Keep the BBB. You can spend a lot more, but in my opinion, you won't find a brush that performs significantly better. At least not for creams. Others might look nicer or have a more prestigious name, but from a performance standpoint, it won't be worth the added cost - especially if you're on a budget. I've been through a dozen brushes or so (sold half of them during a recent purge) and now find myself reaching most often for a $35 Kent BLK2, a brush I find comparable to the BBB (one of the ones I sold). The Kent looks much nicer, IMO, but that's about it. If you want a firmer brush, as many prefer for soaps, that's another story. The BBB will certainly work with soaps, but firmer would be better. At least most seem to think so. Sold the Rooney 3/1 as I thought it was TOO firm. Ahh, but the Simpson T2 is, for me, the perfect soap brush...albeit at 5 times the cost of the BBB. See Tools of the Trade below for what I am using for comparison.
I liked my C&E BBB kinda sorry I sold it...... I would say that the BBB is a great brush and it does work well with soaps and creams. I think there are better brushes out there....they do have the increased price but for that you get softer hair, denser knots, more hot water retention etc..... For the $35 price the BBB is great though.....I think you need to spend double that to get into what I think are better brushes.....this Shavemac is quite nice and it's on clearance sale for $70....A great cream brush that will also work with soaps I think one of the best value soap brushes (the loft is short and better suited to soaps and face lathering) out there is the Rooney Size 1 Style 1 for $75 it is a really great value IMO and it is a great performer and works very well at face lathering soaps... Both knots are quite dense and hold more hot H2O than the C&E BBB, and have a softer feel with the silvertip hair. In the end though, it's really what you want to spend as they all will yield similar results and get the lather onto your face
Thanks for the replies about the C&E BBB. I was thinking that was the case. I am certainly quite please with mine and I guess that is what matters.
You won't regret it. Get an Omega professional. Fantastic value for money--the only brush in hand now.
I have an Omega Boar Hair, it is a great brush. I was fortunate enough to get it via PIF from another great member here on the forum. True it is more firm than my C&E BBB but that just makes it that much better for soaps! Also, to be honest because it doesn't retain quite as much water/lather as the BBB it is much easier to clean out after shaving. The Omega has become my go to for the "quick shave" and the BBB is used when I have more time or want the softer feel. My wife just ordered me the Shavemac 585 in Silvertip. That will bring me to one each, a Boar Hair, a BBB, a SBB and a Silvertip. :happy108
Chris, what model is this? Or is it a custom jobber? Do you kow what the Loft length and knot diameter measurements are?
That is the 07 "Forum Brush" with a 23mm x 50mm loft Silvertip knot. Someone really needs to give this thing a proper name , there was more than one Shavemac LE last year.
ever ready - black and green marble bakelite handle in best, reknotted by rodd. this brush can do anything. it can cook mutton. ever ready - stubby black bakelite "vase" handle in pure badger. another amazing, amazing brush. i couldnt choose one
Currently a Rooney 3, 1 Super. Before I acquired it I was using a BK4 every day. When I first started out I used a C&E BBB I could've stayed with the BBB as my sole brush if it were just a bit softer.
Rooney Heritage Stubby 1. Now I really want to get an emillion to complement it as its larger companion. Scott
Slidden Jim I have been wet shaving for only 3 weeks now and using an Edwin Jagger super badger classic model and really love it. Of course its my first and only brush. I have heard so much about Shavemac and I am thinking of ordering the Christmas special #163 transparent with black in silvertip. Will I find its 18 mm knot size small in comparison to my Edwin Jagger with it's 21 mm knot size ? any thoughts would be appreciated.
The last couple weeks I have really been enjoying my Shavemac 436 finest. It is a big brush but works well for both soaps and creams. Vintage blades has a great sale on it for 119.00 down from 150.00. If you have been wanting a new brush this is a great one to get. Travis
The one in the middle, an old Ever Ready I re-knotted with silvertip knot from Tony/GoldenNib - I call it, my re-knotted Ever Ready...:signs136 Tweezerman and Burma Shave shown for reference