Buying a synthetic brush

Bechet45 said:
Here at last! I'm itching to buy a brush but I've not been able to connect to this page!

I really do not like the look of Plisson brush handles - they're out.

Muhle seem a popular choice - but those huge lofts!! 56mm on a 23mm knot seems way too floppy! Is the loft due to the fibres having a strong backbone?

A question for Muhle 23 and 25mm knot V2 brushes - what are their pros and cons, please? Not compared to any other brush, but just as you experience yours. I'd really appreciate your input. Also, are 23mm big enough? If you own a 23mm brush, do you wish you had bought a 25mm?

As they are suppposed to be so badger-like, why are the knots all so small?

Itchy finger awaits your urgent replies!!
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Hiya Bechet, I got my Muhle Kosmo synth over a year ago and it's my favourite. It's super soft and has great backbone. The main difference I find is that it's springy, so face lathering is different; not better or worse just different. I can't say anything bad about it really. I think the handle is a little difficult to hold so I'd go for another type if I bought one again but I can live with it.
Mine is a 23mm knot which I think is just right. I've been told you should look for a synth knots 2mm bigger than the equivalent badger, that sounds about right to me.
 
Bechet45 said:
Thanks for all your input, guys. I've bought a Muhle 23mm V2 white. I have a Muhle 1st Generation which is very good for annoying the cats so I'm trepidatious about this new one.
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Excellent choice Bechet45 ... heard nothing but good, positive feedback on the new Muhle v2, I'm sure you will love it!!
 
Bechet45 said:
Thanks for all your input, guys. I've bought a Muhle 23mm V2 white. I have a Muhle 1st Generation which is very good for annoying the cats so I'm trepidatious about this new one.
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I have one and really like it. Although I use it. predominantly when I travel it's in my regular rotation of 26 brushes. It took me a couple of goes to figure out how best to use it, but now that I've got the hang of it, it's an excellent brush. BTW, I only lather on my face and use creams almost exclusively when I'm at home; when I travel I use a Harris Lavender shaving stick
 
It arrived yesterday and two washings were encouraging in a very unexciting sort of way.

Used it this morning on a hard soap and it lathered up fine and felt perfectly good on my skin and was all terribly unexciting and ordinary, adequate. I have to say it is a vast and huge improvement on the 1st Generation Muhle synthetic brush I own.

I noticed that the lather likes to descend to the bottom of the hairs rather than stay up where it is most useful but a quick extra swirl on the soap took care of that.

I'm left wondering what all the fuss around synthetic brushes is about. I'll use this brush again but it is way down my list of best performers. I have umpteen badgers that beat it into a cocked hat.

Synthetic saves badger lives? while we blow them away by the hundreds to see if that stops bovine TB.
 
Carl, Muhle synthetic knots have that tendency to pull the lather towards the handle instead of pushing it towards the tips.
I don't know why. The only thing I can think of (and is pure speculation on my part) is that the surface of the fibres have a "sawtooth" pattern which "ratchets" the lather in one direction. All I know is that the brush I have with a TGN synthetic knot does not exhibit this behavior.
 
Bechet45 said:
I'm left wondering what all the fuss around synthetic brushes is about. I'll use this brush again but it is way down my list of best performers. I have umpteen badgers that beat it into a cocked hat.
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I feel the same way, I have Omega, Kent, Body Shop and Muhle synths but rarely feel like using any of them. Far prefer natural hair.

The only synth I use with any sort of regularity is the Omega Hi-brush which for some reason i seem to prefer face lathering with.

I've really struggled to get excited about synths and I'm still put off by the price of the Plissons, especially if the quality and feel of the handle is as poor as JB74 mentions in his posting above.

I have a decent selection of badgers, boars and horses and think i probably prefer all of them to synths.
 
Just picked up my plisson. It's the l'occitaine version with a wooden handle. Lovely handle and the tips remind me of an old Silvertip Kent brush I bought and sold when I started. I love the soft tips but hope it has more of a backbone (Kent Silvertip badger was too floppy).
Excited about tonight's shave!
 
Griffo said:
I've really struggled to get excited about synths and I'm still put off by the price of the Plissons, especially if the quality and feel of the handle is as poor as JB74 mentions in his posting above.
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I opted for one of the cheaper models in the range and the handle is pure muck. I'm guessing the more expensive brushes with the same knot will have higher quality handles.
 
I wonder how many people gave up on the Muhle synths after coming to them from badger? I know I almost did. The whole watery mess at the top of the handle thing made me almost want to ditch my Muhle V2 after a couple of uses.

Seriously, if you like the feel of the Muhle fibres but hate the way the watery lather seems to concentrate at the base of the knot then just

a) make sure the brush is almost dry before applying the cream or swirling in the soap. Just a hint of moisture will do.
b) splay the fibres throughout the lather-building process. Keep them splayed. The only time I don't have the fibres pushed down to the handle during the shave is when I want to paint the lather smooth just before I start a pass
c) add a few droplets of water as you go. These synths are way more sensitive to over-hydration than natural hair brushes are

My Muhle generates more luxurious lather than my New Forest, Simpson Colonel, AoS pure badger or Kent H8 ever did/do. A 2cm squeeze of Proraso easily does 3 passes & could probably make 5.
 
"Splay the fibers" means what, exactly? All I can think is that you mean press down with the brush so the knot is splayed out - but to what extent do you mean? I mean, how else do you generate lather other than by swirling the brush around with the knot "splayed"? Ah! pushed down to the handle. Seems like mistreatment to me!
 
Yeah it's pretty brutal in comparison to how I would "splay" & lather with a badger brush. Let me know if it works though & you should be fine doing it because the fibres are so soft. Basically you can forget all you know about using a brush when going from natural to these Muhle synthetics, but the results are really good & worthwhile imo.
 
Almost dry and splayed it is then. I figured the technique would be different but this sounds like sabotage! Used as I did yesterday, the brush would never bloom in a hundred years but I suspect your method will persuade it to!

More coffee and a shower first though - boy! did I sleep deeply last night! but not for long enough it seems. Coffee and snuff - a great way to start the day! Then go splay my brush!
 
jb74 said:
Griffo said:
I've really struggled to get excited about synths and I'm still put off by the price of the Plissons, especially if the quality and feel of the handle is as poor as JB74 mentions in his posting above.
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I opted for one of the cheaper models in the range and the handle is pure muck. I'm guessing the more expensive brushes with the same knot will have higher quality handles.
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Thanks but I seem to have a problem paying a decent wedge of cash for synth knot in a nice handle.
 
Griffo said:
Thanks but I seem to have a problem paying a decent wedge of cash for synth knot in a nice handle.
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Have you thought about buying a good synthetic knot and putting it into a custom handle? We have several turners among us in TSR.
 
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