Thread: Synthetic knot experiment

Got this Virginia Sheng synthetic knot 22mm/65mm the other day and cobbled together a brush using an old handle I had lying around. Dry fitted it to the handle using a 48mm loft setting. It face lathered MWF like nobody's business. Decently soft on the face with a just hint of scritch. Set it with 5 min epoxy today and hope to give it a good run using it.

Conventional wisdom has it that synthetic knots should be higher lofted than the same size badger knot. I don't know, my Simpson Chubby2 synthetic with a 50mm loft and my re handled Muhle XL STF knot set at 54mm face lather wonderfully for me. This experiment with a 22mm synthetic knot set at 48mm appears to have good potential to work out well also. Higher loft for synthetics might be good for bowl lathering but for face lathering I am having my doubts.

Bob



Yea, I know it's ugly but it works.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,,, she looks fine to me,,, thanks for sharing it.

I've got a synthetic coming from them in the post. Great to hear it punches above it's weight (cost wise).

Looking foreward to furthur experiments with plastic knots,we live in a plastic world,so why not

Just an update after about 3 weeks of continuous daily use. Works like a charm on every cream, hard or soft soap and shave stick I have used it on. The brush feels great on the face when face lathering. I like it as much as my Simpsons Manchurian badger but it dries a lot quicker so I prefer it.

I set this knot lower than the same knot from Virginia Sheng if bought as a complete brush. Confirms that, for me, the lofts on synthetics are too high from the factory for the feel that I like. I had a Muhle XL STF V2 knot reset lower and it was also better. The only factory synthetic that was perfect for me was a Simpsons Chubby2 synthetic which has a low loft to begin with. Simpsons took a lot of flak over the very low loft and I still can't see why. Many claimed it was either impossible or too harsh on the face to face lather using circular strokes with it.

Maybe those who object to short lofted synthetics like more floppy silver tip badger knots. I think short lofted synthetics feel and behave more like short lofted 2 band badgers when face lathering.

Bob