Recommend me a Synth

donnie_arko

donnie_arko

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After seeing Boycie's thread about his synth brush choices, I've been thinking about adding another to my selection of brushes. My collection of brushes is a little binary, mainly Omega boars and a few Yaqi synths.

I have a few Yaqi synths, but the ones I use on a regular basis are the 24mm Plissoft bulb knot of theirs, the 24mm bulb Sagrada Tuxedo, and the 26mm bulb Faux Horse Rainbow handle brush. The Plissoft and Tuxedo brushes are fairly similar in the shave, both are excellent all round performers. The Faux Horse knot might be the best performer of the 3, but I find it a touch too large for face lathering. I've got another Yaqi brush, which has a 28mm fan Tuxedo which is a little too much to manage, but I really enjoy the properties of a fan shaped knot, possibly down to my favourite boar brushes largely have a fan shaped knot as well (the Zenith Euro X).

If I had to pick one brush out of the ones I own, I'd pick the Yaqi Sagrada Tuxedo mainly down to the others having handles which are on the larger side of things, I generally prefer smaller handles, again mainly down to being an enthusiast of the small light handles used by Omega/Zenith for their boar brushes.

It's been a few years since I last bought a synth, and since then there have been countless new brushes released, and I know almost nothing about how they perform, I've read some of the G5 style ones are supposed to be trying to recreate the feel of a dense badger brush. Then there are the other types of synths, Synbad, Cashmere to name a few, I've read good things about the Synbad seemingly the favourite synth of a few here.

So, I'd like something with a fan shaped knot, sized 24mm or so and that doesn't have a huge glue bump (like a number of Yaqi brushes I have bought).

What should I go for?

Right now, I am leaning towards getting a 24mm Fan Synbad from ApShaveCo. I know this knot is popular with a number of people here. If you were ordering this brush, what loft height would you recommend? I'd be face lathering and using shaving sticks if it's any relevance.

Are there other options I am overlooking? The PAA brushes look nice, the Doppler has something that looks like the Synbad knot but a touch larger than I'd like that.

Sorry chaps, I seem to have written a minor essay. So if you have made it this far, thanks for taking the time to do so, and I apologise for robbing of vital moments of your life that could have been spent looking at nature websites involving a letter towards the end of the alphabet and Hamster.
 
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I’d go for a AP shave co G5C, it’s my favourite synthetic and reasonably priced. I think it’s better than the G5A and though I love the Synbad I own, it has much more backbone than the synbad. The synbad I have is a lovely soft knot, an excellent latherer as well so it depends what you prefer in your brushes back some I guess.
 
My favourites are Synbad, Cashmere, Tuxedo & G5B. That order. I have a 26mm Synbad in a long handle and that has risen to the top of the heap above the Cashmere in similar handle, which I thought was as good as it gets. Super-super-soft, while Cashmere is super-soft.

Coming from boars, I'd say Cashmere ... but if you were wanting something different, go Synbad. Yes, fan shape.

... and 26mm. Many of my brushes are 24mm with a few boars up to 25mm and I thought that was large enough and actually just right. I've had a 28mm in the past and that was a bit silly. My 26mm Synbad (fan) is perfect!

AL9nZEUPJN-uw9046EZnmKb6y8Hc1Jt70PXtIOsjTPxqfGUmXz4ecLyyik5qSMON8ylzrwUjDgM6CAsvdP0O5n2qYFtpDA0FPMtVPfLkvOm37HtBrFJjvX-SRTIAzK7YxsaQxvOwObpBdg6UFAXZK3saPDGQ5Q=w1200


Left to right:
Synbad 26mm (in DSC Professional handle)
Cashmere 24mm < Yaqi Dandelion
G5B 24mm (in HJM Professional handle)
Tuxedo 26mm (in vintage Ever-Ready handle)
Synbad 24mm < Razorock Hive

... on that last one, don't forget the Razorock Hive as it's a very cost-effective way of getting you a 24mm Synbad (of sorts) :geek:
 
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Mine Would be the Synbad it is my favourite Knot , closely followed by the Cashmere (AP Shaves Version) , If you like a bit of scritch then the 2 Bed could be an option , I have a 24mm Fan in this one and it is a great Knot.
 
Sorry to highjack the thread but has anyone tried AP Shave CO’s new MIG knot? It’s a lot more than their usual knots starting at £30 for a small knot but having tried a lot of those Synths I’m tempted.
 
@isaiah53 @LeeMaz @Bogeyman @pjgh @RussellR5555 @Shaveguru

Thanks for the replies chaps. So to summarize things, it's a 2 each for 2Bed/Synbad and one for G5C and 'Stick with Tuxedo'.

pjgh said:
My favourites are Synbad, Cashmere, Tuxedo & G5B. That order. I have a 26mm Synbad in a long handle and that has risen to the top of the heap above the Cashmere in similar handle, which I thought was as good as it gets. Super-super-soft, while Cashmere is super-soft.

Coming from boars, I'd say Cashmere ... but if you were wanting something different, go Synbad. Yes, fan shape.

... and 26mm. Many of my brushes are 24mm with a few boars up to 25mm and I thought that was large enough and actually just right. I've had a 28mm in the past and that was a bit silly. My 26mm Synbad (fan) is perfect!

AL9nZEUPJN-uw9046EZnmKb6y8Hc1Jt70PXtIOsjTPxqfGUmXz4ecLyyik5qSMON8ylzrwUjDgM6CAsvdP0O5n2qYFtpDA0FPMtVPfLkvOm37HtBrFJjvX-SRTIAzK7YxsaQxvOwObpBdg6UFAXZK3saPDGQ5Q=w1200


Left to right:
Synbad 26mm (in DSC Professional handle)
Cashmere 24mm < Yaqi Dandelion
G5B 24mm (in HJM Professional handle)
Tuxedo 26mm (in vintage Ever-Ready handle)
Synbad 24mm < Razorock Hive

... on that last one, don't forget the Razorock Hive as it's a very cost-effective way of getting you a 24mm Synbad (of sorts) :geek:
Click to expand...

A nice collection of brushes you have there Paul. How do you find the G5B knot? I've not seen them around before.

LeeMaz said:
Sorry to highjack the thread but has anyone tried AP Shave CO’s new MIG knot? It’s a lot more than their usual knots starting at £30 for a small knot but having tried a lot of those Synths I’m tempted.
Click to expand...

I've not seen any mentions of this new knot even on B&B. APShaveCo seem to be very consistent, £30 for a knot seems quite steep though (unless it's a badger).
 
The Chinese are onto us and merely making minor cosmetic adjustments to present a "New & Novel!!" sales approach IMO. The SynBad/Mew Brown isn't really much different than the Boss knot of a few years before if but the latter a little "scritchier".

We are watching addiction in its most base form unfold before our very eyes. Put down the needle. ;)
 
Yep! Previous addiction was automotive detailing, where such subtleties were discussed in ludicrous detail. Like soaps, you could spend a LOT on wax. Selling off my wax collection (and we're talking thousands of pounds, I kid you not) pretty much funded the first two or three years of insanity level collecting when I came to traditional shaving.

If we just wanted any soap, brush, scraper and blade we'd not be bothered about trying out alternatives. Since we are, then we inevitably end up making dramatic and over-zealous statements about the kit we use in order to highlight differences between kit that is all ostensibly the same.
 
pjgh said:
Yep! Previous addiction was automotive detailing, where such subtleties were discussed in ludicrous detail. Like soaps, you could spend a LOT on wax. Selling off my wax collection (and we're talking thousands of pounds, I kid you not) pretty much funded the first two or three years of insanity level collecting when I came to traditional shaving.

If we just wanted any soap, brush, scraper and blade we'd not be bothered about trying out alternatives. Since we are, then we inevitably end up making dramatic and over-zealous statements about the kit we use in order to highlight differences between kit that is all ostensibly the same.
Click to expand...

My other hobby is guitars, and I can't really indulge in that particular pastime time right now for health reasons, so falling back down the shaving rabbit hole is a pleasant distraction!

I've seen the mindset of lusting after the latest greatest item that will improve your love for the hobby, be it guitars, shaving or whatever. At times it can be enjoyable to indulge them but at other times it is satisfying the latest urge/and the acquisition is nothing more than a temporary fix.

Guitars can be a pretty expensive hobby, I think I spend more on strings and various accessories and the occasional repair (even though I can do a lot of repairs myself there are some that need a pro) in a year or so, then I have possibly spent on wet shaving in the last 5-6 years, but I imagine cars seem to be a whole new world of expense when it comes to hobbies!

I seemed to have completely forgotten what my point was.

Synth brushs right? I don't want @TobyC to feel left out so here's a picture of a boar brush.

IMG_20221017_161216.jpg
 
This is the best synthetic IMO, feels similar to a badger two band, firm, full, and not flicky.

maggardrazors.com

Maggard Razors Shaving Brush Knot 26mm Black and White Synthetic

The Maggard line of Synthetic Shaving brushes are sure to be a favorite among beginners and veterans alike.For all of you hobby brush makers, we are happy to be able to provide these knots for all of your custom brush projects. These knots are denser than our regular synthetic knots.Knot Size...
maggardrazors.com maggardrazors.com

"These knots are denser than our regular synthetic knots."100_2352.JPG
 
donnie_arko said:
My other hobby is guitars, and I can't really indulge in that particular pastime time right now for health reasons, so falling back down the shaving rabbit hole is a pleasant distraction!

I've seen the mindset of lusting after the latest greatest item that will improve your love for the hobby, be it guitars, shaving or whatever. At times it can be enjoyable to indulge them but at other times it is satisfying the latest urge/and the acquisition is nothing more than a temporary fix.

Guitars can be a pretty expensive hobby, I think I spend more on strings and various accessories and the occasional repair (even though I can do a lot of repairs myself there are some that need a pro) in a year or so, then I have possibly spent on wet shaving in the last 5-6 years, but I imagine cars seem to be a whole new world of expense when it comes to hobbies!

I seemed to have completely forgotten what my point was.

Synth brushs right? I don't want @TobyC to feel left out so here's a picture of a boar brush.

View attachment 94979
Click to expand...

Synthetic brushes are good for dusting off guitars, like in between the strings at the machine heads and bridge. ;)
 
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