Hello, I acquired a new silvertip badger brush from Muhle 2 weeks back and feel let down a bit. Nothing to do with the brush - its well made and all that, its just that I had great expectations of moving into a different plane altogether with regards to my shaving experience which has not really happened. I was using a basic Body Shop artificial bristles brush before deciding to invest in the silvertip (23mm knot size). The BS brush was superb in whipping up a great lather and being small, it generated about enough for my daily needs. The problem with the silvertip is this - it needs more "effort" to build lather and much more product (which can go waste). No doubt the lather is more luxurious - but most of it stays within the brush. I have to then squeeze it out, which was not the case with my BS brush. It also needs longer to build lather. Also, being floppy, the lather is thrown around the bowl, rather than being in the center of the bowl. This means I have to interrupt the whipping action and collect all the periphery lather into the center of the bowl - which breaks the momentum. The silvertip however does feel great on the face. So the question is, did I do something wrong in spending so much on a silvertip? Where are the benefits? Thanks in advance to all who respond. Best regards Mohan
First, I'd like to know how long you've had the new Silvertip brush. Sometimes oils from the factory can get on the brush and it doesn't perform at its best for a couple weeks. Beyond that, I think you've received a lesson on what you like in a brush. You obviously don't like brushes on the floppy side, so you'll want to look for something with a shorter loft (the amount of hair sticking out of the brush) and reasonably packed with hair. You also want something that generates lather quickly, which may just be break in for your current brush. If it doesn't break in and you continue to have this opinion, look for pure or best grade badger. These aren't as soft on the face, but do whip up lather a little quicker. You also don't like brushes that push out lather. Again, this might get a little better with break in. If not, I find bulb shaped knots aren't as bad about this as fan shaped knots. Give your current brush a couple weeks, but if you're still having the same feeling a sale or trade might be in order. At least you'll have a better idea what you're looking for. Another option would be a boar brush. The big downside on boar is the long break-in period while the bristles split, before which they are slow to lather and feel scratchy. It can take up to two months to get a boar brush fully broke in, but they are very soft and efficient after that.
That is a right fine response Erik! [EDIT] It is worth the wait to get a decent boar broken in. My Omega 10051 is a great brush.
also with saying that you waste lots of your lather on the brush. You can squeeze the brush before rinsing it to get some of that lather out and use on your face. So you can cut down on the soap/cream you are using.
Thanks Erik - as you said will give it some more time, its been about 2 weeks since I got the brush and maybe it needs some more time to break in. Lets hope things get better cause I've staked a lot of money on this upgrade.
As I was reading the OP, I had some thoughts running through my head on how to respond. Then, LO!, I get to the next post and find Erik had it all written down for me.
BTW, I am using Muhle's own cream - the Sea Buckthron. I tried face lathering today and what a revelation. I finally realised what I was missing. The gentle massage action of the silvertips against my face was divine. The lather too was better than what I would get in a bowl. I think bowl lathering using a silvertip is like mis-using a precious resource! As many have said, I thinks its a matter of getting used to the brush and also breaking the brush in. So things are not as bleak as my original post. Thanks everyone!
What I meant to say was that its probably SACRILEGE to use a silvertip and bowl lather. I guess silvertips were meant to used for face lathering, they feel so divine!!
Soak it in 1/6 vinegar/water and hand lather in the mix to clean it. Let it dry. Next time you shave, start with a little more soaked brush and use some more cream and face lather. This plan has always been fail and fool proof for me.
When I read that you preferred synthetic bristles to a Muhle silvertip, my first impulse was to petition JoAnna to ban you from the forum for life, and to notify the shaving authorities for possible criminal prosecution. I was just going to suggest face-lathering, but I see you've broken the code by yourself. The bowl is a middle-man you can cut out of the process. The advantage of the way badger retains lather is that after your normal 2 or 3 passes, you can squeeze the rest out and spread it on your face with your fingertips as you feel for any spots you may have missed.
Ain't no sin in bowl lathering, my friend. Just a different means to the end we all pursue - a close, smooth, comfortable, and, above all, enjoyable shave.
I encourage you to keep up with the fact lathering.. Indeed it is wonderful and with a nice Silvertip it can border on decadent. That said.. come back to the bowl from time to time. And try heating the bowl before you start.. the warm lather is awesome! Another change might be to start off your lather in your palm and then switch to face lathering.. it's sort of an interim between the bowl and face.. There are so many ways to rustle up a good lather!! Try them all! As yet another testament to YMMV, I just returned to bowl lathering with a new-to-me Semogue 2010 LE Silvertip... I gave it a go with face and hand lathering and it was great but once I took my bowl down off the top shelf, this brush came to life...
if you lather in a bowl/scuttle, try pumping the brush up and down..it will help to release the lather back into the bow/scuttle.
The borax will react with the oil and break them down into smaller chains that will easily rinse out. That's why it's commonly sold as a laundry detergent booster (much cheaper than Oxy Clean).
