Look what I've got......

[Mark1966]

OK, I blame you guys for this.

I've got the bug, well at least the IDEA of a brush restoration is very appealing. The actual practice of it may be less so, especially given the huge list of things I need to do shave related before starting a new project.

Anyway I decided I should get a cheap brush to start with. The pic on eBay looked interesting, butterscotch? and it didn't cost much:



OK, so I've done my dough on that lot. A rough cheap and nasty plastic job that is splitting and a made in China thing (I was hoping for a Omega from the pics on the listing)

So, time to try again....





Better BUT....



The amber looking based one has what looks like a melted bit and the other one has lots of scratches. Repairable? I don't know enough to know. Maybe worth a try????

So after the lack of success so far I wasn't holding my breath on the final purchase. This is the pic from the ebay listing -



It wasn't a lot of money maybe another learning experience.

No markings on the brush according to the seller so I had no expectations when this arrived, a nondescript box



Open it up, hmmm, this is more promising, nice colour, a worth candidate for a restoration and re-knot maybe? The colour is very different in the flesh to the listing pic - maybe finally I have taking a punt with some success!



Take the brush out of the box and turn it over....



Hey, that label looks familiar. Have I got a vintage Simpson? The engraving says '41' and 'Pure Badger' with the same written on the box?

The pic doesn't do justice to the richness of the colour. Now to learn what to do with this baby and treat it well.

I've never heard of a Simpson '41' and can't find any information to date on them. I believe you can sent brushes back to Simpson to be re-knoted - in Best maybe? - but I have no idea what to do at this stage. Just happy that it was not the third strike and I was out!

(BTW - sorry for poor phone pics)

 

[Drubbing]

Gary Young, of the original Simpson family hangs out on The Shaving Room, you could ask him. You won't find him YKW anymore. Not that I'm surprised.

Or email Mark at Simmo's. Either would know.

 

[gthomas04]

OK, I blame you guys for this.

I've got the bug,

Now all you need is a decent SE Micromatic and your set!

 

[Mark1966]

Now all you need is a decent SE Micromatic and your set!

Got one

 

[Mark1966]

Gary Young, of the original Simpson family hangs out on The Shaving Room, you could ask him. You won't find him YKW anymore. Not that I'm surprised.

Or email Mark at Simmo's. Either would know.

The Shaving Room - you mean ANOTHER forum!

 

[Drubbing]

The Shaving Room - you mean ANOTHER forum!

Yes, unfortunately there are other forums that aren't YKW.

But this is The number one shave forum in the southern hemisphere.

 

[Mark1966]

Yes, unfortunately there are other forums that aren't YKW.

But this is The number one shave forum in the southern hemisphere.

Of course!

I haven't even posted this thread YKW because it was you guys here that got me looking for this stuff.

Is the rest rubbish BTW? Thoughts anybody?

 

[Drubbing]

Of course!

I haven't even posted this thread YKW because it was you guys here that got me looking for this stuff.

Is the rest rubbish BTW? Thoughts anybody?

PJ is probably the best places for an opinion, but then, could be hard without seeing them.

I think the two in the first pic are good candidates for a reknot.

 

[Pjotr]

The last one is probably a Somerset Simpson. Made when Simpson was located in their factory in Somerset. If you paid anything less than $50 it's an absolute bargain. You've also got a few other classics there too. Rubberset or Ever Ready. I've never seen that squat looking one. Can't imagine it was somehow melted that way as it's got a few markings left. The first four all look a bit askew. Maybe it's the photo. Are they vertical when standing up?

With regards to what I suspect is the Somerset, the knot doesn't look like badger but that again could be the photo.

You can easily reknot any of them. Just be careful not to somehow remove the butterscotch, which is nothing more than a thin layer of UV affected plastic. Catalin rust if you will. The last one is a score for sure. If you post it over at YKW, there'll be people drooling all over it. How much did you pay for it by the way?

 

[Mark1966]

The last one is probably a Somerset Simpson. Made when Simpson was located in their factory in Somerset.

WOOT WOOT, this was what I was hoping. The poor picture ended up being a winner for me for a change

If you paid anything less than $50 it's an absolute bargain. You've also got a few other classics there too. Rubberset or Ever Ready. I've never seen that squat looking one. Can't imagine it was somehow melted that way as it's got a few markings left.

The melted part is in the black area on the side.

The first four all look a bit askew. Maybe it's the photo. Are they vertical when standing up?

I think they all stand up, I'll check when I'm next near them. The photos are the problem I think. Poor iPhone pics and I don't know how to use it

With regards to what I suspect is the Somerset, the knot doesn't look like badger but that again could be the photo.

Hmmm, haven't looked that closely - I see what you mean from the pics. Opened it up, took the pics then had to get to work on a couple of things. Written up as Pure Badger

You can easily reknot any of them. Just be careful not to somehow remove the butterscotch, which is nothing more than a thin layer of UV affected plastic. Catalin rust if you will. The last one is a score for sure. If you post it over at YKW, there'll be people drooling all over it.

Well now that P&C has seen it first I might just do that. I can't wait for the drooling.....

How much did you pay for it by the way?

Umm, the three lots were respectively (plus postage)

$5

$9

$21.95

So even wasting the first two the third made up for it it seems!

Happy camper for a change

 

[Pjotr]

WOOT WOOT, this was what I was hoping. The poor picture ended up being a winner for me for a change.......

Yep you lucked out there. I'm pretty amazed that the hordes of brush freaks didn't take a punt on that one, because even without the confirmation of the markings it's got Simpsons or an established traditional brush maker written all over it. The knot baffles me a bit as it looks like a boar to me.

 

[Mark1966]

Yep you lucked out there. I'm pretty amazed that the hordes of brush freaks didn't take a punt on that one, because even without the confirmation of the markings it's got Simpsons or an established traditional brush maker written all over it. The knot baffles me a bit as it looks like a boar to me.

16 bids - the original auction is here

Maybe the knot baffled others too!

 

[Pjotr]

I can't find anything on it either. Just have to wait until the Somerset Simpson collectors come roaring out of the gate.

 

[Mark1966]

I can't find anything on it either. Just have to wait until the Somerset Simpson collectors come roaring out of the gate.

Not much action yet at YKW!

BTW - they all stand up fine.

 

[Pjotr]

Not much action yet at YKW!

BTW - they all stand up fine.

It might be worth putting up a picture of the Simpson in the main brush forum rather than the restore section. I've since seen a picture of the sguat (looks like) synthetic brush you've got. Looks really nice as is or with a new knot. I've never tried synthetic. As you can imagine it's generally scorned upon but give it a try and let us know. Restoring the plastic/catalin/bakelite handles involves cutting compounds or fine sand paper followed by buffing etc. Again, don't touch the butterscotch.

By the way is that silver coloured one metal or painted on to plastic? I think you've done really well.

 

[Drubbing]

Mark Watterson is still you're best bet. If he doesn't know, he'll ask Gary. Or dig up Alex Simpson for an opinion. They take their customer service that seriously.

either way, a reknot is probably a must.

 

[Mark1966]

Mark Watterson is still you're best bet. If he doesn't know, he'll ask Gary. Or dig up Alex Simpson for an opinion. They take their customer service that seriously.

either way, a reknot is probably a must.

I've posted a thread on The Shaving Room so will see how that goes. If no joy I'll contact Simpsons about costs for reknoting.

 

[Mark1966]

WOW! I have made it!!!!!!

My YKW thread got a post from ... MARCO! Check it out here.

More expansively I got a response from Gary Young about this brush at The Shaving Room. Here is what he said:

'1950s Nimmer Mill made Simpson 40 series brush. And yep, Peter is right that it isn't one of our old 'top end' brushes. Back in the 50s a lot of the 40 series were sold in quantity to the 'high street' chemists - eg. Boots.

This looks like it was a 'private' sale as the 'high street' models were lampblacked with the Boots logo of the day.

The badger hair has 'bleached' over the years - normally due to being left on a bathroom window. But, as with our own hair, it tends to 'whiten' out over time, especially the coarser pure grade.

Nice little brush from one of our most busy decades so I reckon you had a good little find there.'

So, what to do now.

 

[gthomas04]

WOW! I have made it!!!!!!

My YKW thread got a post from ... MARCO! Check it out

Isnt that one of those things that lead to instant dismissal for P&C.


I can see the next lot of posts will all contain lines like "MY friend Marco and I" or as "I was saying to Marco on Skype the other day" or even worse "Once you get to know him Marcos not a bad bloke really".

 

[Mark1966]

Isnt that one of those things that lead to instant dismissal for P&C.

No, but I think changing your avatar can be.....

I can see the next lot of posts will all contain lines like "MY friend Marco and I" or as "I was saying to Marco on Skype the other day" or even worse "Once you get to know him Marcos not a bad bloke really".

Si

We are unlikely to have any more children but our cat died recently (long sad story) and we are looking at getting a couple of kittens. Maybe I should name one Marco.....