Thanks! I only wish I had a broader range of experience with brushes, other than the 3 I own so that I could offer more comparison/contrast. Glad you enjoyed it.
I agree with you now that i have a few more shaves with it under my belt. I'm spending more time rinsing it now and that seems to help.
I have Frank silvertip and Finest brushes, and they're both excellent, especially for the price. The silvertip is softer, but I find it lathers hard soaps just fine.
You know, this thread got me reading about FS brushes...and now I'm seriously thinking of ordering one and giving it a whirl - even though I'm waiting on my SOC 2 band badger, this could be a nifty little guy to get for travelling - and with that price, who cares if it gets lost?