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I'm Thinking of Buying One and Only One Synthetic | Which One Should I Buy?

Buy ANY synthetic & I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, since even my cheapest outperforms a much spendier badger on my shelf. It doesn't even have to be a gargantuan 26mm floor-mop; the smaller ones work just fine. I prefer a 20-22mm brush. All mine hold a ton of lather. Your biggest quandary besides knot diameter will be choosing the handle of your liking.
 

IMightBeWrong

Loves a smelly brush
As a badger fan, most of the synthetic brushes I have tried have been disappointing. The Edwin Jagger and Muhle offerings are too springy for me. The Plisson too floppy. RazoRock offerings too similar to the Plisson, too noticeably fake and odd feeling. I keep a decent collection of badgers and a couple boars, and of the synthetic options I have tried I only have 2 left. One of them is a Wolf Whiskers with a Nathan Clarke Ubersoft Gen 1 knot. This one feels similar to a Plisson, notably fake feeling, but at least gets the backbone right and has a unique handle.

The only synthetic I have tried to date that I can say is actually starting to bridge the gap between synthetics and badgers is the Chubby 2 Synthetic. The splaying is much more natural on the one I have than any other synthetic I have tried and the backbone and soft tips make it overall the best face feel I’ve had from a synth.
 
Buy ANY synthetic & I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, since even my cheapest outperforms a much spendier badger on my shelf.
This, and they are cheap so if you don't like it you won't be out much. I'm far from a shaving brush guru but my synthetic outperforms my badger and boar brush by far.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
As a badger fan, most of the synthetic brushes I have tried have been disappointing...The only synthetic I have tried to date that I can say is actually starting to bridge the gap between synthetics and badgers is the Chubby 2 Synthetic. The splaying is much more natural on the one I have than any other synthetic I have tried and the backbone and soft tips make it overall the best face feel I’ve had from a synth.

I'd say much the same thing about the one synthetic I like.


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To me, it's much like a marginally backboned silvertip in both its feel and in its ability to splay and lather. It's acceptable. I like it well enough to use it and for it to be my travel brush sometimes.

I've not liked other synthetic enough to say the same, but there are many I've not tried and don't plan to try.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
This, and they are cheap so if you don't like it you won't be out much. I'm far from a shaving brush guru but my synthetic outperforms my badger and boar brush by far.
What boar brush do you have that is out performed by your synthetic?
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Outperforms both my Semougue 830 and 1305. Granted they aren't expensive brushes.
Outperforms my floppy Vulfix Super Badger also

That explains a few things.

In my view, use what you like and who cares if somebody else likes it. On the other hand, it is fun to talk about brushes as long as we don't take the conversation or ourselves too seriously.


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Get one of these seriously good Semogue SOC Mistura (mixed boar and badger two band) brushes and compare it with a synthetic. Seriously.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Shaved earlier this evening (my second shave of the day)...

This is an excellent synthetic brush!


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I was not in a hurry exactly, but only going for a quick shave before going out with my wife. I think I enjoyed the Omega Evo more this shave than I have ever before.

Yes, it's a synthetic. Yes, I don't generally much like synthetics. However, I'm really glad I picked this one synthetic. It feels very good, splays very well, loads and lathers great, and has both nice scrub and terrific softness. Yet it's not too soft; it definitely feels like it's there when I'm using it to face lather. It's not springy at all.

In my opinion Omega nailed this one.

Were I buying it now (knowing how much I like it) I might consider the longer (or taller) handle and I'd definitely spend the extra coin to get the green handle. Nothing wrong with this handle, but I like the look of the green handle better.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.

What a bargain!


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Enlarge the thumbnail by clicking on it to see the brush in all its glorious splendor. The vendor says absolutely nothing about the brush. Nothing about knot size, etc. To me, it's not an attractive brush, but it might be to you. My guess is it's not been a big seller, but now that you've mentioned it here sales should skyrocket.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
What a bargain!


View attachment 1137087


Enlarge the thumbnail by clicking on it to see the brush in all its glorious splendor. The vendor says absolutely nothing about the brush. Nothing about knot size, etc. To me, it's not an attractive brush, but it might be to you. My guess is it's not been a big seller, but now that you've mentioned it here sales should skyrocket.
I posted it with a bit of sarcasm. Indeed neither the brush nor the stand is attractive to me. The travel brush looks a bit better but still not that great.

I bought my Plisson L’Occitane when it was on sale for $30 with a stand. Very highly recommended except it is no longer made.

Plisson has something similar for €60 without the stand. It appears to be a discontinued item.

They have an even more affordable version at €34.80 but with a plastic handle instead of wood (probably more durable, since the wood finish starts chipping over time).

The free stand that came with my brush looks like this:

Their current collection appears to be all white fiber.
 
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Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
What a bargain!


View attachment 1137087


Enlarge the thumbnail by clicking on it to see the brush in all its glorious splendor. The vendor says absolutely nothing about the brush. Nothing about knot size, etc. To me, it's not an attractive brush, but it might be to you. My guess is it's not been a big seller, but now that you've mentioned it here sales should skyrocket.

Happy shaves,

Jim
Better buy two. They're small.
 
Jim, pm your address and I'll send you a dew synths to try that have been mentioned. (Yes, I'm aware that it's late to the party).

I'm thinking since you and I had similar tastes in Maseto Brushes, you might like to try the synths I liked-and 1 I didn't care for.

marty
Bravo.:001_wub:
 
I posted it with a bit of sarcasm. Indeed neither the brush nor the stand is attractive to me. The travel brush looks a bit better but still not that great.

I bought my Plisson L’Occitane when it was on sale for $30 with a stand. Very highly recommended except it is no longer made.

Plisson has something similar for €60 without the stand. It appears to be a discontinued item.

They have an even more affordable version at €34.80 but with a plastic handle instead of wood (probably more durable, since the wood finish starts chipping over time).

The free stand that came with my brush looks like this:

Their current collection appears to be all white fiber.
I was going to buy the ebony Plisson, ended up with a Fine stout for £20 less.
 
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