Plisson L'Occitane

Thanks to all who have reported good results from soaps, I gave the Plisson a whirl with some Ogallala Bay Rum soap.

It produced copious lather without difficulty. Being a fan of scritchy horse and badger brushes, I now need to get used to the unaccustomed softness of the Plisson.
 
I've had 2 shaves with the Plisson now and my my, what can I say, the brush is absolutely fantastic. So soft! and builds fantastic lather extremely quick with cream.

After my first pass on a boar brush I can feel the brush makes the irritated bits even more irritated due to my inadequate shaving skills, however, with this brush it's like having a pillow brush against your face.
 
I've been using mine with soaps that proved a little difficult with boar and badger (my fault I'm sure) and it produces great lather every time. It looks like I will be selling the majority of my brushes and keep the SOC as a contrast.
 
Perhaps someone more technically-minded than me can corroborate this, but I have a feeling that synthetic brushes, in this case the Plisson, are a bit more forgiving for those of us who lather in bowl, mug or scuttle.

The accepted wisdom is that any misuse of natural brushes, especially badger, such as excessive bristle bending when bowl-lathering, can weaken the hairs and cause them to break.

Are synthetics less prone to such problems? I've found that "giving it a bit of welly" in the bowl (and bending much more and freely than I would with horse or badger) produces terrific lather. However, I wouldn't want to ruin this brush, even if I have my eye on getting another with a nice blue handle.
 
I think you're right there ... synthetics can withstand what would otherwise be considered "abuse" with animal haired brushes.

The thing is, boar is VERY cheap, so to my mind ... does it matter? If the brush wears out from any given technique inside a year, so what? Buy another. It'll be cheaper than most soaps! Boar is good for giving it some welly in a bowl, horse is soft and just tangles up. Short haired boar brushes are great for a good scrubbing face lather. Badger, again, can be cheap at the lower ... and by that I mean the cheaper end which might well include silvertip knots dropped into vintage handles to make a brush cheaper than most new pure badger brushes. I don't "get" the pricing, but if you've bought into an expensive brush, well ... yes, look after it.

Back to synthetics ...

Barbershop style synthetics are a sheer joy to use in a bowl, whipping up a stunning lather ... best use a Builders' Bucket!

For face lathering, I rather like the older generation fibre, like the Kent. I've just put a Muhle silvertip fibre into a small handle which will do nicely, but I still can't get over the feel of my Kent on the face. It "just works". I have a feeling the Plisson (having only felt one, not used one with soap) would make an excellent bowl or face latherer.

But no ... you're not going to damage a synthetic, as such, by using it in what would be considered an abusive manner with animal hair brushes.
 
Quick question re. the above...what's a "barbershop style" brush? Where do my my two v2 Jagger synthetics (23mm and 25mm) fit in with that?

Have, up to now at least, resisted the urge to order a Plisson "du Barbier" brush direct from France....what am I missing? I use hard soap and cream and/or anything in between...if it lathers I'll try it. And should the Kent be on my horizon too? Remember though, I sold the 21mm Jagger synthetic as it felt a bit small in the hand. Perhaps that's why.

Despite all the aforegoing I must admit to having inadvertently allowed my gaze to stray at some of the lovely sounding brushes like the Chubby 2 (or 3) in Best or the used Paladin on BST (what sort of hair does that have?)....but in truth, my simple pleasures are fulfilled by the Jaggers at the moment. I think it's just lust, greed and envy :)

I haven't posted a question on BST for obvious reasons regarding the Paladin but are they available new for around 160 USD ...presumably plus postage and VAT and the Royal Mail collection fee? Given that, I imagine the BST one is a bit of a bargain? Why didn't it fly off the shelf. I wish it would so that I'm not able to lust after it any more. If it was reduced in price again and still available at the time I looked I'm not sure I could resist:)

There aren't many New Forest brushes on Fido's site. No Tubby's. Why's that then?

Thanks.
 
DevonStan said:
Quick question re. the above...what's a "barbershop style" brush?
Click to expand...

... a big one ... or one with a long handle:

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^ like that, although that one has a (spit) badger knot.
 
I've tried my new Plisson with a representative sample of creams, croaps and soaps, and it lathers every one like billy-oh. I thought that all this "Brush of the Gods" stuff was a bit OTT, but perhaps not, after all.

It's very tempting to use it all the time, but the other brushes look at me reproachfully every time I go near them.

It would be handy if Plisson synthetic knots were available to install into bespoke handles, but that probably wouldn't be very good business for them. It would also be good if the Plisson brushes were available off-the-shelf (website!) with knots in sizes other than 12.
 
Love the Plisson IMO it lacks in only two ways both of which aren't major to me.

Firstly the handle is a little small not terrible but not my favourite.

Secondly the knot although super soft, splays quite a lot. This is fine to create a lather quickly but my top end knotts do this without splaying so I can put the lather exactlt where I want it.

Still a fantastic brush.
 
Would some kind individual please explain to me why I don't need a Plisson synthetic. I'm perfectly happy with the two Jagger synthetics (my only brushes now) and I can't see why I might need a third synthetic...especially as it's a 22mm (size 12) and, as you know, I like a large one...as it were....

From Plisson France it's still 33.6 euros plus 10 euros delivery which is a little over £31. It would be softer than the current pair, I expect. It may, or may not, do the job the same...or better, perhaps? Who knows.

Finally I see there have been a couple versions...the one they call the original then a later one and now the 'du Barbier' version (which comes with a clear brush holder). The ones in the Occitane shops aren't quite the same as the French one, are they? Or maybe they are...just with a different name?

Please talk me out of this irrational desire to add to my meagre collection.

Speaking of which - there have been a couple of £100 brushes on BST here which didn't sell, one was the Paladin, and the Chubby 2 didn't sell IIRC....and I think I spotted one or two other nice looking items too.

I seek the advice of others....at £100 there's a wide choice isn't there? I could probably order a nice Shavemac for that or any one of a dozen Simpsons. I don't see many New Forests on Fido's site so what's up there, I wonder?

But, of course, I don't want anything else anyway - do I?
 
Devonstan I have a NF Tubby 2 up for grabs. Brand new, it's probably in the BST archives now it's been that long since I listed it but many would agree it's fido's best brush and is still available. PM if interested.
 
Will you get the French one or the the £35 jobbie in UK shops? Did you decide there was a difference between the two?

I must admit that I searched to see if there was a voucher code to enter into the French order form...if there had have been it might have tipped me over the edge :)
 
DevonStan said:
Will you get the French one or the the £35 jobbie in UK shops? Did you decide there was a difference between the two?

I must admit that I searched to see if there was a voucher code to enter into the French order form...if there had have been it might have tipped me over the edge :)
Click to expand...
Oh, the Maison du Barbier! I have the black handled-version and quite fancy the white/ivory.

Don't bother with the L'Occitane. Same knot but the handle's disappointing by comparison with the acetate.
 
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