Duke 2 Best - where to from here?

Sxot said:
So, I went to the Shavemac configurator. Knot options only list one D01, one Two band ... the same knot. Unless I am missing something but your comments seem to suggest there is a D01, and a Two Band Silver Tip.

Help!
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Shavemac have the following knots:
- pure
- finest
- silvertip
- 2-band
- D01
- D01 2-band

As far as I'm aware they sell "set" brushes and "configured" brushes. The "set" brushes have numbers or names (eg #177, #90). But the other option is that you can choose your own knot (type, size, depth, etc) and handle (type, Colour, etc).

Is that the info you are after?
 
Sxot said:
I know... sarcasm... never translates does it!

I'm thinking the Extra Silvertip D01 2-Band in 26mm (or 28?) fan might be the go.
I've emailed them for advice though.
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Seems like you got it during my slow poky typing on the mobile...
 
Shavemac has two expert configurators - one for the whole brush:
https://www.shavemac.com/products/Experts/Shaving-Brush-EXPERTS-SELECT.html

and one just for the knot, if you want a handle from someone else:
https://www.shavemac.com/products/Experts/Shaving-Brush-KNOTS-SELECT.html

However you can basically have anything you like - they hand tie the knots AND turn the handles on site.

So you can ask for an extra dense 2-band Silvertip or whatever comes to mind. And if you tell them a rod stock you like (from somewhere else), they get it for you and turn the handle out of that material - and if you tell them, you want a different handle type - they'll do that as well.

I had only a very short email contact with Bernd so far, but if there are language barriers - I speak fluently German and could help there as well...

Having said all that - and sorry to hijack your thread @Sxot - but I had this idea for quiet some time now, and why not talk about it here:
OK, I will start a new thread for it
 
filobiblic said:
Shavemac have the following knots:
- pure
- finest
- silvertip
- 2-band
- D01
- D01 2-band

As far as I'm aware they sell "set" brushes and "configured" brushes. The "set" brushes have numbers or names (eg #177, #90). But the other option is that you can choose your own knot (type, size, depth, etc) and handle (type, Colour, etc).

Is that the info you are after?
Click to expand...

alfredus said:
Shavemac has two expert configurators - one for the whole brush:
https://www.shavemac.com/products/Experts/Shaving-Brush-EXPERTS-SELECT.html

and one just for the knot, if you want a handle from someone else:
https://www.shavemac.com/products/Experts/Shaving-Brush-KNOTS-SELECT.html

However you can basically have anything you like - they hand tie the knots AND turn the handles on site.

So you can ask for an extra dense 2-band Silvertip or whatever comes to mind. And if you tell them a rod stock you like (from somewhere else), they get it for you and turn the handle out of that material - and if you tell them, you want a different handle type - they'll do that as well.

I had only a very short email contact with Bernd so far, but if there are language barriers - I speak fluently German and could help there as well...

Having said all that - and sorry to hijack your thread @Sxot - but I had this idea for quiet some time now, and why not talk about it here:
OK, I will start a new thread for it
Click to expand...

Thanks Gents. I see I was in the wrong configurator and only got limited options. Thanks for clearing that up.
 
Just put up a new thread in the brush section...
 
So I wrote to Bernd, plagiarising @stillshunter mentioning my Duke 2 as a bench mark;

I am looking for a brush hat has nice pillowy soft tips to spoil your face, lovely backbone to so that you can feel the thing without lather flying all over your bathroom, and just the right amount of density that allows the lather to flow perfectly right through to the end of the third pass.
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His recommendation?

Silvertip D01 in size 22 mm with loft of 48 mm. Fan shaped.
This gives a brush with good backbone and the softness you need for face lathering.
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Since I recently got a reply back from Bernd regarding the be all and end all of face lathering brushes using the Duke 2 as a bench mark he recommended Silvertip D01 in size 22 mm with loft of 48 mm. Fan shaped. That then is my preference.
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I'm a face latherer. I've never used a Duke but have a ST D01 that's 23mm with 54mm loft and it's wonderful. My 22mm 2-band is simply superb too. Beautiful knots to the face!
 
filobiblic said:
I'm a face latherer. I've never used a Duke but have a ST D01 that's 23mm with 54mm loft and it's wonderful. My 22mm 2-band is simply superb too. Beautiful knots to the face!
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I was a bit surprised at the smaller knot recommendation, and am nervous about it actually but if the density is still there I suppose it would give better flow through for the same fee? It would be awesome to get a Chubby and a SM in 22mm to compare back to back with the duke but no chance of that happening. I would have guess there wasn't much difference between the Duke & Chubby in feel, just more brush surface area to the face maybe? If that is the case, The Duke 2 is large enough for me. Will a 22 be though??? Can't Bernd just sell these things with a 1month money back satisfaction guarantee?
 
Sxot said:
I was a bit surprised at the smaller knot recommendation, and am nervous about it actually but if the density is still there I suppose it would give better flow through for the same fee? It would be awesome to get a Chubby and a SM in 22mm to compare back to back with the duke but no chance of that happening. I would have guess there wasn't much difference between the Duke & Chubby in feel, just more brush surface area to the face maybe? If that is the case, The Duke 2 is large enough for me. Will a 22 be though??? Can't Bernd just sell these things with a 1month money back satisfaction guarantee?
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Can't you swap a brush with a mate? That's one of the reasons to meet up locally. You swap and loan gear without postage. It means you get to try some quality products and hardware without buying it.

Face latherers often use smaller brushes. I find the 22mm SM is terrific. Don't take my word for it either- @MrT currently has it on loan (hear that LOAN!!! *ahem*).
 
filobiblic said:
Can't you swap a brush with a mate? That's one of the reasons to meet up locally. You swap and loan gear without postage. It means you get to try some quality products and hardware without buying it.

Face latherers often use smaller brushes. I find the 22mm SM is terrific. Don't take my word for it either- @MrT currently has it on loan (hear that LOAN!!! *ahem*).
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Completely agree, Filo (y) Those knot dimensions sound perfect for the discerning face latherer.
 
@filobiblic
Nup, I'm a nigel here in this lonely little town.

A 20mm in best is a close as I get. Oh well.... I'll just have to get one and see.
 
Sxot said:
@filobiblic
Nup, I'm a nigel here in this lonely little town.

A 20mm in best is a close as I get. Oh well.... I'll just have to get one and see.
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Aren't you in the vicinity of @Dale.Whiley ? He has a few brushes I recall...
 
Sxot said:
I would say yes, but only because I live in the county and big distances are regularly travelled, but no, he and his fellow Townsville co-horts are 400km away.
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Bummer. That's quite far... (understatement)
 
I will throw in my 2 cents and say 24mm is the absolute minimum sized knot for me- but my sweet spot is 26-28 (with my 30mm fan for pure luxury shaves)

Please bear in mind, that this also has to do with handle size, as I don't enjoy short/skinny handles (and don't even like my Chubby 2 handle - too short) and a 22mm in a large handle simply doesn't look good...

However the only way to find out for yourself is unfortunately only by trying out. You can't deduce it from boar knots as the knot/loft ratio is totally off and all those large Omega boars have a 60mm+ loft.

When I was using predominantly boars, I thought I like smaller brushes as well....I thought all large brushes are floppy.

Then I got a 24mm WD silvertip, loved the feel, but realised I want bigger...brushes are the biggest rabbit hole in this hole wet shaving business :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
Everytime I think about it I decide "screw it, I'll just but a Chubby" (or Thater or something) and look them up. Then see the near $300 price tag and just can't bring myself to do it! Might throw a WTB post up...
 
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