Muhle STF XL knot experiment

I have had a Muhle XL STF brush for a while now and like it but always thought it was a bit floppy and big. The factory spec indicate a 25mm dia and 62mm loft but measured 26mm dia and a loft of 65mm. Always wanted to drop the knot in a new handle and reset the loft to 54mm. Turns out that it looks like I may have the opportunity to get it re handled. To see if the 54mm loft setting would work I took some waxed sailmakers and put a whipping on the knot base.

With that done I loaded the brush on a hard soap puck and face lathered. What a difference a few mms make. The brush lathered up the soap as easily as before but reduced the size to the bloom of the knot to a better size, added the missing backbone and threw just the tiniest amount of scritch. Dropping the loft to 54mm will give a brush knot that will perform much more to my liking. It is still not, pun intended, as good as the Simpsons Chubby2 synthetic I have but much closer to it now.

Bob

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psd5766d03.jpg

They're nice knots. I've shortened up a few and really liked the performance at the reduced loft.

There was a lot of griping about the Simpsons Chuby2 synthetic when it was introduced with a 50mm loft and not the 54mm loft the testers had used. The Simpsons knot is bigger than the Muhle XLs 25/26mm dia at 28/29mms and it is a wonderful face lathering brush for me to use. The 54mm setting for the Muhle feels good but still does not match the face feel of the Simpsons for me. The Simpsons feels softer on the face than the Muhles at 54mm, go figure.

Bob

Bob, that doesn't surprise me. The only synthetics I really like are the original H.I.S. (28mm) and the Muhle knots. The Plisson is good and I've shortened up one up for a friend. I tried it at 45mm and ended up setting it at 47mm, IIRC. They're to much of a hassle to mess with because of the way they're constructed. I haven't gotten around to a Simpsons yet, so I can't comment on them. What I don't care for in a synthetic is if they feel like a tennis ball on a stick which IMO, some do. I'm glad your enjoying your brushes.

Yea, "tennis ball on a stick" seems to sum up the complaints. Search me, I can easily face lather the Simpsons Chubby2 synthetic using circular motions with the thing splayed and it is as soft or softer than my Simpsons Manchurian badger on the face. The Manchurian is no slouch and may favourite badger.

Bob

This is the end result of my little experiment. Member HARRYWALLY kindly and professionally reset the Muhle knot to a 54mm loft in one of his marvelous custom handles. This is a shot of the lather created, very easily, by palm lathering MWF. No complaints about that performance. The Simpsons Chubby2 synthetic is for comparison. I also did a face lathering with the redone Muhle which produced the same thick and slick lather that palm lathering had. The face feel of the Muhle is still not quite as soft at the tips as the Simpsons tips and the Muhle has just a hint of scritch which the Simpson does not have. The backbone on the Muhle is much improved and not as floppy as at the factory set loft but still not quite as much backbone as the Simpson has. Looks like a win win situation for the knot at the new reset loft and the custom handle far out shines the factory handle.

Bob

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ps86ecf9c1.jpg

I've got a Virgninia sheng pur tech brush that I find has more backbone than my Muhle STF. Very similar fibres to the STF but slightly more densely packed. I'd give that a go as for £7 on the bay it is a bit of a bargain.

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Originally Posted by Lb1

I've got a Virginia sheng pur tech brush that I find has more backbone than my Muhle STF. Very similar fibres to the STF but slightly more densely packed. I'd give that a go as for £7 on the bay it is a bit of a bargain.

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I'll keep that in mind. The Virginia Sheng knots seem well received and do look to be a bargain.

Bob

Got my Mühle STF XL brush today and can't really say that I consider it (Vulfix/Taylor brush style) floppy.

My previous standard size 21 mm STF brush was a bit smaller than I preferred and I thought I might like the XL size.
I was not sure at first whether I should try the 23 mm L size first, but having used the XL this afternoon, I can say that this is a size that I am really comfortable with.

Unpacking it, it did not seem much bigger than the 21 mm standard size, but after cleaning and the first shave it opened up and is undoubtedly bigger than the standard version.

Is it floppy?
To my taste; no mine isn't and - being synthetic - I have no indication that it will be. After a thorough cleaning and the first shave this afternoon it is certainly not as floppy as my Vulfix or Taylor brushes are.
In fact it appears to be just right for my needs and - being synthetic - I don't expect it to change much. At least my previous STF brushes didn't.


The only question I had was whether the increase from the standard 21 mm size that had served me so well for the last few years to the 25 mm XL size that I received today really does warrant a 80% price increase.

I am not sure about this one, but I would most likely buy the STF XL again.

Like everything about shaving everyone's tastes are different. Glad you liked yours as is right out of the box. I liked mine too until I used the Simpsons Cubby2 synthetic which has a very short loft for a 28-29mm sized knot. That is why I had mine shortened and do not regret it at all. Yes, you do have to wonder if the price difference between 21mm and 25mm is warranted.

Bob