Which is the synthetic brush with the most backbone?

Despite the fact that I have some wonderful high level badger silver tip brushes, for the most part these have all become "shelf queens". I find them nearly useless to load soap efficiently and too supple to build a lather the way as I can in mere seconds with my boar bristle brushes.
I like my brushes to have plenty of backbone which boar bristle brushes seem to excel in.

With that in mind, which synthetic brushes have a strong backbone to them?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

None of mine have as much backbone as my boar brushes, but you might find a brush maker who can set a synthetic knot a little deeper for a little more backbone. Just a thought.

 

Only synthetic I have at the moment is a Whipped Dog 24mm Black/White synthetic. It has decent backbone. Splays easily. Builds wonderful lathers from creams and triple milled soaps. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Boss knots have good backbone.

 

I recently got a 28mm faux Finest Badger brush from Franks Shaving on eBay. Item number 222634289711.

 

From what I've used or handled, Maggard black & white and Frank Shaving synthetics.

 

The one set low.

They are all pretty standard and not as well backboned as boar but of the 3 I have, they all perform as well or better than boar and badger. Don't get me wrong, I love my boars and badgers but synthetic is what is getting the love in my den lately. They are just awesome.

 

And I have Maggard synthetic knots I've set myself.

 

I have synthetic brushes from Muhle with both their black fibre and silvertip fibre knots. Both seemed to have decent lathering qualities. I also have a 26mm silvertip fibre knot from Supply Provision that I suspect might be made for them by Frank's Shaving. It also works well. In addition, I have a 24mm Cashmere knot and a 24mm Tuxedo knot from APShaveCo that I have had set in handles. Both are great. Finally, I have 22mm and 24mm plissoft knots and a 22mm black fibre knot from Maggard Razors that I have set in handles and they also work well.

The truth is I haven't run into a new generation synthetic yet that has been bad at loading and lathering soap. They all seem to be soft but with decent backbone. Not as much backbone as the densest boars but more than a lot of them and much more than many badgers, which can be pretty floppy if they aren't very densely packed and deeply set.

The trick with synthetics is to wet them but then shake them until they are just barely damp, and then use them to load your soap or cream. In this state, they will load quickly but won't subsequently drown your lather. You then start bowl or face lathering and add water a bit at a time as needed until your lather is right. Best way to add water is by drizzling it a bit at a time onto the tips of the brush. I have found this works with all my synthetics and they all are stiff enough to load and lather even the hardest milled soaps quickly while soft enough for a pleasant feeling on the face.

If you are having difficulty with any of your brushes, why don't you stop by the monthly 30 Day thread in Shave School section? Do a Focus for a month with your brushes. The Crew will be happy to offer tips and suggestions until you're satisfied with your results and we are always glad to have new members join.

 

Thanks for the great response, people. This place is wonderful for learning - loaded with pearls of wisdom.
I'll have to check out that Shave School section and see what it's all about, Screwtape.
I also want to learn a bit more about setting knots, how that's done and how the depth is altered in the base or handle.
Again, thanks for the generosity of your shared knowledge.

 

There should be a few threads here in the brush section showing people reknotting or restoring vintage brushes, including setting the depth for their knots. The trick to finetuning the depth of the knot is basically spacers. Some people find that rounds sliced off a wine cork work well. To fill hollow handles to the right depth, others fill the handle to just below the right depth with glue, possibly with something like fishing sinkers or BBs mixed in to add a bit of weight, and then work from there. Coins of the right diameter can also be spacers.

When I was setting a few vintage brushes and found the holes a bit too deep, I used quarters as spacers surrounded by my glue.

Many people use silicone as their adhesive. When it cures it's waterproof and also has enough grip so the knot won't come out with ordinary use. However if you want to remove a knot to change it or to reposition it, a hard tug will remove it without damaging anything. This allows for experimentation to find the perfect depth for the knot.

 

Thanks, Screwtape! I'm going to save this concise explanation on knot setting!
You are a terrific info source. Kudos. And many thanks.

 

Interesting thread. I re-knotted a Rubberset barber handled brush with a boar and now all my other brushes feel way too soft and pretty much useless. Readily available boar knots don't come in as many sizes or varieties as other knots, so I've been on the same quest to find a synthetic alternative. Just from reading on the web, the Maggard seems to be the best shot, and it's cheap.

 

Thanks. However I am just spewing back what I read on here myself when researching before setting my first knots. There are people like @Jayaruh who have been making brushes for years who are the real experts here. For any tricky issues that come up, a quick question to them generally will get a most helpful response.

 

I like the APShaveCo tuxedo or cashmere knots myself. But part of that is that they are fellow Canadians so the shipping is cheaper and there's never any Customs duties.

Maggards is a stand-up company that sells good quality products at fair prices and will refund if there are any problems. I bought four synthetic knots from them - a 22mm black fibre and three plissofts in 22mm and 24mm - and have been pleased with the quality of all of them. I recently bought a two-band badger knot from them when they first started carrying them and there were no reviews, just based on Maggards rep. That badger knot is terrific - very dense so lots of backbone while still being soft, and I think it has lost one hair in the two months I've used it. Recently they have started carrying Tuxedo style synthetic knots too. I don’t think you'll go wrong getting synthetic knots from Maggards.

 

More backbone ... I'd say boar. Try one from Stirling or Omega; can't beat the price.

But if you really want synthetic I like the 25mm half moon from Evershave.

 

The Chubby 2 Synthetic from Simpson's is densely packed and set deep, and has the most backbone of all of the synthetic brushes that I have.

 

That's a nice brush!

 

Check threads on the Muhle Silvertip Fibre brushes, I believe they have a reputation of having good backbone. I have a Muhle black Fibre, I'd say it's got good backbone. The synthetic I have with the most backbone is the Body Shop synthetic but it's not a brush I would recommend.

I suggest trying one of the inexpensive synthetics and going from there, you may find that you don't need the "most backbone". Synthetics are a different category with their own set of characteristics.

 

Omega S-Brush. Its easily got as much backbone as any boar brush and is great for loading even the hardest soaps. The Muhle Silvertip Fibre is a great one too. Its got awesome backbone and isnt nearly as harsh as the Omega is.

 

This knot above is a 27/52mm FYI