Looking for a Second Brush

Discussion in 'The Brush' started by Lyndon, Dec 31, 2011.

  1. Lyndon

    Lyndon Well-Known Member

    Hey guys,

    Good to meet you all here, my name is Lyndon. Although I have been doing a bit of wet shaving off and on over the past few years, I have finally decided to make the switch for good.

    I have got a nice brush and a couple of good starter razors, the Merkur 34C HD and the longer, ligher Merker 23C. My brush is a Baxter model which I really like. It is very soft and works well with both creams and soaps.

    However, I am interested in getting another brush which would be a bit firmer for use on milled soaps and also the "The Fat" (MWF). I haven't bought Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap yet but it is something I would really like to try in the future.

    I would appreciate any recommendations for a second brush. Many of the brushes from Simpson, Vulfix and Shavemac look really nice but there are a lot of models available and it is not easy for a newcomer to select the right one. I live in Hong Kong and I order all of my shaving stuff off the Internet. That's why it is important for me to make a good choice.

    Some information which may help you... help me. :) The water in my apartment is very soft and I have large hands. My beards is halfway between average and coarse and I have normal skin. I am happy to spend money on a good brush but I probably don't need a top-of-the-line model.

    Let me say thanks in advance, any help would be much appreciated.

    Cheers, Lyndon
     
  2. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

    If you are concerned with a firmer brush you might want look into a really good Boar brush. Omega makes some good boar brushes that have plenty of backbone even after they have been fully broken in.

    Oh and since this is your first thread...

    Welcome to the Den.

    We know you'll fit right in.

    So grab yourself a comfy chair,

    and give our threads a spin!

    Burma Shave
     
    battle.munky likes this.
  3. Lyndon

    Lyndon Well-Known Member

    Thanks for that. I do have an older brush from Crabtree & Evelyn. The label on the brush says "Pure Bristles" and it was made in West Germany. My guess is the brush is a boar's hair brush but I am not sure. It is pretty stiff though.
     
  4. Sodapopjones

    Sodapopjones Well-Known Member

    I would recommend a Simpson Colonel X2l or a Duke 2.....
     
  5. alpla444

    alpla444 That's sweet!

    Aaron is the brush goto person on this site due to him trying/owning most brushes. 90%+ of his private messages must be brush related questions, But everybody has different taste and requirements,
    As you say you have money to spend why not get an Omega boar as well? buying 2 brush's would keep the postage cost effective and an Omega boar would only add about $10
    Always nice to rotate your brushes:). i started with Badger, never thought about a boar untill on this site, when I got one I was really impressed more surprised than anything else, I now have 2 boars and they are both in my rotation one has 22mm knott and the other is about 27mm and both are great.
    Its hard trying to find a brush as there is just so many, good luck with your choice, and most of all welcome to the shave den
     
    GDCarrington likes this.
  6. battle.munky

    battle.munky Has the menthol.munky on his back!

    Lyndon, an Omega boar is probably the way to go in my opinion too. They are inexpensive and really nice after they break in after a week or so. They 10048 & 10049 are monsters in size too and should fit your hand really well. I have big hands too and I love mine. It lathers soaps and creams really well. Loves MWF.

    If you are hell bent on badger, I'd go with Aaron's suggestions or see about a Frank's Shaving brush off ebay, they look really well made, are relatively inexpensive, and get pretty good reviews.

    And welcome to TSD :)
     
    alpla444 likes this.
  7. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Wise man with wise words and an ugly avitar. A wise man, nonetheless!
    I agree with Bob.

    And welcome to the Den!
     
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  8. battle.munky

    battle.munky Has the menthol.munky on his back!


    Pretty is so 2011.....:p
     
    swarden43 likes this.
  9. Lyndon

    Lyndon Well-Known Member

    Guys, thanks very much for your valuable input!

    Aaron - I like your suggestions. West Coast Shaving has both the Simpson Colonel X2L and the Duke 2. The also have a Duke 3 but I can't detect any significant difference between the D2 and D3. The X2L appears to have a more light-bulb appearance while the D2 is a bit more fan shaped. Is one particular shape better than the other for hard soaps or face lathering?

    alpla444 - I love your idea about getting an extra brush to save on shipping. I think I am starting to exhibit the initial signs of an acquisition disorder! LOL
    :happy093:

    Bob - Those boar brushes look good too, I especially like the chrome one. WCS doesn't stock the chrome model (10048) but they do have the 10083. From what I can tell, it is almost the same. I also think the 11047 is pretty darn cute, heh heh. It is a bit smaller so it could be good for traveling. (I am on the road a lot and I think I will end up using a shaving stick and lathering on my face.)

    Slightly off topic...

    You guys will be pleased to know that I got my best friend a wet shaving kit for his birthday last week. (Merkur Futur razor, Parker HD badger brush, chrome stand and bowl, Taylor's Sandalwood cream and after shave gel, some blades and, oh yeah, some Proraso nick sealer gel, ha ha.) My friend has always suffered from moderate irritation on his neck due to the use of multi-blade cartridge razors and aerosol shaving cream. Not so long ago I spotted a 5-bladed, vibrating monstrosity in his bathroom. I just knew it was time for some positive intervention.

    My friend really liked the gift and he actually tried everything right away (it was late afternoon). Anyway, he did really well and managed not to nick or cut himself. Well... okay... there was actually one weeper but it was very small and it closed off after some cold water. The important thing was, he liked it. And, if he can stick with it, his skin condition should improve dramatically.

    Okay, back to brushes. I think I may go for one of the Simpson brushes and two of the boar brushes. I think my friend wants to get a travel brush too, so I will wait for a few days before I place the order. I will post a photo of the brushes after they arrive.

    Thanks again for all the help and all the very best for the New Year.

    Cheers, Lyndon
     
    alpla444 likes this.
  10. Sodapopjones

    Sodapopjones Well-Known Member

    Lyndon the D3 is a little loftier and should flow better than the D2. You can't go by stock photographs especially the old one John uses, check out Jarrod's line up at The Superior Shave.

    You can't go wrong with a Duke or Colonel, the Duke's are packed slightly more so.

    Also if you want an Omega, boar or badger I suggest you take a look at Gary's selection; nobody has more that I know of Shoeboxshaveshop.
     
  11. battle.munky

    battle.munky Has the menthol.munky on his back!

    That 11047 is pretty nice.....I wish I wouldn't have seen it in fact..........

    I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush. I don't need another brush.
     
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  12. Shaver X

    Shaver X Well-Known Member

    The Omega boar brushes are firm but have soft ends, and so might fit the bill. As Sodapopjones noted, Gary at Shoebox Shaveshop has a very large selection of the brushes and excellent service.

    Have you considered a horse hair shaving brush? Vie Long makes some good ones. Best Grooming & Shaving Tools carries seven different models of these brushes.
     
    scott wein likes this.
  13. Shawna

    Shawna 1000 Music Tag Bonus Points Awarded!

    Welcome to the Den, Lyndon. I can't say enough good things about an Omega .. any model. I own two of them and they are my favorites. :)
     
    Sodapopjones likes this.
  14. Lyndon

    Lyndon Well-Known Member

    Thanks again guys, I am happy to have learned about three more websites. I will check them out.

    Bob - You are safe for now, the 11047 is currently out of stock at WCS. LOL!! Although I suppose a true brush hound would be able to find one somewhere. :)

    I think in the long run I think I would like to try one of each type of brush (badger, boar, horse and synthetic).

    Because I live in Hong Kong shipping tends to get expensive. I usually have to try to wait until I have a decent sized order. However, I have a flight to SFO this month so I might be able to have an order sent to the hotel.

    I tried out my Futur silver tip brush today with some hard soap. It was okay but I found that the brush could only make enough lather for two passes. (The brush is a bit small.)

    Have a great day guys! - T
     
  15. scott wein

    scott wein Well-Known Member

    I just went through the same thing and wound up ordering an Omega from Gary at Shoebox, the 31064, but I could have selected almost anything. Good Luck

     
    alpla444 likes this.
  16. alpla444

    alpla444 That's sweet!

    That's a nice looking brush you got there Scott. Looks similar to my 10275 but a little bigger I'm sure you will be very happy with it. My 10049 loves the mwf, have fun!
     
  17. scott wein

    scott wein Well-Known Member

    thanx Alpla 444. MWF is ready to go. Wishing u the best Lyndon.
     
  18. johnus

    johnus Well-Known Member

    If your looking just to have some fun on eBay the 'shaving brush' section has a vast number of new brushes from Hong Kong/China in badger and boar that you can bid on and 'win' for under 10.00$us including shipping. Good 'clean' fun for 10 bucks. And it might even be a good brush!!
     
  19. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    Personally, the last time I took a chance on some unknown brushes from China they were knock off Omegas (packaging and all), and most of them dropped their knots or bristles like they were set with peanut butter. :rolleyes:

    If folks are adventurous and don't mind throwing away money, sure.
    But I don't recommend it.
    Even the handles were pretty darn small and not worth reknotting due to poor quality.
     
  20. Lyndon

    Lyndon Well-Known Member

    Hi guys, I have a day off work today so I will be ordering some brushes.
    I have decided to go for the Duke 3 from The Superior Shave.
    I will be getting four brushes from Shoebox Shaveshop (10048, 11047, 81082, and the 50014). Gary has offered to organize shipping to Hong Kong for me. That was very kind of him as Hong Kong is not a normal shipping destination.

    So... thanks again everyone. I will post back again when the brushes arrive.

    Cheers, Lyndon
     
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