Jason I have a really good badger. Bought an omega boar. And the new general con census is that these next generation synthetics are pretty awesome. Even read a few reviews of people preferring synthetics over their silvertip. Unfortunately I've heard enough bad things about franks bad qc as of late so I won't be gracing them with my money. Same for his. So I'll either save up and get a muhle or one from vintage blades. If I can get a brush that feels like badger and has the backbone of a boar and dries in a few hours it will definitely be my go to brush if only because I spend two thirds of my year in random hotel rooms for work
Synthetics aren't half bad. They do have their advantages. Take the Muehle Silvertip Fibre. It features very soft tips with a firm backbone somewhere between a pure badger and a 2-band. It lathers very easily and holds the water long enough for several passes. Also, it is very low in maintenance as it dries up quickly and sheds no hairs.
......ain't nuthin' like the reeeeeall thiiiiiing baaaaaaaabyyyyyy....ain't nuthin' like the real......thing....... ~I hear ya.....but to-furkey won't ever be remotely as good as real turkey EDIT: Why spend money that TRIES to do as good as job as the real deal, but can't? Why, if one has no objection to boar or badger, go for anything but the real thing? I mean if that's what will make a person happy, then it's by all means, but synthetics don't work better by thinking about how many lives are spared but then haunted by the idea of how many fossil fuels were burned to create a plastic brush....LOL!!! That's just way too much thinking while I;m shaving. I buy a brush, the boar hair goes in the brush, the rest goes into sausage, the rest biodegrades to be soil.......vs fossil fuels & pollution, etc...I mean, no matter what, we're humans, and we do things with ourselves in mind & not other things & other people. When there's a pristine choice in this world that leaves little room for doubt that it's 100% carbon / blood free, I'll make it. But in the end, daddy needs to shave....I can kill a hog & make a few brushes & abunch of sausage & bacon & ham......or I can pollute the air & water, but MAN this synthetic brush doesn't hurt anyone.....I just shaddap & shave & don't think....LOL That's how I get through the night sleeping like a baby, LOL!!!!!
Yea I could care less about the animals but if my badger mildewed due to my uncertain travel schedule I'd be pretty heated. Where as with a synthetic I shouldn't have that problem. I'm usually the guy that tries to get my vegan friends to eat bacon lol
I've got an Omega synthetic that's one of my favorite brushes. I've got good badger, boar, horse and synthetic brushes.
I like to do things the traditional way. I bowhunt with longbows, I shave with straight razors, you get the idea. I have no problem eating animals, no problem harvesting my own, no problem using animal parts. Each to their own. I think it's a mistake to dismiss synthetic brushes. If you can get by the stigma (or tradition) of not using animal fibers (hair) for shaving brushes I think you'll be well satisfied with synthetic brushes. I don't have the experience that some have with all the various synthetics but trust the advice of some on this board explicitly in that regard.I can't imagine someone not being happy with the performance of a Muhle synthetic. I do have fair experience with badger brushes and IMO, while different, the Muhle can hang with them. The bottom line for me is that a good brush is a good brush, it doesn't matter what it's made of. Here's a Muhle knot along side a Shavemac knot, if I had to pick between them it would be a difficult choice but I wouldn't be surprised if I'd pick the............... upload photos
