All this talk about synthetic brushes, I'll dabble with one.

[Rayotech]

Synthetic, synthetic, synthetic! Will admit, I have seen several synthetic brushes that look tempting.

So why not try one? I have a spare handle so let's see what I can do.
So here it is.

An Ever Ready 1000 wearing a shave forge 24mm by 68mm Synthetic Silvertip. Loft is set at about 58mm.
I have had real good luck with the shave forge badger hair knots I use, so nothing to complain about there.
Nice soft tips, seems to have good backbone. One thing I like right away, no funky smell to deal with.

Going to give it a run today and see how I like it. I'm a Badger guy, always have been so this will be a new experience for me!
And honestly, I've been eyeballing a Phoenix shaving brush for a week now, seen the reviews and watched a few videos on it. So if this Ever Ready impresses me I may have to add another synthetic to the rotation.

 

[Chef455]

Looking forward to hearing the results.

 

[Rayotech]

Looking forward to hearing the results.

I tried it. Different experience for sure. A big learning curve, water, this thing holds water too well. My fault. Lathered great and seemed to build it faster than any of my badger brushes. Great backbone, maybe a bit stiffer than I am used too but still nice. No lost hairs or plastic stragglers, not sure what they call them on a synthetic?

I just need to learn a different technique with water retention, I soaked it like I do my badgers with the normal shake or two to clear the water out, and loaded the brush, went to my face and had soapy water running everywhere, wow!
So I shook it out good and reloaded and back to my face I went. Second try worked out well.

So I learned, easy on the water, shake well before loading, add water by the drop if need be and enjoy.

Overall, good first try with it. Not sure I'm 100% sold on them yet, time will tell.

 

[CCS]

I tried it. Different experience for sure. A big learning curve, water, this thing holds water too well. My fault. Lathered great and seemed to build it faster than any of my badger brushes. Great backbone, maybe a bit stiffer than I am used too but still nice. No lost hairs or plastic stragglers, not sure what they call them on a synthetic?

I just need to learn a different technique with water retention, I soaked it like I do my badgers with the normal shake or two to clear the water out, and loaded the brush, went to my face and had soapy water running everywhere, wow!
So I shook it out good and reloaded and back to my face I went. Second try worked out well.

So I learned, easy on the water, shake well before loading, add water by the drop if need be and enjoy.

Overall, good first try with it. Not sure I'm 100% sold on them yet, time will tell.

After using nothing but badger and boar for as long as I can remember, I've come around to appreciating what today's synthetics bring to the table. I was poo-pooing them when I first joined here a couple months ago. I'm not ashamed to admit I've had a 180 change of opinion. I'm full up on badger and boar brushes but I bought a Trafalgar 2 and have come to like it and have a Muhle synth on the way. My wife also found a bottom of the line chinese synth at our other house. Have no recollection of where it came from but, my God, the thing works fantastically! Just used it again this morning to lather up some Proraso Azur Lime.

 

[Lane101]

I tried it. Different experience for sure. A big learning curve, water, this thing holds water too well. My fault. Lathered great and seemed to build it faster than any of my badger brushes. Great backbone, maybe a bit stiffer than I am used too but still nice. No lost hairs or plastic stragglers, not sure what they call them on a synthetic?

I just need to learn a different technique with water retention, I soaked it like I do my badgers with the normal shake or two to clear the water out, and loaded the brush, went to my face and had soapy water running everywhere, wow!
So I shook it out good and reloaded and back to my face I went. Second try worked out well.

So I learned, easy on the water, shake well before loading, add water by the drop if need be and enjoy.

Overall, good first try with it. Not sure I'm 100% sold on them yet, time will tell.

A few months into my DE journey I purchased a Razorock Monster plissoft (26mm x 63mm knot) and have not looked back. No need to soak and it easily creates great lather from all but the hardest of my soaps (Williams and MWF). Great face feel from this brush. Settled on a brush rotation of the Monster, a Razorock Big Bruce (same knot) and a Razorock Blondie (renamed Zenith 80N) boar for my Williams an MWF. With these I can easily lather any soap or cream.

For two years I was using the Monster an average of 5 days a week and it has held up well losing just on hair. Knot looks almost as good as when new.

 

[GR5233]

I currently have 3 synthetic brushes:

Honestly even though it’s a factory second I can’t see anything wrong with the one I have. Though it does feel a bit soft for my preference

A Simpson T2. Probably my favorite synthetic brush so far

Simpson Trafalgar T3. Second favorite synth

 

[DEgeezer]

Of my 3 synthetics, the Razorock Plissoft is my favorite. Very soft, with decent backbone. A small Maggard is in my travel kit, because synthetics dry so quickly.
I think synthetics are great, but then again, I feel the same about my boars, and badgers. My horsehair, not so much.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

100 years from now I think the Stirling brush will be recognised as the coolest brush of our era. Just the way it looks - with black or green trim - has future classic written all over it. I’m very happy that you don’t rate it as highly as the others. It means I don’t need to get one, even in the knowledge that future shavers will think poorly of my brush collection.

 

[timetofly]

Looking forward to hearing the results.

You mean MILEAGE!

 

[frbock]

I tried it. Different experience for sure. A big learning curve, water, this thing holds water too well. My fault. Lathered great and seemed to build it faster than any of my badger brushes. Great backbone, maybe a bit stiffer than I am used too but still nice. No lost hairs or plastic stragglers, not sure what they call them on a synthetic?

I just need to learn a different technique with water retention, I soaked it like I do my badgers with the normal shake or two to clear the water out, and loaded the brush, went to my face and had soapy water running everywhere, wow!
So I shook it out good and reloaded and back to my face I went. Second try worked out well.

So I learned, easy on the water, shake well before loading, add water by the drop if need be and enjoy.

Overall, good first try with it. Not sure I'm 100% sold on them yet, time will tell.

If it's any help, most synths don't hold much water in the bristles, but, the knot's pretty dense.
I've found the easiest way (for me) is put hot water in the lather bowl then put about 1-2 tsp of hot water in the soap (I use Noble Otter and TOBS). Swish it for about 10 second or so, dump the lather bowl, and pour the water from the puck into the bowl.
A little water on the brush and a good shake. About 10-15 seconds of running the brush on the soap should have it pretty well loaded up.
Then start working up the lather. I've found I can thin it with more water, but if it gets too wet, it's a messy shave.
It's almost what I did years ago with my old spice mug, only back then I used a boar brush (soaked), and I couldn't afford a lather bowl.

 

[timetofly]

If it's any help, most synths don't hold much water in the bristles, but, the knot's pretty dense.
I've found the easiest way (for me) is put hot water in the lather bowl then put about 1-2 tsp of hot water in the soap (I use Noble Otter and TOBS). Swish it for about 10 second or so, dump the lather bowl, and pour the water from the puck into the bowl.
A little water on the brush and a good shake. About 10-15 seconds of running the brush on the soap should have it pretty well loaded up.
Then start working up the lather. I've found I can thin it with more water, but if it gets too wet, it's a messy shave.
It's almost what I did years ago with my old spice mug, only back then I used a boar brush (soaked), and I couldn't afford a lather bowl.

My RR 400 synth holds water. It is close to needing a diuretic.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

My RR 400 synth holds water. It is close to needing a diuretic.

I just got one for Christmas and I was shocked by how much water it retains.

Another thing, you dont have to soak it, obviously, but if you do, the handle retains a lot of heat.

 

[timetofly]

I just got one for Christmas and I was shocked by how much water it retains.

Another thing, you dont have to soak it, obviously, but if you do, the handle retains a lot of heat.

For $21.00 it's a helluva brush. Not sure why anyone would want to spend more.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

For $21.00 it's a helluva brush. Not sure why anyone would want to spend more.

I got mine on sale . I wasn't expecting to like it nearly as much as I do, but I love it.

 

[Aziraphale]

I like my Razorock Plissoft brushes so much that I no longer even have a badger brush anymore.

No lost hairs or plastic stragglers, not sure what they call them on a synthetic?

You still call them hairs, you just put them in quotes now.
My synths rarely lose any "hairs".

 

[gpjoe]

A few months into my DE journey I purchased a Razorock Monster plissoft (26mm x 63mm knot) and have not looked back. No need to soak and it easily creates great lather from all but the hardest of my soaps (Williams and MWF). Great face feel from this brush. Settled on a brush rotation of the Monster, a Razorock Big Bruce (same knot) and a Razorock Blondie (renamed Zenith 80N) boar for my Williams an MWF. With these I can easily lather any soap or cream.

For two years I was using the Monster an average of 5 days a week and it has held up well losing just on hair. Knot looks almost as good as when new.

Of my 3 synthetics, the Razorock Plissoft is my favorite. Very soft, with decent backbone. A small Maggard is in my travel kit, because synthetics dry so quickly.
I think synthetics are great, but then again, I feel the same about my boars, and badgers. My horsehair, not so much.

For $21.00 it's a helluva brush. Not sure why anyone would want to spend more.

I like my Razorock Plissoft brushes so much that I no longer even have a badger brush anymore.


You still call them hairs, you just put them in quotes now.
My synths rarely lose any "hairs".

I concur. The Razorock Plissoft brushes are a tremendous value. I have three and use them regularly (when I'm not using one of my boars).

@Aziraphale: bristles?

 

[Tillerman]

I have the Stirling in black stripe and love the handle. It does seem a bit soft and seems to retain water and soap without making much lather. Have only used it once, I need to keep practicing with it. Hope I can figure it out.

 

[Balthier]

View attachment 1549507
Simpson Trafalgar T3. Second favorite synth

Where does one get a t3 in a blue handle?

 

[JCarr]

I tried it. Different experience for sure. A big learning curve, water, this thing holds water too well. My fault. Lathered great and seemed to build it faster than any of my badger brushes. Great backbone, maybe a bit stiffer than I am used too but still nice. No lost hairs or plastic stragglers, not sure what they call them on a synthetic?

I just need to learn a different technique with water retention, I soaked it like I do my badgers with the normal shake or two to clear the water out, and loaded the brush, went to my face and had soapy water running everywhere, wow!
So I shook it out good and reloaded and back to my face I went. Second try worked out well.

So I learned, easy on the water, shake well before loading, add water by the drop if need be and enjoy.

Overall, good first try with it. Not sure I'm 100% sold on them yet, time will tell.

I have nothing but synthetics. I soak all of them before the shave and then squeeze the excess water out. Brush remains damp, but not saturated.

 

[JCarr]

Check out AP Shave Co. for lots of different synthetic knots! Good stuff!