectly as this one did.

Do you find that brush scratchy or scritchy?

I am thinking of pulling the trigger on that one (among other things, lol)

 

[dpm802]

Do you find that brush scratchy or scritchy?

I am thinking of pulling the trigger on that one (among other things, lol)

The 1305 is my "Goldilocks" brush ... everything about it is "just right."

It broke in easily after a month or so, and it held its own against many higher-end boars and much more expensive badgers for a good three and a half years.

Now that it is approaching four years old, it seems like it doesn't hold as much water as before, and its getting a little more floppy than I like. I tried cleaning it with some J&J baby shampoo last week, and I've got one shave in since then. The water holding has been restored somewhat, but it still feels too floppy. I even tried just wetting the first inch, and leaving the rest of the bristle dry to retain some backbone, but that didn't help much. I guess its time to put this guy out to pasture and bring in something fresh.

But I'm worried that my second 1305 (or its acrylic version, the 830) won't break in as nicely as this one did. I have two SOC boars with identical knots, but very unique personalities. The ash handle is nice and soft at the tips, but is a little too floppy. The cherry is slightly scritchy at the tips, but has plenty of backbone. Both brushes are about the same age, went through similar break-ins, and have seen about the same number of uses. And they're both just a tad too big in both knot and handle.

Like I said, the 1305 is "just right" no matter which quality I look at ... I just hope I can duplicate this success with my next one.

 

[Memphis]

The 1305 is my "Goldilocks" brush ... everything about it is "just right."

It broke in easily after a month or so, and it held its own against many higher-end boars and much more expensive badgers for a good three and a half years.

Now that it is approaching four years old, it seems like it doesn't hold as much water as before, and its getting a little more floppy than I like. I tried cleaning it with some J&J baby shampoo last week, and I've got one shave in since then. The water holding has been restored somewhat, but it still feels too floppy. I even tried just wetting the first inch, and leaving the rest of the bristle dry to retain some backbone, but that didn't help much. I guess its time to put this guy out to pasture and bring in something fresh.

But I'm worried that my second 1305 (or its acrylic version, the 830) won't break in as nicely as this one did. I have two SOC boars with identical knots, but very unique personalities. The ash handle is nice and soft at the tips, but is a little too floppy. The cherry is slightly scritchy at the tips, but has plenty of backbone. Both brushes are about the same age, went through similar break-ins, and have seen about the same number of uses. And they're both just a tad too big in both knot and handle.

Like I said, the 1305 is "just right" no matter which quality I look at ... I just hope I can duplicate this success with my next one.

I say go for it, get again. Can't hurt

I'm going to pull the trigger

 

[Mr5x5]

Boar.

 

[Graybeard57]

Only one brush for me: Omega '49 boar.

 

[Griffo]

I only ever face lather and most use a Omega Pro 48, 80080 or No.37 and also a C&E super badger.

Never use a bowl, just don't see the point.

slightly prefer the badger with creams and boars with soaps.

 

[Helzerr]

But I'm worried that my second 1305 (or its acrylic version, the 830) won't break in as nicely as this one did.

I've had my 830 for about a week and a half now, and it's quickly becoming my favorite brush. I lather it every other day even if I'm not shaving with it and the tips are starting to split nicely. Backbone is great in it and I see a big difference between my Simpson Berkeley and it when I face lather MWF. Mine did take about a week to get the funk out and Arko was the one to finally stomp it out completely. I really like the feel of the acrylic handle too, good heft and fits nicely in my hand.

I get what you mean about the SOC being just a little too big in the loft and the cherry handle is a little big for my hand as well. WCS has the 830 for $24 and I think VintageScent had it for about $20. Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[k2clones29]

Simpson "The Colonel" badger. Once I got the face lathering down, I quit using a bowl. The Colonel works really well.

That's the brush I have

And me. Works like a charm!

 

[Absolute Mustard]

My Shavemac 24/48 d01 is my goto brush for EVERYTHING these days

 

[Songwind]

My favorite bowl lathering brush right now would be my Semogue 2012 SE owner's club badger/boar.

Face lathering would be a toss-up between the WSP Prince in Finest and the Simpson Commodore X2.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I love my Shavemacs, D01 two and three band in fan as well as flattop for face lather, I don't bowl lather.

 

[lt114]

I face lather with all of my brushes. My three favorite face lathering brushes right now are: Chubby 2 two band, Thater 4125/1 two band, Rooney 2XL. Honorable mention goes to a Semogue 730 that I picked up a couple of weeks ago. Even though it is what many here would call floppy, it's a fantastic face lathering brush.

 

[mistercitizen]

My Shavemac 24/48 d01 is my goto brush for EVERYTHING these days

Ben