Anyone NOT like two-band?

J

jhclare

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517
Hi all,

What with all this two-band talk at the moment, I wondered if anyone actually prefers regular Super/Silvertip grades?

I'm testing a brush at the moment - a GT3. It says Best on the handle, but it's appearance is definitely two-band, bulb-shape. It's a Duke 3 with Trumper's branding.

I have to say, so far, I'm not enjoying the brush. I like backbone, but I think it has too much.

And I really was expecting soft tips.... these aren't. In fact they're a bit prickly!

Finally, I'm not sure that bulb-shape knots work with this type of hair. Just seems difficult to swirl on your face in circular motions. Maybe because it doesn't want to splay?

Is this normal with Simpsons' two-band hair? Will it soften up?

And is Rooney Finest better?

John
 
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I take it back, it certainly looks like the real deal.

Nice brush...it should soften up although it is certainly more bulb shaped than the ones I've seen.

Give it a couple of weeks at least.
 
I love my two band Simpsons. At present, the Astor and PJ2.And my other two bands. They do become softer with regular use. My brushes are an excellent balance between backbone and softness. They feel a bit prickly when dry but very soft when wet. A decent silvertip is usually a bit more flexible depending on density and loft. I wouldn't care to express a preference for either. The two bands are much more versatile, whereas the silvertips are rather better with creams.

I'm surprised you have had problems with face lathering with the bulb shape - sounds like it is exceptionally dense. Perhaps it will take a while to break it in.

As to the Rooney Finest, I have the 1/2. It is great with creams but quite a floppy brush - an absolute rip off at the price.
 
Maybe I'm just impatient! I'll give it more time.

Its loft is 50mm, and it is very dense.

My old Savile Row 3120 was bulb shaped but was delightful on the face - dense enough for a bit of scrub yet pillow soft tips. It felt great on the face in circular motions. What the heck, I'll probably order another! :mrgreen:

On another note, I picked up a Trumper's branded Stubby 1. It's tiny, loft is around 43mm. However, it does not feel like Heritage hair - the knot is identical in feel to my old Rooney 1/1 that Fido bought. Both felt "barbed" when dry (almost like little hooks on the end of the bristles) but pillow soft when wet.

It is a little monster - it lathers soaps like crazy without hogging the lather. I think I'm really going to enjoy this brush! Pics to follow.

John
 
Quite right Fido, it was only a matter of time for Mr jhclare, resistance is futile.

It does look like the real deal, it took a long time for my CH2 to really break in. At one point I though bugger this feckin lather hog of a brush and used it for creams for a few weeks and I just used twice the amount I would normally use (good way to use up some of that stuff you want to clear out before you buy more). When I switched back to soaps it had became a different brush but I believe a brush of the density you are talking about will take several week worth of usage, so if you use it once or twice a week it could take a long time to fully break in and soften up.

Creams certainly seemed to help in the lather department but you seem to feel the tips are a little prickly, on my 2 band they do feel much softer wet than when dry and they have got softer then when they were new but perhaps you are just missing the fan shape of the Rooney Stubby 2 you loved so much. I have a 3 band version of stubby 2 and yes it feels softer partly because of the fan shape, but I also feel the the bulb shale helps lathering from the soap and it splays fine when face lathering.

Really up to you my friend, my personal experience of 2 band says you need to try it for several weeks to let it bloom but if you really are not happy then ditch it and get yourself something you like.
 
Is the Simpsons 2 band bristle markedly different from their Super? I have seen pics of Simpsons 2 Band that have three bands showing. Or is it the loft that decides ?
 
Compared to my Super's the 2 band is stiffer, definitely. As you say it can depend on the loft, I have some brushes with the third band poking through so all 2 band is still essentially three band.
 
Some knowledgable gent on ShaveMyFace informed me that there is in fact a Best two-band grade!

Have a look at Fido's PJs. The Best looks like two-band and has a bulb-shape knot to boot:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://fidosshavingbrushblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/simpson-pj-2-best.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://fidosshavingbrushblog.blogspot.c ... -best.html</a><!-- m -->

and here's the Super two-band:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://fidosshavingbrushblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/smpson-pj2-super-2-band.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://fidosshavingbrushblog.blogspot.c ... -band.html</a><!-- m -->

How do the two compare Fido?

John
 
Here are some more photos. My PJ2 Best looks like a two band, I'm not sure - I simply ordered a "Best". The PJ2 Super was ordered as a two band. The other two brushes are my New Forest brush prototypes in bulb and fan shape. Next month I should be in a position to make an exclusive offer here first of the bulb shape brush which will be marketed as a Superior Badger two band with a New Forest logo as shown below. At a more than fair price!

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Nice brushes Fido, I have the PJ2 in 2 band and it is a fine little brush, It is the fan shaped version you have there that interest me more, will that be a follow on for later?
 
It was a close call as to whether or not to go for the bulb or fan shape for my first brush. Hopefully there will be sufficient demand and I will get positive feedback which will enable me then to go ahead with a Finest Silvertip version. Given the popularity of a 22mm knot with loft around 50mm, I like the idea of providing a choice of fan or bulb shape. At the price I will be selling at, people may like to buy both!

I have been using the fan shape brush regularly and it is more than a match for other big brand names. This is how it's looking now:

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Fido,

How much are you looking at selling your brushes? I need another like a hole in the head (especially as i am going to be after a TSR one too), having got your old EJ Med Silvertip and a recent custom Finest 2-band from Neo.....but, i feel the calling towards these too!
 
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