At long last I'm finally coming to the end of my review. Along the way I've learned quite a bit about brushes, lather and my own preferences. When I started all of this I had hoped to find a brush to add to my daily shave routine, what I've found is a little more complicated.
Before I get to that though I'm going to pass along a little warning. If you've skipped to the end just to see my results then please do yourself a favor and go back and read the individual reviews. I say this not because you've missed a great literary work but because choosing a knot based on what I prefer is probably not the best strategy for finding the best synthetic knot for you. I have attempted to keep each of my reviews relatively positive and highlight the best traits of each of these knots. Keep that in mind while you read the reviews and hopefully my work will lead you to a great synthetic brush of your own.
There is no doubt that this little exercise has changed the way I look at my brushes and my lather. I find now that I generally take a little more time every morning to build my lather, putting in the work to build the best lather I can. This doesn't mean that every morning is met with wonderful foam but it does mean that, on average, I enjoy better lather now then I did before all of this started. I'll also admit that while I like Mitchell's Wool Fat I've been very happy to use some other soaps and even add a few new pucks to my small collection.
Of course all of this was supposed to be about the brushes.
When I started this I was hoping to find my "perfect" knot but I quickly discovered that I what I really crave is variety. Luckily for me the world of synthetic brushes seems to have a large number of options. In my own small collection I have six brushes with rather different personalities. From the ultra plush tips of the Cashmere to the assertive backbone of the Ubersoft 2 I found several knots to put both lather and a smile on my face.
Ranking the Knots
#6 - Whipped Dog
When I first used this knot its soft tips made me happy but that was after having used budget badger brushes and before experiencing the even softer tips of the other synthetic knots. As I mentioned before, I tend toward sensitive skin and I'm now aware that scritch simply isn't my thing. As such the Whipped Dog is destined to languished, unused, in a drawer until it eventually finds a loving home with someone who can appreciate its qualities more than I.
#5 - Game Changer
This is the knot that I had high hopes for but which was simply out performed by its peers. I still have no complaints about this knot but it simply didn't grab my attention like those that ranked higher. The fact of the matter is that the little workhorse feels like a compromise to me, failing to distinguish itself with either ultra soft tips, scritch or assertive backbone. I could have started wet shaving with the Game Changer ten years ago and still be extremely happy using it today. Unfortunately for this unlucky knot I've found other options that I simply like better.
#4 - Sunrise
The Sunrise is a knot that has benefited from my own mistakes. Originally I had this knot at #5 but since my temporary mounting has been somewhat more permanent than originally intended this brush has gotten a bit more use in recent days. For me the Sunrise suffers from what I'm calling "soulless synthetic syndrome." This knot, like the Game Changer, simply doesn't distinguish itself and is over shadowed by the other knots in my panel. Yet over the last several weeks two of my top three have been unavailable and the Sunrise has stepped in to do duty in my mug and make a case for itself to be posted at #4. I suspect that this knot will find a permanent home at my mother's house, awaiting my visits to be pulled out of the bathroom cabinet and put to use.
#3 - Ubersoft 2
The Ubersoft 2 has earned itself a place in my regular rotation with its assertive backbone and relatively soft tips. Backbone is where this knot shines and it provides a wonderful massage as I apply lather. Recently I acquired a puck of Fine's Snake Bite and I find my hand reaching for the Ubersoft 2 every time I break out this soap. I'll admit, there is something about the icy cool of the Snake Bite that simply demands that it be applied with a firm hand wielding an equally firm brush. If variety is what I'm actually seeking then the Ubersoft 2 seems to have earned the position representing synthetic knots with substantial backbone.
#2 - Cashmere
If you are looking for ultra plush tips then you may love the Cashmere as much, or even more, than I do. I can't say that the Cashmere, with its lack of backbone, is going to be my go-to brush on a daily basis but I can certainly see it becoming my favorite on Saturdays when I decide to luxuriate in the shaving experience. I didn't think that I would care for a knot that many might critique as being "floppy" but the lather it produced and the way it feels on my face make the Cashmere a winner for me.
#1 - Tuxedo
When I first got this knot I was immediately attracted to its stunning looks. While I found myself hoping that the Tuxedo would perform well I suspected that the Game Changer would me more to my liking. What I learned is that first impressions are important but you can't really get to know a knot until the soap and water arrive at the party. With a touch less plushness to its tips than the Cashmere and a bit more backbone than the Game Changer the Tuxedo comes close to being my perfect synthetic knot. The Cashmere and Ubersoft 2 will find soaps and situations where their particular talents are called for but, for now, the Tuxedo will be the mainstay of my daily shave routine.
In the end I could recommend any of these knots to a wet shaver looking to try a synthetic knot. While the Sunrise, Game Changer and Whipped Dog knots are unlikely to spend any substantial time as part of my shave routine I am positive that these knots could fulfill a need in the rotation of others. Just because none of these knots are perfect for me it doesn't mean that they can't bring a new level of enjoyment to your daily shave.
As for those knots that I have chosen to make part of my rotation, the Cashmere and Tuxedo have temporarily left my possession to find a permanent home in a pair of custom handles from Brush Craft (also known as SRP's Trimmy72). Those handles are being turned this weekend and I look forward to having two beautiful new brushes to add to my shave routine. In fact, Trimmy sent along a sneak peek which I'd like to share:
I've been promised more pictures, which I hope to share later today.
Last but not least I'd like to thank all of you here at SRP who've been reading my reviews and posting your encouraging responses. This all started as a personal search for a new brush and grew into a shared experience. I've enjoyed this project immensely and there is a part of me that would love to continue this work with even more knots (the dissenting vote coming from my bank account). I finish with a continued dissatisfaction that I am unable to do more to quantify these brushes' attributes but some tasks are more difficult that others. I leave this work with the sincere hope that my efforts help at least one SRP member to find a brush they can love.