Updating my brush rotation

[blantyre]

I am slowly downsizing my shaving collection and focusing on a small selection of items that I can use regularly. It was fun once having more than 30 brushes but most of them were rarely if ever used. After selling or giving away many of my brushes (and other shaving items) if am down to about 10 that I have had for years in some cases. Here is a review of a nice ivory handled Rooney style 3 shaped brush. I originally planned to sell this before learning that there are issues with selling ivory so it’s currently staying in the rotation.

For comparison with a Rooney 3/1 finest – it is about double the size. The knot is 26/50 ish. Sensibly dense. This is a brush of choice for hard soaps – it can drill down and lather even the driest, hardest soap with ease. Tabac is a good case in point.

 

[Big Jim]

That's certainly a keeper. I would keep it if it were mine.

 

[jesseix]

What are the others you’ve hung onto?

 

[blantyre]

I ended up buying a brush recently! An Oumo 23 mm unsullied - an impressive brush for about $60 - plenty of scritch. Otherwise a Semogue mistura, two Rooney finests (3/1 and a custom Alibaba size II), Simpson T2 (lampblack stamping) Astor 90th and a very rare lampblack stamped Manchurian Chubby 1, Plisson 12 horn HMW, Rudy Vey custom keyhole with 22 mm Declaration B3 knot, and an M&F blonde badger in a custom handle with silver band and base. Spread between two locations, this gives plenty work with. And a little Maitlands that Rudy Vey restored with a D2 knot for travel.

These mostly older brushes work well for my style of face lathering. I like some backbone and tips with some feel. Other than the Oumo, most modern brushes that I’ve tried are far too dense and too soft for my tastes. Even the B3 is denser than I like but it works well.

 

[johnniegold]

A few that I regret selling…

Rooney 3/1 Super

Shavemac

A couple of Pure Rovers

A Pure Eagle

And there was a B&B Group Buy Shavemac with a stick shift handle that (shockingly) I can’t find a picture of.

 

[blantyre]

Those Rovers are especially nice!

 

[Rudy Vey]

A few that I regret selling…

Rooney 3/1 Super
View attachment 1938733

Shavemac
View attachment 1938734


A couple of Pure Rovers
View attachment 1938735

A Pure Eagle
View attachment 1938736

And there was a B&B Group Buy Shavemac with a stick shift handle that (shockingly) I can’t find a picture of.

I have one of these old Simpson made Rovers in Pure, very nice quality pure, not the crap that is sold these days as pure. I think mine is better than the Best grade.

 

[johnniegold]

I have one of these old Simpson made Rovers in Pure, very nice quality pure, not the crap that is sold these days as pure. I think mine is better than the Best grade.

Bob @beginish had sourced some of these Somerset brushes in Pure. IIRC, we got some Eagles, Rovers and I think a Keyhole.

One of these may have served as the genesis of either an Eagle or Rover Group Buy by West Coast Shaving. (I still have and love both of those brushes).

I do recall Bob and I saying that these Pure bristles were very close to the Best that was being produced at the time.

 

[DesertIguana]

How many of something you own, and rotate is personal thing.

Jay Leno likes Cars, he drives most of what he owns. So many Car the guy Leno keep many in Aircraft Hanger.

.

 

[gpjoe]

I'd love to own a genuine ivory handle and (trade regulation or not) would hold onto it like grim death, and replace the knot if/when needed.

In fact it might be my prized and most used brush, even if only because it's the real deal

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I do recall Bob and I saying that these Pure bristles were very close to the Best that was being produced at the time.

From my perspective it is preferable to have very consistent, but very distinct, hair grades. If I purchased a Pure brush and received something close to Best then I would return it, as if I wanted a Best brush then I would have bought one. Likewise I often hear that a Simpson Best brush was 'so good that it was like a Super grade brush'. I dislike Super grade and would again return such a brush as to me regular Simpson Best, or even Pure, is far superior to the so called Super grade. The problem is of course that Simpson hair has never been consistent and neither have their knot sizes or lofts. It is a total lottery, and for that reason I would never buy a Simpson without seeing it in person or having it appraised by someone I trust.

 

[rsp1202]

The problem is of course that Simpson hair has never been consistent and neither have their knot sizes or lofts. It is a total lottery, and for that reason I would never buy a Simpson without seeing it in person or having it appraised by someone I trust.

I agree. I'd heard many good things about these brushes when starting out, went through quite a few, but was never satisfied. The lack of a nearby brick-and-mortar establishment, and the perils of online shopping. While one of my shaving regrets, the one thing that came out of all of this Simpson woe is my continued appreciation of classic shapes and colors.

 

[GR5233]

From my perspective it is preferable to have very consistent, but very distinct, hair grades. If I purchased a Pure brush and received something close to Best then I would return it, as if I wanted a Best brush then I would have bought one. Likewise I often hear that a Simpson Best brush was 'so good that it was like a Super grade brush'. I dislike Super grade and would again return such a brush as to me regular Simpson Best, or even Pure, is far superior to the so called Super grade. The problem is of course that Simpson hair has never been consistent and neither have their knot sizes or lofts. It is a total lottery, and for that reason I would never buy a Simpson without seeing it in person or having it appraised by someone I trust.

That’s an issue with the grading system used to determine the quality of fiber in natural brushes. There’s no set standard for what type or range of hair goes into a particular type of knot. Nor is there a standard definition for said grade terminology.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

That’s an issue with the grading system used to determine the quality of fiber in natural brushes. There’s no set standard for what type or range of hair goes into a particular type of knot. Nor is there a standard definition for said grade terminology.

Of course, that is a given, but I was referring specifically and solely to Simpson brushes, apologies if I was not clear. Simpson clearly define their own knot grades but there is so much inconsistency in their hair that any two of their own knots of the same grade can be very different indeed. They apparently even claim a loft of plus or minus 5mm to be within tolerance. That is inexcusable and the claims that some make that this is part of the 'charm' of a hand made Simpson product simply do not stand up to scrutiny in my opinion, epecially as many are not as 'hand made' as buyers are led to believe. Other, apparently much lesser makers, including those who tie in house at volume, achieve much higher consistency of hair type and knot dimension.