Synthetic Brushes

i have 1 silvertip badger,a few best badger,many boars and a few tuxodo type synthetics.i enjoy them all with all their differences.honestly though most of my brushes were purchased/reknotted/restored/made due to handle type,shape,color..

 

How long does something have to hang around before it's no longer a fad? Modern synthetics have been around for probably 6-8 years at this point, and they are getting more popular, not less. Even Art of Shaving went fully synthetic.

 

good that there is an option for those looking for one..like most things shaving,it's subjective,one chooses what's best for them..

 

Agreed, and the synthetics are unbeatable for travel. Also if you shave every day a boar will never really dry out during the summer. To answer your question, I do not believe that a synthetic will ever develop split ends in any reasonable period of time, and certainly not split end with hooks. The hydrophilic nature of the bristles means that the boar retains heat better for the second pass.
Anyway, I apologize if I offended anyone.

 

No offense taken or intended. The ultimate question and barometer is "what IS the point?" Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things (after all, season to taste) the only concern being continued availability (on all fronts).

On another note, perhaps related to splitting synthetic ends, what is "jellification" (I think that's the term - I can't find it again)? I got the impression that it's some sort of artificial means of creating split ends. Some sort of brush tip treatment at any rate.

 

I've had a few high end badger brushes. Still have one in fact. I've also had run of the mill, vintage, and premium boar. For me, the synthetics are at least equal in all useful respects. No, they aren't as classy as a high end critter based brush, but they perform at least as good.

I've literally had my wife blindfold me and try each of the types of brush on my face. Dry, to limit variations with lather. My Semogue Owner's Club boar won each time she tried it. I completely recognize that they will all perform different when loaded with lather, but as far as softness (and what I consider the "luxury" factor of the bristle type) goes, the pig won.

Moral of my story at least, if I can pay fractions of the cost of badger and not be able to tell, why perpetuate the spending at the level premium badger insists? I don't even feel "cheap" for it anymore.

Anyway, I've never been a boar OR badger kinda guy. Always have been an "and" fella after I learned the hobby.

 

For reasons that are inexplicable, the Semogue boars develop the softest tips this side of a woman's make up brush, but when splayed out you can still get a very satisfying scrub. I don't know how they do that. Omega boars are great at holding tons of lather, and scrub really well but the tips never get as soft as a Semogue.

 

I gotta agree. My Plisson synth has been my daily for 5 years or so, but the Semogue boar seems to be displacing it, something I never thought would happen.

Sent from my Google Chromebook Pixel (2015) using Tapatalk

 

There you have it, that other perception to which I previously alluded.

I think you missed the point of conducting a blind test. Softness of the bristle, while quite nice in its own right, is not necessarily indicative of how a brush will actually perform at the task for which it is intended. A shaving brush may be considered luxurious but it really isn't worth anything if it can't make a good, usable and lasting lather.

I don't think shaving brushes have reached the point of being objet d'art "investment" items.

 

Oh, regarding making lather, I won't keep a brush if it can't make a sumptuous lather. Whether it is good or lasts or not is on the soap (see Williams, Herban Cowboy, and Burt's Bees). Whether they be synth, badger, or boar, if they can't make up lather they don't stay in my den. There isn't really a way to conduct that test blind using humans, you sorta need to see what you are doing and for that you have no choice but to know what bristle type you are using.

 

Ok, you got me. You win .

Edit: I must apologize. I am easily triggered by certain stances as I view them. It is something that I consciously work at and I take it as a cue to bow out.

 

No offense taken or need to apologize. This is the internet, albeit a nice end of it (<3 TSD), so I try not to jump toward negatives or read into things. Also, it isn't like there is an end all/be all way to fully articulate all brush characteristics so there is always going to be a YMMV factor to it all. I was just trying to keep my side as clear as I could.

 

If I may say so respectfully, I think you missed Battle.Munkey's point. It is accepted and a given that a boar bristle brush is going to have lots of backbone, will whip up a lather on the hardest tripple milled soaps and will give a good scrub. Battle.Munkey's point is that the Semouge while having those qualities once broken in also has tips as soft as a synthetic, or maybe even softer.

Speaking for myself I take no offense at your comments and look forward to your continued involvement in this friendly discussion.

 

I used synthetic brushes for the last 4 years and really enjoy them and recently bought some natural hair brushes and they give a different face feel when lathering, would I get rid of my synthetic brushes NO, would I get rid of my broke in Natural hair badger & boar brushes NO so I 'm in Limbo and just grab what I want. I still use my synthetics a lot but have introduced my natural brushes in my rotation. Spoiled shaver I am and loving it. Hard to beat a broke in boar brush for cost and comfort IMO.

Have some great shaves!

 

I recently picked up a Simpson T3 with the Trafalgar synthetic, also called sovereign, knot and it is different from other synthetics. It is much more dense, even hard to splay on my face at times, but it makes epic lather and feels great doing it. I'm starting to prefer it.

I've used synthetic for about 15 years - I got a HIS used from a local guy and loved it, then tried others, including tuxedo knots. I also have a Stirling boar and a couple badgers, nothing super high end, but the synthetics work so well for me that I hardly use the animal bushes anymore.

 

I enjoy and love the modern synthetic knots. They’re extremely soft to the touch from the beginning, very low maintenance, dry fast, hold their shape & bristles and are as affordable as boar knots. I’ve been wet shaving since September 2016 and it wasn’t until 2017/18 did I realize how good a synthetic brush can be when I bought a Haircut & Shave Co synthetic brush from Amazon. I’ve used boar and badger brushes but always prefer synthetic as they make a great lather and the above reasons.

 

I question the "affordability " claim. There are lots of good boar brushes for less than $20.00. Can a good synthetic be had for even double that price?

 

Yes they can! PAA sells great synthetic brushes for $20, Haircut & Shave’s synthetic brushes are in the $20 range. Razorock sells awesome brushes for as low as $15; $10 if they’re on clearance.