Thread: Op-Ed-Synthetic Brushes.

"Gee uncle Ed thanks for the new brush it looks really neat. Is it a Badger? Why no Jake. Well, is it Boar? Why no Jake. Well, is it Horse? Why no Jake. I know Uncle Ed it be from some exotic animal like an Elephant or maybe a Lion right? Why no Nephew. It's a synthetic brush. Huh? I never heard of that animal. Har har it's no animal it's a man made product. It probably started from petrochemicals which came from the ground from trees and other plants millions of years ago.

It's the kinder way to shave. No animals were tortured or killed in it's making and it works just as good as any brush on the planet.

But Uncle Ed I been to your farm and you raise badgers for food and you trap animals for fur and you burn the vegetation to plant pot and you shave with a huge Badger brush you made yourself. Well, yes Nephew but I'm a fixin to change and I don't want you to go down the path I went down."

So years ago I remember my Pa had a synthetic brush made from 100% pure nylon bristles. He loved it. If I had to use that now I'd get electrolysis on my face so I wouldn't need to shave.

Over the years they have worked to improve synthetic brushes but to tell you the truth when I bought a new one a couple years ago from some high end custom maker what I received, though the handle was a work of art, the bristles weren't much better than that old nylon job my Pa had. But it sure looks good on the display stand.

So now I get the latest and and greatest, a Simpson Chubby 2 synthetic (newest model) and what do I think of it?

Well let me answer that in several ways. First, if you want something to apply lather it fills the bill. Second, if you be the vegan type it's manna from heaven or the other place depending on what you expect from it. Third, if you like a brush trying to be a typical Silver Tip it's comes kinda close? Well, naa it doesn't really

You see they make these poseur items that try to have characteristics like a badger of differing types and they are all neither. Just another poor attempt. They really don't look like badger and they don't feel like badger and they don't perform like badger.

Oh wait my mistake, maybe they really be trying to imitate a Boar or a Horse or some other critter....Hmmmm. Next time I go to the stables I'll ask old Lightning if I can borrow his mane to shave with to compare.

I honestly don't understand why someone would prefer to use one in place of a quality badger. Someone please fill me in. It surely can't be for the performance. Maybe they have gone over to "The dark side" Well if so the "force" definitely ain't with them.

Like I said if you be a vegan type I can understand it.

Are you getting the idea I hate these lather appliers?

Compare that Simpson to any of my Manchurian or my vintage Rooney Best Badger and never mind the difference be in a different ballpark. They be in a different city.

A pox on them all I say.

I welcome answers to this opinion.

You can feel the way you do as we all have the right.
But i do enjoy a synthetic brush. Do i prefer it, no. They lack the ability to hold water. But then i do see that they are not lather hogs. Its much easier to get the lather out of the knot. When usisg a synthetic knot you must use it in another way. Add water as needed for the face. Dont exspect it to hold a dence lather, this is not possible without holding water. But it will make a dence lathed on the fa e or bowl plus I find the feel wonderful.

You can get a nice fluffy feel with a nice amount of backbone. Plus the fact it is useable without soaking and cleans out and drys quickly. Some people like to soak a brush more than others. I feel any more than a few seconds of soaking you loose backbone. Not with a synthetic as there is no neex for soaking.

To each there own is my opinion. I have over 50 brushes in my collection. From vintage boar, badger, horse to synthetic new and very old. They all have a place in my shave den. Depending on what i want to use.

The imitation is never better than the original.

Butter or margarine?

The imitation can be acceptable but is it better?

Don't get me going on vegeburgers.

If you are a vegetarian why do you want to eat a burger?

I have built three so far well two and a half hehehe the third is not quite done

I was pleasantly surprised with the Tuxedo I kept for myself...

It isn't a Badger, which is good and bad..

Not bad not bad at all and they are CHEAP !!!!

This is the one I kept for myself

Originally Posted by Gasman

You can feel the way you do as we all have the right.
But i do enjoy a synthetic brush. Do i prefer it, no. They lack the ability to hold water. But then i do see that they are not lather hogs. Its much easier to get the lather out of the knot. When usisg a synthetic knot you must use it in another way. Add water as needed for the face. Dont exspect it to hold a dence lather, this is not possible without holding water. But it will make a dence lathed on the fa e or bowl plus I find the feel wonderful.

You can get a nice fluffy feel with a nice amount of backbone. Plus the fact it is useable without soaking and cleans out and drys quickly. Some people like to soak a brush more than others. I feel any more than a few seconds of soaking you loose backbone. Not with a synthetic as there is no neex for soaking.

To each there own is my opinion. I have over 50 brushes in my collection. From vintage boar, badger, horse to synthetic new and very old. They all have a place in my shave den. Depending on what i want to use.

I never soak my badgers. Under the tap for a few seconds and they are good to go. As far as a lather hog well...I have a Simpsons chubby 3 and it sure is a hog but most of my brushes are smaller and less dense. Yea the water thing is a biggie with me. I like to load up the brush initially and then shave without ever going back to the soap . If I have to, that soap is a goner. The travel thing is more valid. Synthetics do dry very fast though I have a smaller Kent which is my travel brush. It dries pretty fast.

Synthetic brushes bring two things to the table. They will lather anything and dry very quickly. You have to like them or not for what they are just as you would a boar, badger or horse brush. Just another tool in the kit and nothing to get worked up over.

Bob

I do like the Tuxedo knot. Its brothers the brown knot and the all black knot. They work well. As for going back to the soap, i have not problem with it. Id rather go back tjan to waste a lot of soap loading more than i need. That also keeps my soap warm loading a little more with hot water.
As Bob said, Just another tool in the kit!

I didn't spend a lot on any of my brushes and the thing I have noticed is that a cheap boar is great, a cheap badger is fine but a cheap synthetic is rubbish.

I bought a synthetic from the Body Shop for $14 and it just sits now after being used once, it has so much backbone that it won't give at all.

I have seen some really good synthetics but quality is more important than with boar (my favourite) or badger.

I haven't tried horse because someone told me that they go floppy like lathering up with an old paintbrush.

Originally Posted by STF

I bought a synthetic from the Body Shop for $14 and it just sits now after being used once, it has so much backbone that it won't give at all.

I haven't tried horse because someone told me that they go floppy like lathering up with an old paintbrush.

Found the same thing with the Body Shop synthetic brush. OTH it is great for dusting off things like your key board.

Yea, horse is floppy and if you try to use circular motions when face lathering it is prickly. Painting strokes are the only way to go for me so I do not use horse hair brushes.

Bob