Should You Buy A Synthetic Fibre Shaving Brush?

Badger Hair or Synthetic Hair Shaving Brushes - which is best?

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There are many excellent reasons to go synthetic. They now offer the most practical combined with the best value-for-money brush offering. But no synthetic brush that I've yet tried has the same 'feel' as a high-end badger and, for now, my Plisson-style synth remains a travel/change-of-pace option.
 
Burgundy said:
There are many excellent reasons to go synthetic. They now offer the most practical combined with the best value-for-money brush offering. But no synthetic brush that I've yet tried has the same 'feel' as a high-end badger and, for now, my Plisson-style synth remains a travel/change-of-pace option.
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I used to think the same until we took delivery of the Muhle Anniversary Synthetic Brush, wow, this is something else!
Brian
 
I have a synth that I also only use for a travel brush. It's OK, but not up their with a top end badger in my opinion.

I hope one day the badger hair can be replicated artificially as I do not like to think about how the hair came to be in my brush..... :-(
 
Burgundy said:
There are many excellent reasons to go synthetic. They now offer the most practical combined with the best value-for-money brush offering. But no synthetic brush that I've yet tried has the same 'feel' as a high-end badger and, for now, my Plisson-style synth remains a travel/change-of-pace option.
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My thoughts exactly.
 
Executive Shaving said:
I used to think the same until we took delivery of the Muhle Anniversary Synthetic Brush, wow, this is something else!
Brian
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I can't say that I'll be trying this brush any time soon in view of the price; in all honesty I was shocked by the price. Currently I own three synthetic brushes: Muhle medium, Simpson Classic 1 and Kent Infinity. I use the Muhle for travel because it dries very quickly and makes a tolerable lather; however, the other two sit in the bottom of a drawer gathering dust as I can't make an enjoyable lather with either and their face-feel leaves much to be desired. I also own 30 badger brushes of different grades and from a variety of makers and one Omega boar, all of which I prefer to my Muhle. The only brush I preferred my Muhle over was a Vie Long horse, which I've had re-knotted with a TGN finest 2-band and it's now one of my favourites.
 
I can't bring myself to buy one because I suspect they won't out perform my badgers

That said I expect in a few years time they will be the only brushes on offer
 
Yes.

Why, because it's there to try and everything to me is in the eye of the beholder. We all like different things in a brush, some make better lathers than others. But we all have different techniques too. But with out trying one out you'll never know.

As I have learnt too just because one synthetic doesn't work another may be much better. I had a cheap EJ Synthetic and found it useless, couldn't stand the thing. But this year is was given a Vie Long to test and it is a fantastic brush and a favourite especially on hard soaps.
 
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I bought a 23mm Muhle V2 Synthetic last year to use as a travel brush, but liked it so much that I've gradually been selling off my badgers and been acquiring more synthetics. I like the way synthetics effortlessly release lather from the knot. I particularly enjoy Edwin Jagger's offerings as they use the same knots as Muhle, but in handles that are more to my liking.

I still own a Simpsons Polo 8/Super, a Morris & Forndran in Heritage and a couple of brushes that I reknotted with TGN knots, but most of the time I reach for one of my synthetics.
 
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