Simpson Synthetic Badger

If you treat it like an animal hair brush, lather and water are going to go everywhere. Remember that it's synthetic, the hairs don't absorb water or lather. As well as using less product you use much less water. You don't need to soak a synthetic before use, that doesn't do anything. I find it performs better (and with less mess) if you squeeze or shake the water out before you build your lather and then add water a little at a time.

Personally, I like the spring of synthetics. If you wanted a slightly floppier brush then a higher loft would probably achieve that.

Also, if face lathering I try to angle the brush down onto my face when adding water. If you don't do that to begin with, the water seeps into the core of the brush and dribbles out where the knot meets the handle.
 
I had a further shave with the brush yesterday, this time I set it to work with the Mitchells Wool Fat.

The brush did an amazing job of lathering up the soap, I assume due to its excellent backbone and density. It made lathering up a piece of cake. I get the impression this brush would be very good for those that like to bowl lather.

One more shave today with the Simpsons Cream then it will be in the post to cruciate.
 
I've deliberately left this one to run to ascertain comments from the UK. Perhaps my learned friends here in Blighty 'may' have a different take on the brush from that of our American cousins.

Ultimately. any synthetic brush will be judged on it's feel & performance related to price. Good, bad or indifferent, your comments & opinions matter ... always.

Mark
 
Mark Watterson said:
I've deliberately left this one to run to ascertain comments from the UK. Perhaps my learned friends here in Blighty 'may' have a different take on the brush from that of our American cousins.

Ultimately. any synthetic brush will be judged on it's feel & performance related to price. Good, bad or indifferent, your comments & opinions matter ... always.

Mark
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Would it be that every company was like this. Hat's off!
 
Its here!!

I have had first go with it.

Firstly, the brush feels lighter than expected. But there is no doubting how well made it is.
The density is really good, and dry it feels really nice on the face.
It is "springy" as LTB said, with a firm backbone. But I didn't dislike it.

Then I added water. I didn't bother soaking because I have heard this is unnecessary.
Immediately it became apparent this was not like any brush I have used before. The bristles all stuck together in an unusual pattern:
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But this matters not a jot. Its how it performs that interests me.
Enter stage left a problematic bowl of green proraso soap. I say problematic because I dug it out this weekend and failed to get real lather from my Omega Boar.
This simpson attacked the soap like a rabid dog! A few swirls and it was already apparent that the brush was lathered enough. There was also a healthy looking dent in the soap.
I bowl lathered and within a few seconds had a really nice lather. Far better than the Omega, which is well broken in.
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On the face it felt firm. Not too disimilar to the Boar, but with slightly more shape kept to it. If anything, this made it awkward to get around the nose as it didn't "squish flat" and I got a nostril full of lather.
It gave up the lather easily and left me with a nice coating of soap.

Overall, it sadly felt synthetic.
I would say it was half way between a badger and a boar.
Softer on the face (and more attractive) than boar brushes.
Better at picking up soap than anything I've tried.
Stiffer springier backbone than most brushes including boars.
Worked just fine.

If I had to make a comparison, I would say its a Japanese Sports Car vs an Italian sports car.
The japanese (Synthetic brush) did everything right. If you had to put down on paper all the facts about performance, speed (of lathering), it would win.
On paper.
The italian sportscar has imperfections. On paper its worse. But somehow, despite everything, it feels better.

This is how it is. It works great, it looks great, its more practical (no soaking and its dry now, after 30 minutes), but somehow feels plastic.

Because of the practical nature, I want one.
But I want it smaller, as a travel brush.
 
2nd shave and tried some of my Bluebeards cream. Normally a really easy latherer.

The simpson was immense today. After just a few seconds I had huge amount of lather. Too much.
3 passes, and still enough for two more.

Todays little problem was the brush wouldn't hold the lather. It kept pushing it down towards the handle and I had to use my bowl to scrape the lather off the handle and knot and back upto the tips.

I maintain yesterdays analogy.
This brush is a japanese sports car. It handles beautifully, is amazingly fast and efficient, but you just somehow can't love it. You can admire it, marvel at its brilliance. But I don't love it.
I don't know why.
And yet I still want one.
Shaving can be so complex :S
 
Just moving mattyb's post here to keep all the review together.

mattyb240 said:
Prep: Proraso White
Cream: Simpsons
Brush: Simpsons M7 Synthetic
Razor: Weber DLC/Red Goliath XL
Post: Profs ASB mixed with 444

First time with the Simpsons cream, nice clean scent but it just confirms I don't get on with glycerin based creams.

My first go on a synthetic brush, lovely soft tips to the touch. Had more backbone than I expected, but in a very springy way? It was difficult to faces lather as it just creates a whole in the centre of the brush so all the lather is on the outside. It's better certainly to paint the lather on which it generates a lot of.

I will reserve final judgement till the next shave with a cream I know better.
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