Difference btw Simpson Chubby 1, 2, & 3?

I'm starting to figure my way around the various sub-hobbies (razors, strops, soaps, aftershaves) but I haven't ventured much into brushes. Inspired by the recent thread in the brushmakers forum on reproducing a Chubby, I looked these up for the first time today. I like what I see! Thick, squat, supposedly a lot of backbone. Sounds good. But what I can't figure is, what's the differences between Chubbies 1, 2, & 3, that results in the huge price leap? I see there are some size differences, but is that it?

Second question: what's a good "standard" high-end brush? I'm not sure I want to start collecting but I might save up for a luxury brush by the end of the year and I'd want it to be fairly conservative, simple, uncontroversial. The Chubby looks good to me, but do yall have any other recs?

The numbers designate the size. A brush is sized by the height of the bristles from where they leave the handle to the top. Known as 'loft.' The 'knot' is the diameter of the bristles. A Simpson chubby is a relatively short loft for the knot size from what I see on their site. Just as razors go up in price based on the width of the blade, larger is more expensive, so do brushes since you're getting more of the high end badger hair.

When I was following brushes the Simpson Super, Plisson HMW (high mountain white) and the Rooney Finest were the top of the line AFAIK. Shavemac makes some very high quality brushes and Thater is as good as you can get IME. Back to the chubby, the only one I had was a Somerset made Simpson Manchurian Chubby 2. It was so scritchy I think it could have taken the chrome off a trailer hitch. Back then I would have said if you like scritchy go for a Simpson Super but I'm not sure how the Vulfix made Simpson Supers are.

The Rooney Finest is no longer available but the Plisson HMW is still made and is scritchy IME. If you like backbone and soft tips the Thater is more bang for the buck than any of them AFAIC. While it is not a hard and fast rule, in general, shorter loft lends itself to face lathering while the taller , say 55mm and up, to bowl and cream lathering. Some guys do fine with one or another loft/knot in whatever puck, cream, face lather, bowl lather, but I like pucks and short lofts. YMMV.

Check out the Simpson Classic #1 or #2 for an alternative to the Chubby #1. I have a Classic #1 and the Chubby #1, like them both. The Chubby needs a lot of product because it's a lather hog and I find it's a little more "scrubbier" than the Classic #1.

+1 on the Thater brushes. I have a 4125/2 two band fan and it has the softest tips of any brush I own. I wish I would have got it in a bulb knot. It lacks a bit of backbone and a bulb shape should help out. I have a Chubby 2 in best hair and it is a very dense nice brush. Simpson best hair can be pretty scritchy but I got lucky and mine is not. I would go with the Thater. More bang for the buck.

I have quite a few brushes, but the Simpson Duke # 2 is my favourite. Cheaper than the Chubby but is still a seriously fantastic brush.

Attachment 134199

Check it out.

I have the Chubby 3 in the two band which isn't available anymore. It's a big brush with incredibly dense fill with a 60mm loft. Like all the old two banders they were at the top of the heap. I guess Plisson still makes them in the HMW but they are very expensive.

The price leap is based on the amount of fill you are getting.

I think any Rooney or Simpson or Thater is a good high end brush with Silvertip. The new Thaters and Simpson Manchurians are pretty close to the old two banders. of course you have the small guys who make brushes too and for those you need to read the forum for discussions on those.

Thanks for the details, guys! I like the look of the Simpsons - bulb shape, not too lofty, seems like it would be less floppy than my current brush - but I'll take some time looking at the others mentioned here.

I really wanted a Chubby #3...or even a #2. But the price just scared me away every time. But what I was really after was the dense loft. I have two other Simpson brushes and they are nice. But I picked one of these up for about $50 (actually it was free with my Amazon points) and its become a favorite of mine. I don't know if it even compares to the Simpson Chubby but then again, the price doesn't compare much either. Its very dense and scrubby. But the silver tip hair keeps it from feeling scratchy. It might be a poor mans Chubby #2.

THE FRANK SHAVING BRUSH GROOMING INDUSTRIAL LIMITEDThe Frank Grooming Industrial Limited

Id second this brush as well, i have the manchurian hive as well but theres just something about the duke in best badger that just makes it a joy to use.

Thanks for the continued recs! I'm curious - I don't know anything about brushes beyond the basics (boar, badger, super badger, &c.) - what properties contribute to making the Simpson Duke such a good brush? I look at the *extensive* Simpson line and, honestly, I can't tell one from the other beyond aesthetics. Why is the Duke any better than, say, the Classic? What makes the Chubby so talked-about?

The answere to the O.P.s Question is here: Simpson Brush Measurements

Thanks, pixelfixed! That looks like a great resource. But I guess my question is, given those differences in measurement, how do they affect the feel & performance of the brushes? I really am very new at this - I've used a Classic Shaving simple badger brush (big fan, very floppy) for a few years, and only just bought an Omega boar for comparison - so I don't have enough experience to really understand how different measurements, much less different grades of hair or density of knots, affect the user-end feel of a brush.

That may be a pretty general question, but obviously the couple preceding posters had a strong preference for the Duke and I was curious - why that one? What's the specific aspect that they respond to so positively?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alexm

Thanks, pixelfixed! That looks like a great resource. But I guess my question is, given those differences in measurement, how do they affect the feel & performance of the brushes? I really am very new at this - I've used a Classic Shaving simple badger brush (big fan, very floppy) for a few years, and only just bought an Omega boar for comparison - so I don't have enough experience to really understand how different measurements, much less different grades of hair or density of knots, affect the user-end feel of a brush.

That may be a pretty general question, but obviously the couple preceding posters had a strong preference for the Duke and I was curious - why that one? What's the specific aspect that they respond to so positively?

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To be honest,I cannot answere your questions,The so called grading of silvertip knots IMO really cannot be done.
I think getting exactally what you want in a quality brush is sort of the luck of the draw.
As with all natural items,no two are the same.

It's a complicated combo like saying what makes one razor shave better than another. Is it the grind? The size? The scales? The way you use ?

A brush is similar. Different handles cause you to grip it differently and then the amount of fill is different and the loft can be different and the way the hair is sunk in the handle can make a difference and of course the quality of the hair matters. Also the soap you use and the manner you create the lather does too.

So factor all that in.

I have a range of Simpson brushes running from the Wee Scot to the Chubby 3 two band. The OP really needs to know how he wants to use the brush to properly decide, plus he can't go by knot dimensions alone. They don't capture density. I would set scritchiness aside, as too subjective, personal, and requiring of hands on experience for an informed decision.

I have a Somerset era Duke 2 in best that is a solid all round brush but I would not choose it if I wanted to focus on one type of lathering. For me the Duke was a pleasant entry point to Simpsons as I moved away from Kent. It was my mainstay for years as I gainned experience.

For bowl lathering using creams and soft soaps the Tulip 3, Rover, The Hive, M7, and even down to The Special do well. The Rover is shorter handled than many would choose but the density and flow through is great for creams and soft soaps. The Special has a taller handle than the Duke, has more density, and is an inexpensive all round brush. It will also eat any soap and face lather well.

If you want to face lather with hard soaps the Chubby series is the best solution. I have a 2 in manchurian and a 3 in two band. Only received the Chubby 3 from Mark at Simpsons yesterday but I immediately tried it with Floris No. 89. Very little time and effort to get a superb lather. Being unfamiliar with the 3, I did go to the puck for a second swirl prior to my second lathering. There was then enough lather for at least two more passes. I am looking to add a Chubby 1 to my collection. The Chubbies are often referred to as iconic brushes for good reason. If you want a luxury brush look no further, but do be prepared, they use a lot of product so your cost per shave will go up. If it isn't the most luxurious brush out there it must be close. Luxury has a cost. There are many other options out there but if you have the means to buy a Plisson, or Simpson, or other luxury brand, you get the performance and knowledge that, unless you go custom, you are at the pinnacle of performance. If you purchase one and find it is not to your liking resale will recoup much of your cost or keep it as a start to your future collection. Sometimes revisiting a brush or blade after more experience is gainned dramatically changes your perception of the item. Good luck with your decision.

Thanks for the additional info, U2u.

I've mostly narrowed my choices, so started a new thread to solicit specific comparisons:

Which brush? Chubby 1, Classic 2, or Duke 3