Actually, I already own ONE synthetic —an Omega—but I decided to order a 3-band nylon knot from The Golden Nib. To go with this knot, I searched around for an appropriate handle. One type I do like that can seen frequently here in the TSD SOTD shot are turned handles made of olive wood. I've loved the look of olive wood for some time. In fact, I've brought many carved samples of the beautiful wood back from Israel. So I ordered one via ebay from a vendor in Israel. Two weeks later, the turned olive wood handle arrived. The exterior already had a sealer applied, and I gave the handle a good rubdown with Renaissance wax before gluing in the knot. I used 5-minute water-proof epoxy to deep-set (nearly 1/2") the knot. A tight fit! The handle is quite comfortable in the hand. Good balance, too, with the knot in place. Maiden voyage with this brush to be happening soon!
Here are some helpful tips to get the most from your new Synthetic brush! 1. You do not need to soak the brush. It is useless for synthetics since Nylon cannot absorb water. Some brushes can retain water between the fibers in small drops, but most users get too much water than they are use to and have a wetter mixture than they intended. 2. If you are face lathering, have some water on the face and apply the shave stick to the face. Dip the end of the brush in a little bit of water and begin to lather. Dip the brush in a little bit more water as the lather builds until you have thick rich lather. Think of it as adding water to build the moisture on the face. Once you have enough moisture the brush will retain moist lather. 3. If you use soap from a puck or container, dip the end of the brush in a little bit of water rub the soap on and begin to lather. Dip the brush in a little bit more water as the lather builds until you have thick rich lather. Again, think of it as adding water to build the moisture on the face. Once you have enough moisture the brush will retain moist lather. 4. If you bowl lather, put a very small amount of water in the bottom of the bowl and dip the end of the brush in a little bit of water rub the soap on and begin to lather. Add water until the lather becomes moist and smooth. Enjoy!
Congratulations and those Olivewood handles are beautiful! Wait until you try the Edwin Jagger XL synthetic! You'll be changing bandwagon's, soon enough!
