I got into synthetic because I was going on a trip and needed a travel brush I could face lather with because my Parker pure badger was unusable. I settled on the Omega S brush and fell in love with it. TBH I haven't tried a high end badger so I'm open to change my mind.
Confession: I no longer enjoy using natural hair brushes..
- Thread starter Benoni
- Start date
Huge synthetic fan since I discovered the Muhle STF 25mm knot
I also prefer synthetics. I started with a Haircut & Shave 24mm synthetic, then got a Simpson Berkeley Best Badger for Xmas. It’s a super nice brush, but I have little use for it beyond travel. Not as soft as synth, and will likely always smell a little gamey. My most recent brush is an Omega S-brush. About the same size as the Simpson, but outperforms it. I’d love to have a synthetic Chubby 2, though.
I went to synthetics from badgers and boars some years back when I started shaving while showering. I can keep a synthetic brush in the shower and it will dry out between uses, which natural hair brushes won't. I also appreciate that synthetics seem to whip up lather faster for me.
I use both, badgers for the scrub and the unmatched feeling and synths to give the skin a rest from daily scrub.
Shavemac synthetic is my favorite as of right now. Haven't tried the Muhle XL silvertip fibre yet.
The Mühle Silvertip Fibre is a great synthetic. Definitely one of the best currently out there.
YMMV
Nope, for me the only benefit of a synthetic is for use during travel as it drys quickly.
I enjoy using my boar, horse and badge brushes at home.
I enjoy using my boar, horse and badge brushes at home.
Flintstone65
Imagining solutions for imaginary problems
My journey has been in reverse: started with synthetics, then got a boar, and now have a few badgers. For me, all 3 are awesome....I really like the diversity and what each bring to the table (i.e., my face). I certainly understand preferences, pros & cons, and YMMV -- but in my den, natural & synthetics live in harmony and are used in rotation.
My preferences aside, I'm always happy for folks when they find "perfection for them"!
My preferences aside, I'm always happy for folks when they find "perfection for them"!
About 8 years ago I started with a single boar brush, then started accumulating badger brushes, some very expensive ones. I sold or gifted all those badger brushes over a year ago, leaving my original boar as the only natural fiber brush, in a move to synthetics. A friend sent me a brand new silvertip badger brush from WCS a few weeks ago, and that will likely be the only badger brush in my den for the foreseeable future. I have come to love the simplicity & dependability of synth knots.
- Thread starter
- #51
May I ask what the specifications are of your Shavemac brush, thinking about ordering one myself.
Many vegans are using synthetic shaving brush instead of badger or boar hair brush. Synthetics are more inexpensive than the silvertip badgers, dries quicker, synthetic brush needs no break in.
It won't be long before I too will have to confess. I started with boar more than 25 year ago. Only in the last few years I tried something else. Cheapish badger, horse and synthetics. Since I got my first synth the others did not see much use.
In december I took an Omega boar with me on holidays. Small after some of my yaquis. Lather, well, ok after soaking which I forgot on the first day. Then it started to shed.
I'm for weeks debating giving them each a final judgement. Sooner or later i will.
br
godek
In december I took an Omega boar with me on holidays. Small after some of my yaquis. Lather, well, ok after soaking which I forgot on the first day. Then it started to shed.
I'm for weeks debating giving them each a final judgement. Sooner or later i will.
br
godek
24mm bulb 52mm loft
Thoroughly enjoyed revisiting my well-used and broken-in Semogue 830 boar today.
If it IS a lather hog, it also gives it up with a squeeze. And those tips split long ago. Soft.
Gave it a shampoo, since it never had one back in the day. Will be interesting to see if, when dry, it affects the splay.
AA
If it IS a lather hog, it also gives it up with a squeeze. And those tips split long ago. Soft.
Gave it a shampoo, since it never had one back in the day. Will be interesting to see if, when dry, it affects the splay.
AA
Thoroughly enjoyed revisiting my well-used and broken-in Semogue 830 boar today.
If it IS a lather hog, it also gives it up with a squeeze. And those tips split long ago. Soft.
Gave it a shampoo, since it never had one back in the day. Will be interesting to see if, when dry, it affects the splay.
AA
I'm appreciating my Boar brushes more and more as time goes by.
I have both and like them for different reasons. It's just like my soaps: I'm not looking to one up what I already have, just appreciate the differences. I would hate to be asked to choose between my synths and my naturals. We have some upcoming freezing weather. On those mornings I appreciate the warmth of the natural brushes (which is luxurious to me).
The Taconic synthetic has a lot of scritch. Much like a badger. Too much for me so don't use it often but may be more to your liking.
For what ever reason, brushes in general never sparked much interest in me. I have one badger, two boar and three synthetic brushes. After I got my Sterling synthetic three years ago synthetics are all I use. A couple of years ago I won a Captain's Choice synthetic and it's been my daily brush ever since. My Sterling brush now resides at my GF's home for those hoped for times. I don't even know where my badger and boar brushes are, but I'm not going to bother looking for them either.
For me synthetics are much better. I personally hate natural brushes because I have to load twice as much soap and often en up w not enough soap for 3 pass shave. Synthetic i get 3+ head and face passes with NO effort. I very seldom use a bowl (one less object to clean). I don't have a bowl,soap,bowl obsession. Only razors and blades.....
