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Here are 4 new 2 band badger brushes for my personal collection.
Hence the name for the thread 4 X 2 Band Adventures.
I have obtained some 2 band knots from multiple makers for restoration and custom made brushes. Two of the brushes are customs that I have made and one restored brush. The source of the knots will remain a mystery for the sake of this thread. In addition I have purchased a Simpsons Super 2 Band for comparison. This will be a comparison and contrast thread between these brushes.
Each brush will be spotlighted with some individual pictures and a description of how it performed in a daily progression.
Here is the 4 X 2 Band Bunch.
Test #1.
This will be the first round of four using a hard soap as a common benchmark. The soap I am selecting for the first round of testing is VDH Deluxe Hard Soap. I chose this soap for three reasons. It is a good performing soap that I am very familiar with. It is readily available in the market place. Lastly, I am not testing the soap or making the soap the star of the show, this is about the brushes.
The first brush on the list is the Simpsons Keyhole Super 2 Band. This brush was purchased new and this is the first time it has been used.
I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass.
The brush applied the soap to my skin almost effortlessly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was absolutely excellent. Perhaps one of the very best I have used. It has solid backbone and was soft without any hint of scritch. A perfect combination for many users who want a soft brush but not a floppy brush. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective as well as luxurious.
Simpsons set the bar very high with this wonderful brush. The handle is easy to use and it looks very elegant. This is a very impressive brush and would provide years of excellent and luxurious service in anyone's collection. Well done Simpsons, well done indeed!
Test #2
The next brush on the list is the 1943 Lady Liberty 2 Band. This brush is a custom brush that I produced. It has a wooden handle that has been saturated stained to produce a uniform color with two layers of polyurethane both inside (hole) and outside along with a final complete coating of clear epoxy over the polyurethane. The handle was completely coated before the knot was installed. This should provide long term protection for the handle. What is on the bottom of the handle is why this brush got its name.
As with the Simpsons Keyhole, this is the first time this brush has been used. The testing procedure was the same as before. I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was very good. It has solid backbone and is soft with a small amount of scritch. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective.
This is a very nice brush and knot combination. The knot was not as good in my opinion as the Simpson Keyhole, however I would rate it at least 90% as good which is excellent rating. This combination should enjoy many years of excellent use.
Test #3
The next brush on the list is the Two Tone Made Rite. This brush was bought NOS and it had a Generation 1 Nylon knot that I estimate was made in the mid 1950s to the very early 1960s. Although the knot was in perfect condition, the performance of the original nylon knots left a lot to be desired in light of current technology (or any technology). Rather than replacing the knot with a current technology synthetic brush, I decided to use this brush to support a two band badger knot. So, when the knot was removed, the handle needed to be cleaned internally. A fixed post holding the original knot had to be removed to install a new knot to a reasonable depth. The two handle sections were separated, cleaned and reconnected with a complete layer of epoxy bonding the interlocking sections. At that point the replacement 22 mm two band knot was placed into the handle and the loft was set as seen in the following image.
As with the prior brushes, this is the first time this brush/knot has been used. The testing procedure was the same as before. I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was absolutely excellent. This matched the Simpsons Keyhole in terms of softness without scritch. It has good backbone. The 54 mm loft was required to accommodate the internal structure of the handle, which allows for slightly less backbone than the Simpsons Keyhole, but not enough to adversely affect the performance. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective as well as luxurious.
This is a beautiful handle and I am really glad that I decided to use this in the two band test. The handle and knot combination are wonderful. I can't wait to perform more testing on this brush, however wait I must for there is one more brush to receive and initial testing
Test #4
The last brush on the list is the Custom Ring of Fire. This brush was one that I had been thinking about doing for some time. When this group of knots came along I felt the time was right. I had an elliptical piece of hard wood of unknown origin and I began to cut and shape it down to where I wanted to accommodate a medium size knot of around 24 to 25 mm. I chose to use saturation staining as the method of enhancing the wood color wise. Saturation staining is a process where you soak the wood for a given time in a stain mixture. I chose a Cabernet (Red Wine) stain mixed with Dark Walnut Stain and Orange oil. The mix was set at 25% Cabernet / 10% Walnut / 65% Orange oil. The handle was fully immersed and soaked in this mixture for a full day to allow the stain to completely saturate the wood inside and outside. Now with this method you are at the mercy of how the wood will behave with staining because when it is fully saturated it will not accept more stain even in the outer layers because it is full of Orange oil. When the handle was removed, the wood had a hardened section all the way around that did not absorb as much stain as most of the brush. That lighter band dances across the remainder of the brush like a ring of fire. That is how the brush got its name. Other scuffed areas are also prominent where the stain was a shade between the light and dark sections. The dark sections are a reddish brown. After the handle completely dried out, three layers of polyurethane was applied inside the hole and outside. A final layer of clear epoxy was applied inside the hole and all the way around the outside for a strong protection against water. A bottom pedestal piece was attached with epoxy and eventually the 24 mm two band knot was secured at a 54 mm loft to match the Made Rite Two Tone to determine the differences between the knots under equal loft settings.
As with the prior brushes, this is the first time this brush has been used. The testing procedure was the same as before. I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for three face passes and a full head pass.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The handle was not weighted down and is light even for one of its relative size. The knot was absolutely excellent. This matched the Simpsons Keyhole in terms of softness without scritch. It has good backbone. The 54 mm loft is a good length based on the larger 24 mm knot. It had slightly less backbone than the Simpsons Keyhole, but more than the Made Rite Two Tone 22 mm of the same loft size. This brush produced more lather than the three prior ones due to a larger tip area which allows for more soap capture and greater surface area. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective as well as luxurious. This is an excellent performing brush with great looks as well.
Test #5
The next round of testing is all about face lathering.
The first up is the Simpsons Keyhole.
For the lather I used Wilkinson Shave Stick and I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made one pass with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. That developed a good first pass lather on the head and face. After shaving the head and making a first face pass, I had to reload because there was very little product remaining. The brush may have absorbed the remaining product while the head shave and first pass was made. After re-moistening and rubbing the stick on my face, enough lather was quickly made for the second pass.
The brush was still wondrously soft at the tips, still had good backbone, but did not do as good of a job with face lathering as some of my pure badger, boars and synthetic brushes. It was at best an average face lathering experience.
As with all really good badger brushes, these tend to be lather hogs. On the rare occasions that I face lather, I want a brush that will allow for two full face lathers and a head lather to make things go quicker. My issue these brushes on face lathering is not the feel to the face, but the need to apply a lot more product than with brushes that are less lather hogs.
Test #6
Continuing with the face lathering, the next up is the 1943 Lady Liberty.
For the lather I used Wilkinson Shave Stick and I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made one pass with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. That developed a good first pass lather on the head and face. After shaving the head and making a first face pass, I did not have to reload because there was just enough product remaining for a second pass. Like the Keyhole the brush may have absorbed the product while the head shave and first pass was made.
The brush was still soft at the tips, but had the same level of scritch as before. It still had good backbone. It did a better job of face lathering than the Keyhole, but did not do as good of a job with face lathering as some of my pure badger, boars and synthetic brushes. It was at best an slightly above average face lathering experience.
As with all really good badger brushes, these tend to be lather hogs. On the rare occasions that I face lather, I want a brush that will allow for two full face lathers and a head lather to make things go quicker. My issue these brushes on face lathering is not the feel to the face, but the need to apply a lot more product than with brushes that are less lather hogs.
Test #7
Continuing with the face lathering, the next up is the restored 2 Tone Made Rite.
For the lather I used Wilkinson Shave Stick and I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made one pass with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. That developed a good first pass lather on the head and face. After shaving the head and making a first face pass, I did not have to reload because there was just enough product remaining for a second pass. Like the prior the brush may have absorbed the product while the head shave and first pass was made.
The brush was still soft at the tips, but had the same level of scritch as before. It still had good backbone. It did a better job of face lathering than the Keyhole, but did not do as good of a job with face lathering as some of my pure badger, boars and synthetic brushes. It was at best an slightly above average face lathering experience.
As with all really good badger brushes, these tend to be lather hogs. On the rare occasions that I face lather, I want a brush that will allow for two full face lathers and a head lather to make things go quicker. My issue these brushes on face lathering is not the feel to the face, but the need to apply a lot more product than with brushes that are less lather hogs.
Test #8
Continuing with the face lathering, the next up is the Custom Ring of Fire.
For the lather I used Wilkinson Shave Stick and I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made one pass with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. That developed a good first pass lather on the head and face. After shaving the head and making a first face pass, I did not have to reload because there was just enough product remaining for a second pass. Like the prior the brush may have absorbed the product while the head shave and first pass was made.
The brush was still soft at the tips, but had the same level of scritch as before. It still had good backbone. It did a better job of face lathering than the Keyhole, but did not do as good of a job with face lathering as some of my pure badger, boars and synthetic brushes. It was at best an slightly above average face lathering experience.
As with all really good badger brushes, these tend to be lather hogs. On the rare occasions that I face lather, I want a brush that will allow for two full face lathers and a head lather to make things go quicker. My issue these brushes on face lathering is not the feel to the face, but the need to apply a lot more product than with brushes that are less lather hogs. This one in fact was the biggest lather hog of all due to size.
Addendum to the second round of testing (numbers 4 - 8):
In reviewing all these in terms of face lathering, you really have to use quite a bit of product to achieve a great lather. I am accustomed to using synthetics when I face lather and so they are the most economical when it comes to using product. The point is two bands can be used effectively to face lather, however, you will need to do an initial lather, then apply more product to the skin. The second layer of product will easily overcome the lather absorption issue and allow the user to have a wonderful face lather.
These brushes will do an good job with face lathering, however, don't expect these brushes to lift the hairs or exfoliate. These are for the luxury side of lather application.
Next up in the testing. A well known shaving cream.
Test #9
This test begins the round of cream testing. The first up is the Simpsons Keyhole.
The cream selected for this testing is C.O. Bigelow. It is readily available and is well known in the traditional shaving community. I soaked the brush for about a minute after my shower was complete. I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. A dab of cream the size of a dime was applied to the bottom of the bowl. I began to bowl lather the cream but did not need to add any water to the mix as I normally do. The cream was exploding into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass, with at least one face pass left over.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was very excellent with solid backbone and is soft with absolutely no scritch. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective.
The lather and the application of it could simply be summed into two words ... absolutely decadent ! This is what this brush is made for. One of the very best lather experiences I have ever had. This brush is a wonderful example of proper knot and handle to maximize the bowl lathering experience. This was sheer luxury. I want to use this again, but it must wait since there is more testing to come.
Test #10
The tenth test involves the 1943 Liberty Lady. This is a stained wooden handle with 3 layers of polyurethane for water proofing and a final layer of clear epoxy for overall shine and water tight protection. The protection is both external and inside the hole to provide a complete water seal before the knot was installed.
The testing procedure was the same as with the Keyhole .The cream selected for this testing is C.O. Bigelow. I soaked the brush for about a minute after my shower was complete. I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. A dab of cream the size of a dime was applied to the bottom of the bowl. I began to bowl lather the cream but did not need to add any water to the mix as I normally do. The cream was exploding into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass, with at least one face pass left over.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was very excellent with solid backbone and has just a slight level of scritch. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective. This knot is around 90% of the Keyhole in terms of overall feel and effectiveness which makes it a very special knot indeed.
Test #11
Continuing with the cream, the next up is the restored 2 Tone Made Rite.
The cream and preparation remained the same as the prior two tests. The knot was very excellent with solid backbone and is soft with absolutely no scritch.
The lather and the application of it could simply be summed into two words, just like the Simpsons Keyhole it is ... absolutely decadent ! Lightning struck twice this week when I used this knot. This brush is another great example of proper knot and handle to maximize the bowl lathering experience. I want to use this again, but it must wait since there is one more to test with C.O. Bigelow.
Test #12
Continuing with the cream, the last up is the 24 mm Custom Ring of Fire.
The cream and preparation remained the same as the prior two tests. The knot was very excellent with solid backbone and is soft with absolutely no scritch.
The lather and the application of it, again ... absolutely decadent ! This is a very nice brush. It is light weight for its size and looks good on the stand. I want to use this again and I think I will give this another shot with face lathering tomorrow. :icon_cheesygrin:
Test #13
From this point on, the test will be free form using whatever lather and method combination I want to experiment with instead of locking in on the same parameters as the the prior 12 tests.
For the 13th test, I decided to backtrack on some areas to see if there were any changes in the knots from prior testing. The first up would be the Custom Ring of Fire and face lathering.
I used Wilkinson Shave Stick but this time I used a little more product and the brush is beginning to show signs of through break in after 3 usages and the interval of drying.
I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made two passes with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. The brush was still soft at the tips, but now it had very little to no scritch. It still had good backbone.
This time there was a major difference. The brush really began to create a lot of lather both on the external surfaces and deep into the knot. I was able to make 2 face passes and 2 head passes with the initial 2 pass application of WS Stick. It was as if the brush shifted into a higher gear to take a phrase from the automotive industry. The lather was thick, rich and luxurious from beginning to end. This knot is coming into its own. Wow!
Test #14
For the 14th test I decided to use the 1943 Liberty Lady and Fume Lavender Soap and to bowl lather.
I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass.
The Fume soap worked well, although I have to add a slight bit of water between passes due to its penchant for become dry. A quick swirl with the brush allowed the lather to stay moist. The brush and soap was a wonderful combination.
Test #15
The next test involves the Restored Two Tone Made Rite and Mama Bear's Dragon's Blood Soap. This glycerin soap has a very strong aroma and I use it from time to time when I have a scent that will go well with it. The Dragon's Blood tends to last a while.
I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and two full head passes.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was absolutely excellent.
This brush is a beautiful performer both in looks and in feel.
Test #16
For the 16th and final test, I decided to use the Simpsons Keyhole and Fitness Soap (in reality a Croap).
I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and two full head passes.
This brush and knot is wonderful. Again, it is a very soft knot but with sufficient backbone to make and apply a luxurious lather. Utter bliss!
Summations and final group picture are provided below.
Well, the line of testing is completed and I hope it has been interesting so far. Here are the post bloom pictures.
I have enjoyed this exercise from many possible roles involving shaving brushes. The first is as a user / reviewer for the Simpson Keyhole. The next was as a restorer of a classic / antique brush with its own special reconstruction issues in the Made Rite Two Tone. The last was as a designer of the brushes and developer of the handles with the 1943 Liberty Lady and the Custom Ring of Fire. Each have their own unique set of challenges and I have learned far more in the restoring and creating role than in the user role for this exercise.
All the brushes performed admirably. The Simpsons had the best knot but not by an overwhelming margin. The Two Tone was the next in line and more than 95% as good as the Simpsons. I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between those two if I were blind folded and someone applied lather from each on my face.
The Custom Ring of Fire was about 95% as good as the Simpsons and the 1943 Liberty Lady was about 90% as good of a knot in my viewpoint.
A really good two band badger is an excellent knot and it is not simply restricted to the highest price ranges. There are some good affordable two bands brushes that can really serve any user well and provide an excellent lathering experience. There are also those that even improve the experience as you move up the ladder cost and price wise.
In conclusion these are brushes that I have truly enjoyed and I hope to continue to enjoy them in the future. Again thanks for reviewing my 4 X 2 Band Adventures.
Hence the name for the thread 4 X 2 Band Adventures.
I have obtained some 2 band knots from multiple makers for restoration and custom made brushes. Two of the brushes are customs that I have made and one restored brush. The source of the knots will remain a mystery for the sake of this thread. In addition I have purchased a Simpsons Super 2 Band for comparison. This will be a comparison and contrast thread between these brushes.
Each brush will be spotlighted with some individual pictures and a description of how it performed in a daily progression.
Here is the 4 X 2 Band Bunch.
Test #1.
This will be the first round of four using a hard soap as a common benchmark. The soap I am selecting for the first round of testing is VDH Deluxe Hard Soap. I chose this soap for three reasons. It is a good performing soap that I am very familiar with. It is readily available in the market place. Lastly, I am not testing the soap or making the soap the star of the show, this is about the brushes.
The first brush on the list is the Simpsons Keyhole Super 2 Band. This brush was purchased new and this is the first time it has been used.
I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass.
The brush applied the soap to my skin almost effortlessly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was absolutely excellent. Perhaps one of the very best I have used. It has solid backbone and was soft without any hint of scritch. A perfect combination for many users who want a soft brush but not a floppy brush. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective as well as luxurious.
Simpsons set the bar very high with this wonderful brush. The handle is easy to use and it looks very elegant. This is a very impressive brush and would provide years of excellent and luxurious service in anyone's collection. Well done Simpsons, well done indeed!
Test #2
The next brush on the list is the 1943 Lady Liberty 2 Band. This brush is a custom brush that I produced. It has a wooden handle that has been saturated stained to produce a uniform color with two layers of polyurethane both inside (hole) and outside along with a final complete coating of clear epoxy over the polyurethane. The handle was completely coated before the knot was installed. This should provide long term protection for the handle. What is on the bottom of the handle is why this brush got its name.
As with the Simpsons Keyhole, this is the first time this brush has been used. The testing procedure was the same as before. I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was very good. It has solid backbone and is soft with a small amount of scritch. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective.
This is a very nice brush and knot combination. The knot was not as good in my opinion as the Simpson Keyhole, however I would rate it at least 90% as good which is excellent rating. This combination should enjoy many years of excellent use.
Test #3
The next brush on the list is the Two Tone Made Rite. This brush was bought NOS and it had a Generation 1 Nylon knot that I estimate was made in the mid 1950s to the very early 1960s. Although the knot was in perfect condition, the performance of the original nylon knots left a lot to be desired in light of current technology (or any technology). Rather than replacing the knot with a current technology synthetic brush, I decided to use this brush to support a two band badger knot. So, when the knot was removed, the handle needed to be cleaned internally. A fixed post holding the original knot had to be removed to install a new knot to a reasonable depth. The two handle sections were separated, cleaned and reconnected with a complete layer of epoxy bonding the interlocking sections. At that point the replacement 22 mm two band knot was placed into the handle and the loft was set as seen in the following image.
As with the prior brushes, this is the first time this brush/knot has been used. The testing procedure was the same as before. I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was absolutely excellent. This matched the Simpsons Keyhole in terms of softness without scritch. It has good backbone. The 54 mm loft was required to accommodate the internal structure of the handle, which allows for slightly less backbone than the Simpsons Keyhole, but not enough to adversely affect the performance. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective as well as luxurious.
This is a beautiful handle and I am really glad that I decided to use this in the two band test. The handle and knot combination are wonderful. I can't wait to perform more testing on this brush, however wait I must for there is one more brush to receive and initial testing
Test #4
The last brush on the list is the Custom Ring of Fire. This brush was one that I had been thinking about doing for some time. When this group of knots came along I felt the time was right. I had an elliptical piece of hard wood of unknown origin and I began to cut and shape it down to where I wanted to accommodate a medium size knot of around 24 to 25 mm. I chose to use saturation staining as the method of enhancing the wood color wise. Saturation staining is a process where you soak the wood for a given time in a stain mixture. I chose a Cabernet (Red Wine) stain mixed with Dark Walnut Stain and Orange oil. The mix was set at 25% Cabernet / 10% Walnut / 65% Orange oil. The handle was fully immersed and soaked in this mixture for a full day to allow the stain to completely saturate the wood inside and outside. Now with this method you are at the mercy of how the wood will behave with staining because when it is fully saturated it will not accept more stain even in the outer layers because it is full of Orange oil. When the handle was removed, the wood had a hardened section all the way around that did not absorb as much stain as most of the brush. That lighter band dances across the remainder of the brush like a ring of fire. That is how the brush got its name. Other scuffed areas are also prominent where the stain was a shade between the light and dark sections. The dark sections are a reddish brown. After the handle completely dried out, three layers of polyurethane was applied inside the hole and outside. A final layer of clear epoxy was applied inside the hole and all the way around the outside for a strong protection against water. A bottom pedestal piece was attached with epoxy and eventually the 24 mm two band knot was secured at a 54 mm loft to match the Made Rite Two Tone to determine the differences between the knots under equal loft settings.
As with the prior brushes, this is the first time this brush has been used. The testing procedure was the same as before. I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for three face passes and a full head pass.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The handle was not weighted down and is light even for one of its relative size. The knot was absolutely excellent. This matched the Simpsons Keyhole in terms of softness without scritch. It has good backbone. The 54 mm loft is a good length based on the larger 24 mm knot. It had slightly less backbone than the Simpsons Keyhole, but more than the Made Rite Two Tone 22 mm of the same loft size. This brush produced more lather than the three prior ones due to a larger tip area which allows for more soap capture and greater surface area. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective as well as luxurious. This is an excellent performing brush with great looks as well.
Test #5
The next round of testing is all about face lathering.
The first up is the Simpsons Keyhole.
For the lather I used Wilkinson Shave Stick and I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made one pass with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. That developed a good first pass lather on the head and face. After shaving the head and making a first face pass, I had to reload because there was very little product remaining. The brush may have absorbed the remaining product while the head shave and first pass was made. After re-moistening and rubbing the stick on my face, enough lather was quickly made for the second pass.
The brush was still wondrously soft at the tips, still had good backbone, but did not do as good of a job with face lathering as some of my pure badger, boars and synthetic brushes. It was at best an average face lathering experience.
As with all really good badger brushes, these tend to be lather hogs. On the rare occasions that I face lather, I want a brush that will allow for two full face lathers and a head lather to make things go quicker. My issue these brushes on face lathering is not the feel to the face, but the need to apply a lot more product than with brushes that are less lather hogs.
Test #6
Continuing with the face lathering, the next up is the 1943 Lady Liberty.
For the lather I used Wilkinson Shave Stick and I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made one pass with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. That developed a good first pass lather on the head and face. After shaving the head and making a first face pass, I did not have to reload because there was just enough product remaining for a second pass. Like the Keyhole the brush may have absorbed the product while the head shave and first pass was made.
The brush was still soft at the tips, but had the same level of scritch as before. It still had good backbone. It did a better job of face lathering than the Keyhole, but did not do as good of a job with face lathering as some of my pure badger, boars and synthetic brushes. It was at best an slightly above average face lathering experience.
As with all really good badger brushes, these tend to be lather hogs. On the rare occasions that I face lather, I want a brush that will allow for two full face lathers and a head lather to make things go quicker. My issue these brushes on face lathering is not the feel to the face, but the need to apply a lot more product than with brushes that are less lather hogs.
Test #7
Continuing with the face lathering, the next up is the restored 2 Tone Made Rite.
For the lather I used Wilkinson Shave Stick and I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made one pass with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. That developed a good first pass lather on the head and face. After shaving the head and making a first face pass, I did not have to reload because there was just enough product remaining for a second pass. Like the prior the brush may have absorbed the product while the head shave and first pass was made.
The brush was still soft at the tips, but had the same level of scritch as before. It still had good backbone. It did a better job of face lathering than the Keyhole, but did not do as good of a job with face lathering as some of my pure badger, boars and synthetic brushes. It was at best an slightly above average face lathering experience.
As with all really good badger brushes, these tend to be lather hogs. On the rare occasions that I face lather, I want a brush that will allow for two full face lathers and a head lather to make things go quicker. My issue these brushes on face lathering is not the feel to the face, but the need to apply a lot more product than with brushes that are less lather hogs.
Test #8
Continuing with the face lathering, the next up is the Custom Ring of Fire.
For the lather I used Wilkinson Shave Stick and I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made one pass with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. That developed a good first pass lather on the head and face. After shaving the head and making a first face pass, I did not have to reload because there was just enough product remaining for a second pass. Like the prior the brush may have absorbed the product while the head shave and first pass was made.
The brush was still soft at the tips, but had the same level of scritch as before. It still had good backbone. It did a better job of face lathering than the Keyhole, but did not do as good of a job with face lathering as some of my pure badger, boars and synthetic brushes. It was at best an slightly above average face lathering experience.
As with all really good badger brushes, these tend to be lather hogs. On the rare occasions that I face lather, I want a brush that will allow for two full face lathers and a head lather to make things go quicker. My issue these brushes on face lathering is not the feel to the face, but the need to apply a lot more product than with brushes that are less lather hogs. This one in fact was the biggest lather hog of all due to size.
Addendum to the second round of testing (numbers 4 - 8):
In reviewing all these in terms of face lathering, you really have to use quite a bit of product to achieve a great lather. I am accustomed to using synthetics when I face lather and so they are the most economical when it comes to using product. The point is two bands can be used effectively to face lather, however, you will need to do an initial lather, then apply more product to the skin. The second layer of product will easily overcome the lather absorption issue and allow the user to have a wonderful face lather.
These brushes will do an good job with face lathering, however, don't expect these brushes to lift the hairs or exfoliate. These are for the luxury side of lather application.
Next up in the testing. A well known shaving cream.
Test #9
This test begins the round of cream testing. The first up is the Simpsons Keyhole.
The cream selected for this testing is C.O. Bigelow. It is readily available and is well known in the traditional shaving community. I soaked the brush for about a minute after my shower was complete. I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. A dab of cream the size of a dime was applied to the bottom of the bowl. I began to bowl lather the cream but did not need to add any water to the mix as I normally do. The cream was exploding into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass, with at least one face pass left over.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was very excellent with solid backbone and is soft with absolutely no scritch. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective.
The lather and the application of it could simply be summed into two words ... absolutely decadent ! This is what this brush is made for. One of the very best lather experiences I have ever had. This brush is a wonderful example of proper knot and handle to maximize the bowl lathering experience. This was sheer luxury. I want to use this again, but it must wait since there is more testing to come.
Test #10
The tenth test involves the 1943 Liberty Lady. This is a stained wooden handle with 3 layers of polyurethane for water proofing and a final layer of clear epoxy for overall shine and water tight protection. The protection is both external and inside the hole to provide a complete water seal before the knot was installed.
The testing procedure was the same as with the Keyhole .The cream selected for this testing is C.O. Bigelow. I soaked the brush for about a minute after my shower was complete. I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. A dab of cream the size of a dime was applied to the bottom of the bowl. I began to bowl lather the cream but did not need to add any water to the mix as I normally do. The cream was exploding into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass, with at least one face pass left over.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was very excellent with solid backbone and has just a slight level of scritch. The lather flowed easily from the knot and this brush was extremely effective. This knot is around 90% of the Keyhole in terms of overall feel and effectiveness which makes it a very special knot indeed.
Test #11
Continuing with the cream, the next up is the restored 2 Tone Made Rite.
The cream and preparation remained the same as the prior two tests. The knot was very excellent with solid backbone and is soft with absolutely no scritch.
The lather and the application of it could simply be summed into two words, just like the Simpsons Keyhole it is ... absolutely decadent ! Lightning struck twice this week when I used this knot. This brush is another great example of proper knot and handle to maximize the bowl lathering experience. I want to use this again, but it must wait since there is one more to test with C.O. Bigelow.
Test #12
Continuing with the cream, the last up is the 24 mm Custom Ring of Fire.
The cream and preparation remained the same as the prior two tests. The knot was very excellent with solid backbone and is soft with absolutely no scritch.
The lather and the application of it, again ... absolutely decadent ! This is a very nice brush. It is light weight for its size and looks good on the stand. I want to use this again and I think I will give this another shot with face lathering tomorrow. :icon_cheesygrin:
Test #13
From this point on, the test will be free form using whatever lather and method combination I want to experiment with instead of locking in on the same parameters as the the prior 12 tests.
For the 13th test, I decided to backtrack on some areas to see if there were any changes in the knots from prior testing. The first up would be the Custom Ring of Fire and face lathering.
I used Wilkinson Shave Stick but this time I used a little more product and the brush is beginning to show signs of through break in after 3 usages and the interval of drying.
I proceeded to soak the brush while I showered. I dried off including my face and head and then placed a thin layer of warm water on my face and head and made two passes with the stick over my face and head. I shook the brush gently to remove excess water and began to lather. I used a mix of light circular motions and paintbrush motions. The brush was still soft at the tips, but now it had very little to no scritch. It still had good backbone.
This time there was a major difference. The brush really began to create a lot of lather both on the external surfaces and deep into the knot. I was able to make 2 face passes and 2 head passes with the initial 2 pass application of WS Stick. It was as if the brush shifted into a higher gear to take a phrase from the automotive industry. The lather was thick, rich and luxurious from beginning to end. This knot is coming into its own. Wow!
Test #14
For the 14th test I decided to use the 1943 Liberty Lady and Fume Lavender Soap and to bowl lather.
I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and a full head pass.
The Fume soap worked well, although I have to add a slight bit of water between passes due to its penchant for become dry. A quick swirl with the brush allowed the lather to stay moist. The brush and soap was a wonderful combination.
Test #15
The next test involves the Restored Two Tone Made Rite and Mama Bear's Dragon's Blood Soap. This glycerin soap has a very strong aroma and I use it from time to time when I have a scent that will go well with it. The Dragon's Blood tends to last a while.
I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and two full head passes.
The brush applied the soap to my skin easily and smoothly. The handle was easy to grip and maneuvered around my face and head without any awkwardness. The knot was absolutely excellent.
This brush is a beautiful performer both in looks and in feel.
Test #16
For the 16th and final test, I decided to use the Simpsons Keyhole and Fitness Soap (in reality a Croap).
I soaked the brush in room temperature water while I took my shower. A small amount of water was placed on the soap to soften it up. After the shower, I took the brush and gave it a couple of light drop shakes to reduce the water. The brush was applied to the soap and it picked up a nice layer off the top with a couple of swirls. I began to bowl lather the soap and added a slight bit of water to the mix as I normally do. The soap exploded into a nice thick rich lather enough for two face passes and two full head passes.
This brush and knot is wonderful. Again, it is a very soft knot but with sufficient backbone to make and apply a luxurious lather. Utter bliss!
Summations and final group picture are provided below.
Well, the line of testing is completed and I hope it has been interesting so far. Here are the post bloom pictures.
I have enjoyed this exercise from many possible roles involving shaving brushes. The first is as a user / reviewer for the Simpson Keyhole. The next was as a restorer of a classic / antique brush with its own special reconstruction issues in the Made Rite Two Tone. The last was as a designer of the brushes and developer of the handles with the 1943 Liberty Lady and the Custom Ring of Fire. Each have their own unique set of challenges and I have learned far more in the restoring and creating role than in the user role for this exercise.
All the brushes performed admirably. The Simpsons had the best knot but not by an overwhelming margin. The Two Tone was the next in line and more than 95% as good as the Simpsons. I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between those two if I were blind folded and someone applied lather from each on my face.
The Custom Ring of Fire was about 95% as good as the Simpsons and the 1943 Liberty Lady was about 90% as good of a knot in my viewpoint.
A really good two band badger is an excellent knot and it is not simply restricted to the highest price ranges. There are some good affordable two bands brushes that can really serve any user well and provide an excellent lathering experience. There are also those that even improve the experience as you move up the ladder cost and price wise.
In conclusion these are brushes that I have truly enjoyed and I hope to continue to enjoy them in the future. Again thanks for reviewing my 4 X 2 Band Adventures.
