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The Four Generations of Synthetic Fibers - Clarifications
13-04-14, 03:05
For some time the user community, and especially brush producers and sellers, have had issues in understanding the Synthetic Fiber Generation concept and in many cases total misunderstandings of the concept. It may be well served at this point to clarify some issues that have arisen over time and misconceptions as corrections as to how the concept is applied. The discussion will center around the most frequently asked issues.
Issue 1: The fibers for each Generation are exactly the same with no variation between fibers. The fibers from company X is exactly like company Y.
Clarification: That is false. Generations are based on a class of synthetic fibers or a grouping with a given set of parameters for feel when dry to the skin and feel when wet to the skin. So these are a group class of similar fibers not an exact chemical composition equivalency or exact size and diameter equivalency between fibers used by different shaving brush manufacturers.
Issue 2: Shaving brush manufacturers X and Y (for example) makes their own fibers.
Clarification: All shaving brush manufacturers purchase the fibers from major fiber manufacturing companies who have supplied fibers for the cosmetic industry for over three decades. Fiber manufacturing is a very capital intensive business requiring major chemical production facilities which small size shaving brush companies would not have the ability to develop or manage due to economies of scale and technical issues. See the following articles discussing of how the cosmetic brush industry provided the stock for the synthetic shaving brush makers.
http://sharpologist.com/2012/10/synt...rs-part-6.html
http://sharpologist.com/2012/10/synt...es-part-7.html
Issue 3: What distinguishes each Generational class from each other?
Clarification: There are four classes of Synthetic Fibers and that reflects the grouping which mostly has to do with feel when dry to the skin and feel when wet to the skin. The best way to tell the differences between generations is when the fibers are dry so that you feel the fiber and not the lather.
The first grouping of fibers is referred to as Generation 1. Generation 1 fibers were developed in the 1930s and took off in the late 1940s. Generation 1 fibers are simple nylon monofilament fibers that were used in shaving brushes to fishing line. Basically this fiber was used for over 50 years. Generally the color was white and the feel to the skin dry was very stiff and the feel to the skin wet was harsh and prickly. Some people have stated that brushes using Generation 1 fibers were closer to being a wire brush than a shaving brush. So the hallmarks of a Generation 1 fibers is very stiff, prickly fibers. More harsh than simple scritch, but border lining on or to some users complete scratch.
The second grouping of fibers is referred to as Generation 2. The fibers for these brushes came from the cosmetic fiber industry but were not the highest of the line fibers. The colors were changeable to accommodate what the user most likely expected in a shaving brush, or what the manufacturers user most likely expected in a shaving brush. These fibers were not simply a round monofilament fiber but has some rudimentary patterns and channels cut at the micro level to try to retain some water. The tips were softer than Generation 1 brushes but the fibers were still fairly stiff when rubbed against dry skin. These would fibers were scritchy and tended to cling to each other when wet increasing the stiffness factor. So the hallmarks of Generation 2 fibers is somewhat stiff fibers with scritchy tips when wet. Some individuals still use and enjoy brushes using Generation 2 fibers.
The third grouping of fibers is referred to as Generation 3. The fibers for these brushes came from the cosmetic fiber industry but were among the highest of the line fibers available from the industry. The difference of these fibers is that they are very pliable and soft a the tips both when wet and when dry. With a Generation 3 fiber the skin can detect the fiber tips as being hair like when dry but very soft. In fact Generation 3 fibers have a high level of tip definition, which can be easily identified when dry. When wet, the fibers have improved channeling and patterns in the micro level that allow more water to be held, but not nearly as much as naturals that absorb water. So the hallmarks of Generation 3 fibers is fiber that mimics natural hair much more than Generation 1 or 2 in terms of pliability, better control of water application, high level of tip definition, soft tips which can be easily identified both dry and wet.
The fourth grouping of fibers is referred to as Generation 4. The fibers for these brushes came from the cosmetic fiber industry but were among the highest of the line fibers available from the industry. Like Generation 3 fibers, these fibers have improved channeling and patterns in the micro level that allow more water to be held but not nearly as much as naturals that absorb water. Like Generation 3 fibers, these fibers are very pliable and soft a the tips both when wet and when dry. Here is the big difference, unlike Generation 3 fibers where their is a very high definition of the tip, Generation 4 fibers tend to be more blunted at the tip which provides a more velvet feel. This velvet feel can be detected both in dry and wet and provide an ultra soft feeling almost like a velvet blanket as opposed to more definitive tip point feel of Generation 3 fibers. So the hallmarks of Generation 4 fibers is fiber that mimics natural hair much more than Generation 1 or 2 in terms of pliability, better control of water application, but much more of a velvet or super soft feeling at the tips.
If fibers were harder than Generation 1 they would be defined as Steel Wire and if fibers were any softer than Generation 4, which to some peoples senses would become more like mush, it would be described in terms of a sponge versus fiber tips. A visual aid will be provided in a later section of this article to provide further clarification.
Issue 4: What about coloration of the fibers? Does that effect the Generational model? Would there be new classifications for color variations.
Clarification: Remember that the Generations are based on a class of synthetic fibers or a grouping with a given set of parameters for feel when dry to the skin, feel when wet to the skin, and overall fiber technology used. So color variation of the fiber has absolutely no impact on the Generation classing nor should it in the future.