Not getting on with my brush

B

Bemused

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101
Hi guys, not so many months ago purchased a cheap Wilkinson sword brush from Tesco to get me started, just a few pounds.

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Not so long after I had heard of the badger brush and purchased a small Edwin Jagger Best Badger.
Now this was much nicer to use and whipped up a slightly better lather.

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So when saw a Silver tip no name on ebay I bagged that.
I was very pleased with this for only £18, much softer and huge in comparison to my other pair of brushes.

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All was well and whipped up some great lather using my Wade mug.

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Then the Steve Woodhead #2B scuttle joined the party and the lathers were not so good.
This I think is because the no name silver tip is too large for the scuttle.

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So I swapped back to using the Edwin Jagger and the lathers are better but not as good as the Silver Tip in the Wade.

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Alas I miss the use of the Silver Tip and need to address this problem were ever it lies and perhaps sort a few other brush issues also.
I find all my shaving kit to look and feel great, very tactile products but the nasty plastic light weight brush handles just don't cut the mustard.
Whilst the Silver Tip is beautifully soft, drinks a vast amount of water and whips up great lather in a large enough mug it could be better with perhaps more stiffness as I feel it loses out a touch in the rigidity stakes compared to the Edwin Jagger. Do I need a half way house brush, is the no name just crap (it does work well in a large mug) or do I need a larger scuttle...
Well I am unsure of what to do next which is were you guys come in...

I am this is going to involve money again :lol:

Many thanks for reading perhaps an overly long thread
Tony


Edit
Just to mention I use soaps not creams.
 
This isn't going to cost you a penny....

try using water that is less than hand hot. Using over-hot water in your scuttle will be the enemy of your lather.
 
Interesting thoughts on cooler water, why did I buy a scuttle?
Never the less I shall experiment.

But the smaller brush works better than the larger, at the same temperature, in the same scuttle, because I believe there is more room to whip it around.
 
You bought a scuttle to keep your lather warm not hot, that silvertip truth be told looks very soft and fairly sparse, I'd keep it for creams and reduce the loft by wrapping up the base of the knot with some thread.
 
I notice you use Mitchell's Wool Fat. The general consensus of opinion is that it is better to facelather MWF, and not to use water that is too hot. Having said that, until recently I was getting better results bowl lathering! Last weekend I finally cracked the facelathering. ;) It really is worth the effort :cool:

I'll take the scuttle off your hands if you like, and I won't charge you too much for the privilege!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
antdad said:
You bought a scuttle to keep your lather warm not hot, that silvertip truth be told looks very soft and fairly sparse, I'd keep it for creams and reduce the loft by wrapping up the base of the knot with some thread.
Click to expand...

Thanks, my thoughts exactly regarding the stiffness but I have no other silver tip to compare with.
If you look at the last two photographs the silver tip fully splays under its own weight when wet were as the EJ best stands up.

Good tip about reducing the loft.
 
mattlad said:
I notice you use Mitchell's Wool Fat. The general consensus of opinion is that it is better to facelather MWF, and not to use water that is too hot. Having said that, until recently I was getting better results bowl lathering! Last weekend I finally cracked the facelathering. ;) It really is worth the effort :cool:

I'll take the scuttle off your hands if you like, and I won't charge you too much for the privilege!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...

I use Mitchell's Wool Fat, Arco, Taylors, Proraso, Wilkinsons, Tabac and Cela same problem wth them all.

I a reluctant to face lather right now with a nice shining new scuttle.

Thanks for the most kind rehousing offer. :lol: :lol:
 
There was a chap here who we haven't seen recently called Manimal, who set me straight about Wool Fat in this thread. Instant gratification, and the soap has remained a favourite ever since. It's the only soap which I face lather in the pure sense, otherwise I face lather to start with then transfer to a bowl. Said bowl usually sits atop a jug of hot water to keep the lather warmish, but the bottom of the bowl is above the water line so it's just the steam which does the work. With some exceptions, most lathers dislike being kept too hot in my experience.

Silvertip brushes come in at least two types - well I've got two which are like chalk and cheese anyway. Fido's New Forest 2211 is a springy little number which will make lather out of anything, including rock hard soaps, whilst the Kent BK4 is a super soft floppy sort of affair which is happiest with creams for which it's excellent. The one in the photo looks to be in the Kent mould, so my guess is that it will work with hard soap, but would be better with creams or a soft soap like Cella or Nanny's.
 
antdad said:
You bought a scuttle to keep your lather warm not hot, that silvertip truth be told looks very soft and fairly sparse, I'd keep it for creams and reduce the loft by wrapping up the base of the knot with some thread.
Click to expand...

I tried this to the no name silver tip, in gradual steps and eventually had the thread some 15mm up from the handle were upon great lathers were built in my scuttle.

Thread now removed as it looks real crappy and I am on the prowl for a new brush and steering away from ultra cheap no name ebays.
 
Well I have a new relationship to work on now with Fido's New Forest 46mm 2211, and it is not proving very hard :D
I did six test lathers using different soaps and two enjoyable shaves.

Go get one and enjoy
 
Duhhhh, sorry I am being such a dunderhead.

I have a New Forest High Mountain 2221 46mm loft version.
The 2211 is the Finest silvertip brush which I don't have.

:oops:
 
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