Bought a Simpsons Duke 3 that was three years old but only used a couple of times. Just seems not to be behaving like a premium brush to me but I'm no expert. When I wet the brush prior to loading it with soap this is what I get (see photo). And it seems to lose the lather and also seems to be holding water excessively. I the picture above i "flicked' it once and it flopped to the side as seen. When is drys out completely it looks like the picture below. I have the badger brushes but this one behaves totally different the the others plus it looses hard at an alarming rate (10-15 hairs per use. I read on other posts that this can happen with the Duke 3 but this one is weird. I am not liking this at all but like I said I'm no expert. Anyone out there with guidance on this topic?
I haven't owned a Duke 3 but it's an iconic brush. My guess would be that the brush is probably at the upper end of the loft specs or even slightly over specs making for a floppy knot. If that's the case there's not much you can do about it. As far as the shedding goes if your willing to mess with the knot I would suggest gently combing it out until you get it settle down. That might take some combing but eventually it should settle down. Your other option would be to contact Simpsons.
Shedding. 10-15 hairs/shave is wrong and there is probably an issue with the knot itself. Perhaps it was soaked too often in too hot of water. That can certainly effect the integrity of the glue, thereby compromising the knot-base. Results: hairs come loose and shed. Perhaps it was used too roughly, meaning jamming the knot into the mug/soap/face. Simpson recommends paintbrush strokes. Badgers can really hold some water, so I would not be so concerned about that issue. It's normal. As far as this brush being used by the seller "only a couple of times"...I have my doubts. I have a brush that I like to say was "ridden hard and put away wet" by the previous owner. I use it anyway and have resigned myself to the fact that it's not the prettiest horse in my stable.
Also, loading the brush and lathering on the face is just lame. I get very little /weak lather compared to my restored Gillette 750 (golden nib premium badger) or my Yaqi (Best Badger). Both of those brushes way out perform my Simpson. Something is amiss here. I have an email in to Simpsons so let's see what transpires - I'll be pushing for a replacement brush or knot.
looked a little windy when you took the first pic,,, nice looking brush..i hope you get some good results from simpson..
I have 2 simpsons and they both lean like that if you flick them vigourously when wet... Sorry, I couldn't think of a better way of phrasing that comment
You might want to check with your local government, looks like you could be having some sort of gravity fluctuations.
Been corresponding via email with Mark from Simpsons. Since the brush was a gift and I have no receipt then they won't do anything for me but give me a 20% off credit on any new brush that I order directly from them. Heck, the shipping costs will consume that. Besides that, I can get a better price than 20% off Simpsons prices right here in the good ole USA and get free shipping too. One thing that Mark did give me was a recommendation to use Rudy Vey for his work and also for his guidance regarding knot replacement should I decide to buy a new knot. No real complaints about Mark - he was very respectful. Talked with Rudy - very nice man. He recommended the TGN two band badger(Finest) as a replacement knot. Claimed it the best knot for the money hands down.
Your brush looks a bit high in the loft and maybe a bit thin. I have one that I use about once a week and I have no such problem though it’s even a bit high in the loft for me, maybe about 50 mm high. For me it’s mostly about loft with badgers. A 23 x 47 would be about perfect. Good luck on your outcome.
Thanks for your reply. Yes, the brush seems a bit thinly packed. Loft is 50 mm. Talked with Mark at Simpsons about it and the best I could do is a 20% discount on any brush I buy from them - I can do better buying here in the US. I will no doubt replace the knot myself with a TGN finest based on recommendation from Rudy Vey (respected custom brush maker).
