Thread: Brushed off?

Further to what RezDog said about the Body Shop, I actually bought one of their synthetic brushes - it was cheap at A$14.95, if nothing else - and can report that they're not all that good. In fact, they're decidedly inferior to any sort of badger brush and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone, least of all a new convert to wet shaving. If there are good synthetic brushes I'd be pleased to hear about them - it shouldn't be rocket science to imitate the properties of badger hair or hog bristle. Any likely contenders?

Originally Posted by Maladroit

Further to what RezDog said about the Body Shop, I actually bought one of their synthetic brushes - it was cheap at A$14.95, if nothing else - and can report that they're not all that good. In fact, they're decidedly inferior to any sort of badger brush and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone, least of all a new convert to wet shaving. If there are good synthetic brushes I'd be pleased to hear about them - it shouldn't be rocket science to imitate the properties of badger hair or hog bristle. Any likely contenders?

I know exactly what you mean about The Body Shop's synthetic brush. There definitely are good synthetic brushes out there. I like 2 band badger brushes with soft tip and good backbone. Generally a 2 bander with the loft 2X the size of the knot gets me there. I have found that current generation synthetics with the same sort of specs gets me there too and that how I would pick a synthetic. If you like uber soft and a bit floppy badgers something like a Plisson synthetic might be the way to go.

Just be aware that synthetics require/demand that you modify how you load the brush and build your lather. You likely will not be able to use the same technique as you would with a badger or you will wind up with water and lather running out of the knot and down the handle.

Bob

Gentlemen,

Badger brushes will continue to provide luxurious lather for traditional shavers. Boar and horse will be around, too. The market will grow for synthetic brushes, but the synthetics will not overwhelm the other types of brushes.

In all fairness to the synthetic, the Plisson is a really sweet brush. I love mine. A parade of synthetic brushes has come and gone from the shave den. The only two that have stayed are, as I noted, the Plisson, and also the Edwin Jagger XL in the V2 version.

A number of shaving vendors have their own brand of synthetic brushes, many using a knot that is somewhat similar to that of the Plisson, and although they do the job, they are not the Plisson in overall quality.

Either way, I don't foresee gentlemen turning another cheek, so to speak, on a superb silvertip brush.

I have several synthetics and I can say that synthetics will not overpower the market any time soon unless there is further evolution in the fiber construction.
Synthetics are good because they can easily lather anything out there, and they can produces lots of lather fast. The issue is that there are a lot of bad soaps that can't be lathered well with badger/boar brushes, and so folks are buying synthetics because they work better in that regards. For me the face feel of badger is still not achieved by any available synthetic. I have tried the Plisson knot in several sizes and lofts and none has been close enough to how badger feels on the face. From my experience if one wants more backbone then the knot has too much scrub and not enough splay. If one wants more splay then there is not enough backbone. With synthetics it is a bit of a game of compromise, that never happens with a badger, there is always an option that combines good backbone with splay with/without scrub. My current favorite synthetic is Simpsons CH2, but not at the factory set loft of 52mm. I had mine transplanted in another handle at 55 mm and it not works really well. My second go to synthetic is a 30mm WD which has a very good combination of backbone and splay/scrub. To get that effect I had to set it at the highest loft I could and there was not much room to play with .
If the industry can produce fibers that have thicker shafts that taper towards the tips then I can see synthetics becoming pretty equal to badger/boar brushes.

Just goes to show that what a person likes in a synthetic brush is personal preference just as it is with a boar or badger brush. One of my favourite synthetic brushes is a Simpsons CH2 LE with a 50mm loft and splays well for me to face lather with. I don't really care for high lofts in a synthetic. As usual you have to try a few to which suits you as you would have to do with badger brushes.

No, I don't think synthetics are a replacement for badger brushes just as boar and horse hair are not a replacement for badger brushes. They all stand or fall on their own merits.

Bob

Originally Posted by mainaman

If the industry can produce fibers that have thicker shafts that taper towards the tips then I can see synthetics becoming pretty equal to badger/boar brushes.

I purchased an Omega S-Brusha few months ago for travelling. My idea was to get a) the cheapest, decent brush b) have a try at synthetics. It is quite different from my (lower-end) badger, being that it is quite stiff with soft tips. Whereas my badger has little backbone with a bit o' scritch. It does have a more tapered shaft for the fibers IIRC. It is the other end of the spectrum, so it is a little easier for me to make a decision. However, I do find it tends to fling bits of lather if I am to vigorous with building the lather due to the springiness of the fibers.

I think it is smart to have a non-animal product on the shelves, but unless badgers/boars/horses go extinct, there will always be a market for the naturals.