I hope to soon get around to getting a vintage Everready synthetic brush refurbished and would like to replace it with something that looks like the original but is a modern synthetic hair. This means a blonde looking knot. Probably about 24mm. What's out there? Any suggestions? How are the cashmere knots? ABSOLUTELY NO badger lookalikes please.
I got one a while back to install for someone else. It's a good substitute for someone wanting one to look like a boar knot.
How about the PAA Nexus? To me, the fibers feel just a bit softer than the AP Shave Co Cashmere. The PAA knot is listed as a hybrid shape, where AP Shave Co does have both fan and bulbs. Their fan is VERY close to the PAA hybrid shape, but it's not quite as dense. With AP Shave Co you have to pay for the Canadian shipping, though. https://bit.ly/3z5JDHK
My regular brush knot is a 25mm Boss knot (mostly face lather these days) so I'm not necessarily looking for more of the same. My impression has been that such might very well be the case with the cashmere knot as most comments are that it is on the soft side (too soft?). But you suggest the Nexus is actually softer than the Cashmere? Do you have experience with both or just the Nexus? What can you offer regarding the difference between bulb and fan knots?
I have the Nexus and the Cashmere in both bulb and fan, as well as the equivalent of a boss knot (the Razorock 400 Noir). I haven't set the Nexus or the Cashmere fan in handles yet, I just have the bare knots. The Nexus and Cashmere do not feel the same as the Boss knot. The Boss knot has a bit more backbone. As far as the differences between the Nexus and the two Cashmeres, they're all very soft. Some of the softest synthetics available. As far as backbone, the AP Shave Co Bulb has more than the Nexus Hybrid, which has more than the AP Shave Co fan. Like I mentioned above, I think the tips might be a bit softer on the Nexus knot than the Cashmere, and it's likely a bit more dense. As far as a blonde synthetic, I'm not aware of any other options than the Cashmere and the Nexus. If they are too soft, you would need to move away from a blonde knot or shift over to a boar. Any other specific information you were looking for?
Any insight regarding that synthetic cream white knot mentioned above? I sincerely appreciate your insight and, no doubt, will come back with more questions. In the meantime still have to do some research for myself and mull over options. Which would you suggest might compliment the experience with the Boss knot? I'd like to have different yet good options in the few brushes I have.
Maybe @jimjo1031 could share the link. It sure looks like a Cashmere knot to the naked eye without any additional information. I think these knots are a pretty good contrast to the Boss / Gamechanger knots. One option would also be to ask the restorer to set the knot with Silicone and a spacer or two. If you find the knot too floppy, then you can yank it out, remove the spacer, and re-install the knot a bit deeper to give it a bit more backbone. I actually just recorded a video on how to set a knot. It should be up on my channel in a few weeks.
I got those at Shave Forge, very much like a cashmere knot. I put one on a brush for @Jorvaljr and I'm sure he's used one by now. He could tell you on how it works.
Not always true. Synthetic knots can vary in backbone from batch-to-batch depending on the glue bump and how low they're set, so it's really hard to do a comparison like that.