#1
Captain 2 in Best Badger

This is visually a beautiful brush sporting a new style of handle for a Simpson platform brush.  The dimensions of the knot in my brush is approximately 25/50.  In comparing the Captain 2 with other known Simpson brushes I focused on the Duke 3 (approx. 23.5/46), a wonderful all around brush.  The new handle style of the Captain 2 provides a very handsome profile compared to the Duke 3.

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The Captain does not have the backbone that the Duke 3 has.  As shown in the photo above, the Duke 3 [on left] is a bit denser than the Captain 2 [on right] giving the Duke 3 more backbone even with a somewhat narrower knot.  The relative sizes of the knots do not jump out due to my amateurish skill with a camera.  However, in both brushes the loft-to-width ratio of the knot is about 2 in both cases, indicating that this ratio is not the cause of the relatively diminished backbone of the Captain 2.  

More importantly, the Captain 2 is made from a batch of best badger that is the softest that I have ever seen in a Simpsons brush.  This unexpectedly more pliable hair further explains the diminished backbone in the Captain 2.  In fact the Captain 2 reminds me of my two-band Thater with a fan-shaped knot. It splays nicely, perhaps more than I like, but it provides excellent lathering with soap or cream.  Of special note is the Captain's excellent lather release qualities.

In the end, I love my Simpsons collections and expect that I will love the Captain 2 in best as well, as long as I can accept that this particular brush is quite softer than my other Simpsons.

Captain 2 in Manchurian

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Above is the Captain 2 in Manchurian [on left] next to the Duke 3 in Manchurian on the right [before the new Manchurian Duke handle came out].  Again, the Duke 3 in Manchurian is also slightly more dense than the Captain in Manchurian.  However, the Captain 2 in Manchurian really delivers in all of the areas important to me.  The Captain 2/Manchurian has enough backbone to give me the "stronger" stroke that I expect from Simpsons brushes while retaining the excellent lather release properties I find in the best badger version.  Each time I used it, it provided enough lather for two hearty passes without having to reload.  This brush is an excellent brush, significantly more pleasing to me than the best badger version, and a classy Simpson offering.

ANG69 and Stevedi like this post
Cheers,
Ted

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.  Winston Churchill



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