The Muehle 25mm silvertip fibre (STF) is a HUGE brush. It has a slightly higher loft than my Omega 49 Pro, so this offering from Muehle is a real monster.
I obtained this brush after having a fantastic time with the Muehle 23mm STF. The 23mm is, and has been since the first use, "automatic" with making top flight lather. I had high expectations for the 25mm, and I confess to being slightly disappointed right out of the gate.
The 25mm STF, while having the same fibre type as the 23mm STF, is a totally different brush and a brush with a slight learning curve. My first few times with the 25mm produced only average lather. The problem was the initial water retention of the brush. For its size, the 25mm doesn't seem to hold as much water per volume of brush as the 23mm. I tried a few different techniques when dumping the initial load of water out of the brush and finally hit on three SHARP downward pumps over the sink.
That solved the water issue for me and the brush started producing some really nice lather. The brush has good backbone, and I wouldn't describe it as "floppy" at all, especially considering the massive size. That being said, the brush is not excessively stiff, and I think Muehle really did their homework when selecting the density & the loft on this brush. The tips are nice and soft, not much "skritch" at all, and the brush feels really nice on the face.
While the 25mm is a good brush for sure, I have other brushes that produce better results with less work (with one exception that I will elaborate upon below). The brush is a real lather hog and the "good stuff" stays in the core of the brush. Therefore, you are left with less lather in the bowl to whip into shape which makes for more work and a trickier time figuring out how much water to add.
Although the review seems a bit negative thus far, I still recommend this brush and I am glad to have it in my stable. However, anyone contemplating purchasing this brush should meet the following guidelines, IMO.
1) You must love big brushes. If I haven't mentioned it before, this brush is a MONSTER.
2) You should use a lot of soft soaps / hard creams. For whatever reason, the 25mm STF makes superb, absolutely killer, world-class lather with soft soaps. This is the primary reason I recommend this brush. The shortcomings I have experienced with this brush with hard soaps and soft creams are nowhere to be found with the hard creams. The 25mm just kills it, knocks it out of the park. For whatever reason, the stiffness, density and fiber composition just work for me with soft soaps. For example, I love QCS hard creams, and use them a lot. With the 25mm, I got the BEST lather I have ever gotten from QCS, and it was FAST. Very little effort.
In summary, if you meet the two suggested requirements above, get this brush. Hands down.
But to be fully honest, if you want an excellent all-around performer, get the 23mm. The 23mm will do everything and do it well, while the 25mm only really shined for me with the soft soaps, but it lathers the soft soaps better than any other brush I have tried.
I obtained this brush after having a fantastic time with the Muehle 23mm STF. The 23mm is, and has been since the first use, "automatic" with making top flight lather. I had high expectations for the 25mm, and I confess to being slightly disappointed right out of the gate.
The 25mm STF, while having the same fibre type as the 23mm STF, is a totally different brush and a brush with a slight learning curve. My first few times with the 25mm produced only average lather. The problem was the initial water retention of the brush. For its size, the 25mm doesn't seem to hold as much water per volume of brush as the 23mm. I tried a few different techniques when dumping the initial load of water out of the brush and finally hit on three SHARP downward pumps over the sink.
That solved the water issue for me and the brush started producing some really nice lather. The brush has good backbone, and I wouldn't describe it as "floppy" at all, especially considering the massive size. That being said, the brush is not excessively stiff, and I think Muehle really did their homework when selecting the density & the loft on this brush. The tips are nice and soft, not much "skritch" at all, and the brush feels really nice on the face.
While the 25mm is a good brush for sure, I have other brushes that produce better results with less work (with one exception that I will elaborate upon below). The brush is a real lather hog and the "good stuff" stays in the core of the brush. Therefore, you are left with less lather in the bowl to whip into shape which makes for more work and a trickier time figuring out how much water to add.
Although the review seems a bit negative thus far, I still recommend this brush and I am glad to have it in my stable. However, anyone contemplating purchasing this brush should meet the following guidelines, IMO.
1) You must love big brushes. If I haven't mentioned it before, this brush is a MONSTER.
2) You should use a lot of soft soaps / hard creams. For whatever reason, the 25mm STF makes superb, absolutely killer, world-class lather with soft soaps. This is the primary reason I recommend this brush. The shortcomings I have experienced with this brush with hard soaps and soft creams are nowhere to be found with the hard creams. The 25mm just kills it, knocks it out of the park. For whatever reason, the stiffness, density and fiber composition just work for me with soft soaps. For example, I love QCS hard creams, and use them a lot. With the 25mm, I got the BEST lather I have ever gotten from QCS, and it was FAST. Very little effort.
In summary, if you meet the two suggested requirements above, get this brush. Hands down.
But to be fully honest, if you want an excellent all-around performer, get the 23mm. The 23mm will do everything and do it well, while the 25mm only really shined for me with the soft soaps, but it lathers the soft soaps better than any other brush I have tried.
