What’d you get for Christmas/Holidays this year? Pics are great!

[SharpieB]

My wife surprised me and let me know was she ordered me a Simpsons Classic Synthetic brush and a Parker Semi-Slant razor that were delayed and won’t arrive for a few days.

Excellent Christmas gifts and shows she actually listens to my shaving gear related blabbering. I am about to order a synth Chubby 2 and M7 but really want to try the Platinum grade synth hair before I drop the big $$$. The Classic is relatively inexpensive and will be an excellent smaller travel brush.

I have never tried a slant and the Parker is highly regarded for an inexpensive razor. Plus it is brass, which is a bonus for a $30 razor.

 

[Ruva]

I got the Proraso sensitive kit from my brother. I am making the switch from soaps to creams from now on.

 

[Owen Bawn]

My wife surprised me and let me know was she ordered me a Simpsons Classic Synthetic brush and a Parker Semi-Slant razor that were delayed and won’t arrive for a few days.

Excellent Christmas gifts and shows she actually listens to my shaving gear related blabbering. I am about to order a synth Chubby 2 and M7 but really want to try the Platinum grade synth hair before I drop the big $$$. The Classic is relatively inexpensive and will be an excellent smaller travel brush.

I have never tried a slant and the Parker is highly regarded for an inexpensive razor. Plus it is brass, which is a bonus for a $30 razor.

Great gifts indeed. The tips on the Classic 1 synth will feel the same as those on the Chubby or M7 synths, but the overall performance of the Chubby or M7 will be much better. The Classic feels too small and the synthetic fibre just does not behave 'naturally' in that size knot. It doesn't splay so much as it all folds over one way or the other. But that said, it will give you a feel for the extraordinary softness of that grade of fibre. I have a Classic 1 synth and it is just fine for travel, but would be less than satisfying as a daily brush.

Don't forget photos!

 

[SharpieB]

Great gifts indeed. The tips on the Classic 1 synth will feel the same as those on the Chubby or M7 synths, but the overall performance of the Chubby or M7 will be much better. The Classic feels too small and the synthetic fibre just does not behave 'naturally' in that size knot. It doesn't splay so much as it all folds over one way or the other. But that said, it will give you a feel for the extraordinary softness of that grade of fibre. I have a Classic 1 synth and it is just fine for travel, but would be less than satisfying as a daily brush.

Don't forget photos!

Thanks for the great info as always.

I do like using my smaller Simpson brushes (Special Best/Pure and Wee Scot) from time to time and looking forward to comparing the Platinum vs. my T1/T2 Sovereign brushes. The Classic synth is about $50 including a Simpson storage tube so no worries if it ends up being my travel brush.

If I like the Platinum bristles, I will order the M7 version. If I don’t, it will likely be another badger.

It is unlike me to over analyze purchases (especially shaving brushes) but my wife and I decided to give each other a set amount of $$$ for fun gifts after Christmas this year and we must to stick to it. Makes me feel like a kid with a pocketful of Christmas money from family, but we are having a lot of fun with it. I should be able to squeeze in a M7 Manchurian and synthetic, but we shall see.

 

[Leverspro]

Thanks for the great info as always.

I do like using my smaller Simpson brushes (Special Best/Pure and Wee Scot) from time to time and looking forward to comparing the Platinum vs. my T1/T2 Sovereign brushes. The Classic synth is about $50 including a Simpson storage tube so no worries if it ends up being my travel brush.

If I like the Platinum bristles, I will order the M7 version. If I don’t, it will likely be another badger.

It is unlike me to over analyze purchases (especially shaving brushes) but my wife and I decided to give each other a set amount of $$$ for fun gifts after Christmas this year and we must to stick to it. Makes me feel like a kid with a pocketful of Christmas money from family, but we are having a lot of fun with it. I should be able to squeeze in a M7 Manchurian and synthetic, but we shall see.

So, this from someone who has never owned a Simpson, is the Trafalgar syth of a different grade from other synths?

 

[SharpieB]

So, this from someone who has never owned a Simpson, is the Trafalgar syth of a different grade from other synths?

There is. The Trafalgars are “Sovereign“ and the higher end brushes are “Platinum” bristle. My two Trafalgars are really nice but I have no experience with the Platinum yet.

Is the Platinum better? Dunno. But for 3x the price, it had better be!

 

[oldskool76]

so are the Maggard Timberwolf brushes any good

 

[dmshaver]

A tin of SV 70th soap, & a SOC Butterscotch boar brush.

 

[Moorhsum]

A gift from the wife and daughters. A departure from the amber aftershaves I usually use.

 

[Adam18]

For me, this was an awesome Hanukkah gift from my beautiful wife (our 25th anniversary is May 19, 2021) .....
a new pair of Birkenstocks, a new Lohanu ukulele, Hermes cologne, Proraso splash and balm, and a bottle of
one of my favorite single malts. And ..... a Simpsons Duke 2 Best is on the way from Amazon !
Yes indeed, I am a very lucky man !!!

 

[Jmp63]

For me, this was an awesome Hanukkah gift from my beautiful wife (our 25th anniversary is May 19, 2021) .....
a new pair of Birkenstocks, a new Lohanu ukulele, Hermes cologne, Proraso splash and balm, and a bottle of
one of my favorite single malts. And ..... a Simpsons Duke 2 Best is on the way from Amazon !
Yes indeed, I am a very lucky man !!!

View attachment 1200659

Outstanding! Great gear, great Scotch and a sweet looking ukulele! Congrats! And Happy Hanukkah!

 

[Jmp63]

A tin of SV 70th soap, & a SOC Butterscotch boar brush.
View attachment 1200646

What a great looking brush! I was gifted my first few Semogues for Christmas, they are fantastic! I haven’t tried SV soap yet. Merry Christmas!

 

[Jmp63]

View attachment 1200583
I got the Proraso sensitive kit from my brother. I am making the switch from soaps to creams from now on.

Proraso is great! Merry Christmas!

 

[Jmp63]

A gift from the wife and daughters. A departure from the amber aftershaves I usually use.

View attachment 1200653

That’s a cool looking bottle of AV, I’ve only tried the regular Aqua Velva Classic and always enjoy it! I’m sure that is great too, congrats! Merry Christmas!

 

[Jmp63]

My wife surprised me and let me know was she ordered me a Simpsons Classic Synthetic brush and a Parker Semi-Slant razor that were delayed and won’t arrive for a few days.

Excellent Christmas gifts and shows she actually listens to my shaving gear related blabbering. I am about to order a synth Chubby 2 and M7 but really want to try the Platinum grade synth hair before I drop the big $$$. The Classic is relatively inexpensive and will be an excellent smaller travel brush.

I have never tried a slant and the Parker is highly regarded for an inexpensive razor. Plus it is brass, which is a bonus for a $30 razor.

The Parker Semi slant is on my list of razors to try! Sounds like you have some great brushes inbound too! Merry Christmas!

 

[Leverspro]

For me, this was an awesome Hanukkah gift from my beautiful wife (our 25th anniversary is May 19, 2021) .....
a new pair of Birkenstocks, a new Lohanu ukulele, Hermes cologne, Proraso splash and balm, and a bottle of
one of my favorite single malts. And ..... a Simpsons Duke 2 Best is on the way from Amazon !
Yes indeed, I am a very lucky man !!!

View attachment 1200659

Ahh so you're one of those clean shaven, whiskey drinking, ukulele playing, Birkenstok wearing dudes!

 

[Leverspro]

What a great looking brush! I was gifted my first few Semogues for Christmas, they are fantastic! I haven’t tried SV soap yet. Merry Christmas!

A few Semogues?! Sounds great.

 

[merovirginian]

My wife bought me a live cooking class (via Zoom) to learn how to make cassoulet. I had about 48 hours to cobble/improvise ingredients. We are all deliciously fed now.

 

[Jmp63]

Ahh so you're one of those clean shaven, whiskey drinking, ukulele playing, Birkenstok wearing dudes!

Clean shaven and whiskey drinking for sure! Would love to learn to play a uke someday! And maybe get a pair of birks too!

A few Semogues?! Sounds great.

Ended up with two 830’s and a 1305!

 

[Jmp63]

My wife bought me a live cooking class (via Zoom) to learn how to make cassoulet. I had about 48 hours to cobble/improvise ingredients. We are all deliciously fed now.View attachment 1200764

That’s a great idea! And yum, that looks delicious!