The grail shaped beacon is alight

[Texchappy]

or the tale of two expensive brushes

I’ve been wet sahaving since 2009. For the first few years, I had one badger brush — a bull goose edition Vie Long. I discovered this site and my collection grew. tried boar, gave it away, trying it again. Have one horse. Didn’t like synthetic until I tried Plisson.

With my 25th wedding anniversary coming up, I got two top of the line Simpson badger brushes. One is two band Super and one is Manchurian. Going to compare them to the best of my ability.

 

[Lightcs1776]

I love the handle on the Manchurian. Very nice. And congrats on your anniversary.

 

[Texchappy]

This morning I gave the two band super Chubby 3 a try. I soaked it in warm water for several minutes, lathered it, rinsed it well, and started my usual badger routine.

The brush didn’t loose any hairs and the smell was minimal. There was some funk floating on the water after the first soak but none from the second. I lathered my usual 30 seconds from a bowl of Cella bio/green.

I find face lathering with a large brush a rather decadent experience and this was the most of this experience. The bristles were very soft and the backbone was enough. I didn’t sense any scritch but the back bone provided a good lattice to lather. The one thing I noticed is that it took a lot of soap. I had to go back to the puck twice. The first was to make a thicker lather, the second to get a second pass.

 

[Shaun asleep]

Congrats on your anniversary and wowzaaa at your brushes. I absolutely love that chubby. Fantastic stuff. I would love to own one.

Your entire brush line-up looks extremely classy. Well done, Sir!

 

[Texchappy]

Congrats on your anniversary and wowzaaa at your brushes. I absolutely love that chubby. Fantastic stuff. I would love to own one.

Your entire brush line-up looks extremely classy. Well done, Sir!

I have to admit that one picture is just the Simpsons. I have a razorock, three Plisson fiber, a Vie Long Horse, a Kent BK4, a Semogue 620, and that first brush I mentioned.

 

[Tha Baron]

That polo 12 Manchurian I bet makes a nice travel brush

Nice brushes, I love the Simpsons manchurian grade

 

[Texchappy]

That polo 12 Manchurian I bet makes a nice travel brush

Nice brushes, I love the Simpsons manchurian grade

A bit large for what I’d want to travel with but might make a life raft in the event of a water landing.

 

[Texchappy]

Day two, razor two — the Polo 12 in Manchurian badger.

Last night before bed, I soaked it a short while to get any gunk from it. Didn’t notice any. Soaked it again this morning and lathered it up before going to my regular routine. Rinsed it well. Lost about six hairs though the whole process and shave this morning. Used it as normal, soaking and then loading for about Thirty seconds. I face lathered today.

I suspected it would be similar to the Chubby 3 in loading characteristics but intentionally stayed true to my normal routine in loading. I was right. Like the Chubby yesterday, I had to go back to get more soap for the initial lather. I probably should have for the second face application but I had just enough lather for a thin coverage.
It was another nice experience. It had more backbone but definitely no scritch. It wasn’t quite as soft as the two band but was nice compared to my other badger brushes. One thing I did notice, it is a heavy brush. I may have been a little weak today because I did some inefficient hand planing yesterday*. Regardless of any external factors, I did notice the heft.


*

 

[BigJ]

Happy 25th!! And wishing you both another 25!!

Congrats on the new brushes!!

 

[Texchappy]

More in depth tomorrow but here’s today’s shave with the Chubby 3. I did 60 seconds load and had plenty of lather for 2 plus passes. Will do 60 again with the Polo but then probably try 45.

 

[Spartan76]

It sounds like you’re deserving of those two amazing brushes, twenty five years is a fantastic milestone!

 

[Texchappy]

Back to the Polo today. Went with the 60 second load again with same result as the Chubby yesterday, ample lather. Will go with 45 next time I use these on this puck*. Still get the idea that the super is a little softer and the Manchurian candidate has a bit more backbone. I like them both.
*plan to try DR Harris lavender and St James cream before bowl lathering the Cella.

 

[Texchappy]

Tried 45 seconds loading on the Cella bio. Had enough lather. Was worried as the second pass began but had to press a little harder to get it out of all those long badger hairs.

 

[Texchappy]

Tried 45 second load on the Cella bio as I had on the Polo. Whereas the Polo (with more pressure) had enough lather for go two, the chubby did not (really but made it work).

 

[Texchappy]

Paused 3017ing the Cella to try the brushes today with another soap - DR Harris Lavender. Today was the Polo 12 Manchurian. Did 40 seconds of loading. First pass was glorious. Second pass was more challenging. I knew the lather was in there but getting to my face was more of a chore than I liked. Tried painting and the verboten scrubbing, both with extra pressure. Neither got the lather from deep in all that badger.

‘’As an aside, there was a tuft on one side sticking out randomly. Not sure why.

 

[Texchappy]

Chubby’s turn at the DR Harris Lavender. Tried 50 second load. First pass was glorious. Love this brush when it’s full of hot lather. Second pass I had to squeeze out the lather to get barely enough for the shave. 50 seconds of loading just doesn’t seem to be enough. Still, it‘s a great brush.

 

[Texchappy]

Was on the other end of the Simpson scale today. Not sure how the physics would work trying to use these two brushes here chronicled to try to load from this tiny MdC sample. It’s amazing how easy it us to lather my full face twice with this tiny brush.

 

[Texchappy]

Back to the two new brushes I’m comparing today. Polo turn. Tried it with a tube cream - st James.

Put the usual almond sized dollop in the bottom of the scuttle. Made enough for two passes…

big brush + painting on warm lather = wow (even if the scent of the St James is a little ‘forward’ to me). using the wee Scot and Polo 12 back to back shows just how amazing the tiny brush is…