Vulfix 2233S Super Badger Shaving Brush

A quality product

This is a really first rate brush and a fantastic value in badger. The current trend seems to favor larger brushes but for anyone who wants a tool that gets the job done without wasting soap or creating unnecessary amounts of lather this is a serious option. Buying a brush can be tricky but here are some things to understand about this brush. The knot is smallish but holds adequate lather for many shavers. I tend to do two lather passes from the brush and squeeze out into the palm for a third lather and use what's left for clean-up and have no problems with it. Of course, it's easy and quick to dip the tips in water and swipe the puck a couple of times and lather into the palm for additional lather. The handle is a little small and may feel too small for really big hands although I don't find it so. It's not as dense as some other badger brushes but it's more dense than any synthetic I've seen. Backbone is low to moderate, and it gets floppy when wet and loaded. Many people like this while others prefer a more vigorous massage or even scrubbing. I might describe it as plush or springy. It gives for a while but reaches a point where it pushes back, like a latex cushion. I find this far more satisfying than my synthetic brush which is soft and gentle but lacks this kind of spring. It face lathers very well despite its softness and works supremely well as a palm or bowl lathering tool. It loads hard soaps well for me, including the infamous Mitchell's Wool Fat. My example had a strong odor that took some work over a few days to eliminate but I have two other Vulfix/Simpson brushes that came with almost no odor at all so YMMV.Vulfix is one of the most esteemed traditional makers of shaving brushes and these are handmade items of the very finest quality. Treat it right and it will last for years and years. If it sounds to you like this brush offers the qualities you're looking for, I can recommend it without reservation. Vulfix offers the same design in larger knot sizes as well as in silvertip badger. As knot size increases, so does the size of the handle. Increasing the knot diameter also increases the firmness of the spring.Overall, this represents a fantastic value in a top quality badger brush!