I used #2 with the synthetic brush this morning. It lathered quickly this time, but I thought I'd ballsed up the lathering & got it too airy, but went ahead & used it for a pass, which was fine. By the end of that pass, I'd expected what was left to have vanished, but it had turned quite thick. Added more water, then a bit more, then even more. It turned out to be a lovely lather that lasted for another 2.5 passes & I'm sure I could've carried on with.
I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't seem to be as instant as previous samples. That said, it is well worth a tiny bit of extra time. I'm not talking about lots of work, just a bit longer than before.
Tomorrow it'll be #1 with the horse/boar or with badger. I've been using a 1912 for all tests so far, but as it'll be the weekend, I'll be going with a straight.
After 3 days using these sample, my skin feels pretty good. I don't bother with balms or moisturisers, but I'm not feeling any dryness at all.