Which synthetic (Edwin Jagger or Simpsons)?

[Rusty Blade]

I bought the EJ synthetic as a treat. At $79 CAD it was a tad expensive, but as I said it was a treat . Truth is, it is a good brush, but so is the Razozrock Plissoft at $12. In a blind test I would be hard pressed to tell the difference. As with many things in life we pay a premium for name brands. I won't spend big on synths ever again. I have 5 synths and IMO they are very similar.

 

[Rhody]

Are you suggesting a bowl lathering brush is one that does not splay and is recommended for painting strokes? If a face lathering brush is one that is not recommended for painting strokes, then many brushes would be excluded, since many manufacturers specifically recommend painting strokes. I cannot think of any brush where the maker advises against painting strokes. I face lather with circular strokes and for me a lot of splay is very undesirable although some is essential. I am so confused I don't even understand what I have just written - not for the first time.

i have many many synthetic brushes. Simpson was the first and only that had instructions to paint stroke. I cannot make a face lather doing a painting stroke. I cant even load soap from a puck doing a paint stroke There is also a difference between some splay and none. Simpson has none in my experience.

 

[Tester28]

The Trafalgar T2 is a really nice brush, especially for the price. I will say though that the Muhle STF still gets best of show

I have the Mule STF in a WW handle and a T3.
I know it sounds crazy...but the T3 offers a more luxurious face feel...
just the perfect brush. You can spend a lot more on a brush but I doubt
you can get a brush that is that much better than the T3.

 

[Dave-the-rave]

I've had 4 and they all had some splay.

I have the Mule STF in a WW handle and a T3.
I know it sounds crazy...but the T3 offers a more luxurious face feel...
just the perfect brush. You can spend a lot more on a brush but I doubt
you can get a brush that is that much better than the T3.

'course ya can. The T1.

 

[Owen Bawn]

Sorry about the poor quality of the photo, but here are my Simpson synths. The ivory Chubby is from 2016, and it is a low lofted bulb. After a month of use it loosened a bit and although it could never be called floppy or easy to splay it does open up enough to face lather quite nicely. The other Chubby, in what I think Simpson calls Copper Ice, is from 2019. Higher lofted, and more of a fan shape, it is quite dense but it doesn't feel as dense as the older Chubby, and as a result it is more flexible. The Duke 3 is also from 2016, and it is a pleasure to use.
For several years every time I ran into Mr Watterson of Simpson's on Twitter or Facebook I'd ask about synthetic M7's. When they finally made a few in 2018 I bought two. They are absolutely perfect. The longer handle provides leverage or a fulcrum(?) that allows me to open the knot much more naturally than with the shorter handles. They are outstanding synthetic brushes, the M7s.

 

[Owen Bawn]

One thing I should have mentioned about Simpson synthetics- I've found that the best way to get the knot to 'open up' is to load the brush as heavily as possible... and then keep loading. If the knot is really filled with a thick, somewhat dry paste of soap it will already be slightly splayed. Then when I take it to my face it opens up nicely. Mind, I don't want to mash it. I just want the get the tips to open enough that I can agitate the soap on my face and turn it into lather. Then, of course, I add a few drops of water into the knot several times as I face lather. But if you think your Simpson synth is too stiff or tight, try loading it until the soap causes the bristle to spread.

 

[MatH]

I'd like you to give a chance to Yaqi Synthetic Brushes

Funnily enough, that's exactly what I did

I am the proud owner of a Yaqi Familia Sagrada with a 24 mm knot. I've yet to use it, but it does feel very soft indeed, which is what I was after. I shall use it for a few days and report back.

 

[IMightBeWrong]

It’s odd to me that there are so many reports of the Chubby Synthetic not splaying. The one I bought a few weeks ago splays more easily than the STF Edwin Jagger I had a few years back. They must have changed something, either that or I got astronomically lucky because my Chubby 2 Synthetic splays extremely easily.

 

[Owen Bawn]

They did change the Chubby synth from a low lofted dense bulb to a low lofted dense hybrid bulb/fan. I don't think the new configuration is any less dense than the bulb but it feels slightly less dense and it does seem to splay more easily. I think that's true about natural hair brushes as well- hybrid bulb/fans are the preferred option for face lathering because more of the knot is always in contact with the face even before the knot is splayed. There's an active thread about this here as I write if you scroll up & down the page.

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

It’s odd to me that there are so many reports of the Chubby Synthetic not splaying. The one I bought a few weeks ago splays more easily than the STF Edwin Jagger I had a few years back. They must have changed something, either that or I got astronomically lucky because my Chubby 2 Synthetic splays extremely easily.

I've had the Chubby synth for a few weeks and I'm liking it more and more. I find it doesn't splay as easily as other synths I've used, but it has loosened up appreciably from new, and since I've got used to the amount of pressure required it feels great and works exeptionally well.
I've not used the EJ synth, which seems very hard to get hold of atm, but I did have a Muhle STF V2 a few years ago which I didn't like at all. The knot was too small and lacked density, didn't generate lather particularly well and tended to flick what it did create over quite a wide area. Possibly a larger knot would have been more my style.
I've just received an Omega Evo which looks very nice. It may or may not be the same fibre as the Muhle STF, but from memory it certainly feels different to what I remember. Also there's much more of it and it seems denser, although not on the same scale as the Chubby. I'll see how it compares.

 

[IMightBeWrong]

I've had the Chubby synth for a few weeks and I'm liking it more and more. I find it doesn't splay as easily as other synths I've used, but it has loosened up appreciably from new, and since I've got used to the amount of pressure required it feels great and works exeptionally well.
I've not used the EJ synth, which seems very hard to get hold of atm, but I did have a Muhle STF V2 a few years ago which I didn't like at all. The knot was too small and lacked density, didn't generate lather particularly well and tended to flick what it did create over quite a wide area. Possibly a larger knot would have been more my style.
I've just received an Omega Evo which looks very nice. It may or may not be the same fibre as the Muhle STF, but from memory it certainly feels different to what I remember. Also there's much more of it and it seems denser, although not on the same scale as the Chubby. I'll see how it compares.

I’m waiting on an Evo to try as well. Looking forward to comparing them.

 

[nav]

I've had the Chubby synth for a few weeks and I'm liking it more and more. I find it doesn't splay as easily as other synths I've used, but it has loosened up appreciably from new, and since I've got used to the amount of pressure required it feels great and works exeptionally well.
I've not used the EJ synth, which seems very hard to get hold of atm, but I did have a Muhle STF V2 a few years ago which I didn't like at all. The knot was too small and lacked density, didn't generate lather particularly well and tended to flick what it did create over quite a wide area. Possibly a larger knot would have been more my style.
I've just received an Omega Evo which looks very nice. It may or may not be the same fibre as the Muhle STF, but from memory it certainly feels different to what I remember. Also there's much more of it and it seems denser, although not on the same scale as the Chubby. I'll see how it compares.

The 25mm silvertip fibre is super dense and feels totally different to the offer 3 sizes.

I have had four of the smaller sizes but as soon as I used the 25mm, I ordered a second one!!

 

[vadim]

The 25mm silvertip fibre is super dense and feels totally different to the offer 3 sizes.

I have had four of the smaller sizes but as soon as I used the 25mm, I ordered a second one!!

I completely agree. I have tried both the STF XL (25mm) and the L (23mm) and there is a huge difference between the two. The XL is a totally different beast and a much better brush (my favorite).

 

[nav]

I completely agree. I have tried both the STF XL (25mm) and the L (23mm) and there is a huge difference between the two. The XL is a totally different beast and a much better brush (my favorite).

I know right!
It has become not only my favorite synthetic but also my favorite brush overall.

The 23mm was great but nowhere near the level of the 25mm.

I honestly don't get the logic behind this though. They should have made all the knots feel like the 25mm does, just with decreasing knot size.

 

[J-MN]

I know right!
It has become not only my favorite synthetic but also my favorite brush overall.

The 23mm was great but nowhere near the level of the 25mm.

I honestly don't get the logic behind this though. They should have made all the knots feel like the 25mm does, just with decreasing knot size.

Do you feel the difference is due to just the denseness, or something more?

I used to have the 23mm and have been tempted to get the 21mm version since I generally prefer smaller brushes, but with how everyone always seems to say that the 25mm is so much better than all the others, it feels like I might be missing out on something great going with the smaller size.

 

[nav]

Do you feel the difference is due to just the denseness, or something more?

I used to have the 23mm and have been tempted to get the 21mm version since I generally prefer smaller brushes, but with how everyone always seems to say that the 25mm is so much better than all the others, it feels like I might be missing out on something great going with the smaller size.

In my experience with 21mm, 23mm and 25mm...I would say it's more than just density.

It's also the overall construction. If you see the loft on the 25mm, you'll notice it's quite a bit higher than the others. The loft, density and the fibre itself allows the brush to literally emulate the feeling of a silvertip badger whereas the other sizes, whilst awesome, don't provide that feeling of a silvertip badger.

To my face, It's by far the most luxurious synthetic on the market!

 

[J-MN]

In my experience with 21mm, 23mm and 25mm...I would say it's more than just density.

It's also the overall construction. If you see the loft on the 25mm, you'll notice it's quite a bit higher than the others. The loft, density and the fibre itself allows the brush to literally emulate the feeling of a silvertip badger whereas the other sizes, whilst awesome, don't provide that feeling of a silvertip badger.

To my face, It's by far the most luxurious synthetic on the market!

Thanks for the explanation. I might just have to get both, otherwise that itch to try the 25mm will always be out there.

 

[m0nk3yphd]

Great review! Thanks.
Where/when do the amazing colored handles come from? I only see "faux ivory" in most online stores.

View attachment 1110276

 

[Owen Bawn]

Great review! Thanks.
Where/when do the amazing colored handles come from? I only see "faux ivory" in most online stores.

Follow Simpsons on social media- Facebook/Twitter- the small limited editions are posted there, and you then contact them by email to arrange a purchase. Larger runs of brushes with such handles are posted on Simpsons webpage under 'Limited Editions.' Rare to find non-ivory Simpsons in other retail outlets. West Coast Shaving had some Duke 3's in butterscotch/Best a few years ago, but that was a rare exception.

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Great review! Thanks.
Where/when do the amazing colored handles come from? I only see "faux ivory" in most online stores.

I bought them all direct from Simpsons.