Are natural hair brushes days NUMBERED?

[macintoshBR]

I enjoy my badgers but none of them can go toe to toe with a modern synthetic's efficiency. Faster and better lather using less soap.

synthetics are functional but lack any soul or personality.

These two posts summarize well my opinion. My only synthetic is a Muhle STF that probably makes better lather than any of my Simpson Chubbies using 1/4 of the product. If the end justifies the means, then I think there’s no discussion and synthetics are the best. But then there are the intangibles… there’s nothing like a cloud of Badger massaging your face, or the scrub of a wet boar brush

same goes for razors, soaps, and everything else. Why pay top dollar for them while a cheap Tech / Arko will get you to the same place? Subjectivity and intangibles, my friends

 

[lak611]

I only have one synthetic brush, a Razorock Monster. It's the brush I use the least and will probably relegate it to travel only, since it produces thin lather and lacks backbone. My favourite brushes are the Whipped Dog silvertip and the Simpsons Chubby 2 best badger. I don't own any boar or horsehair brushes.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

 

[VerbaVolant]

In my opinion none of the synthetics I have come even close to badgers. Not only that but, synthetic brushes come below boar, in my books. They do have some unique characteristics but, when it comes to performance in use I place them at the bottom of the heap.
So, natural hair brushes, especially badger, are safe in my collection. That being said, I have 13 silvertip and 2Band knots waiting for their handles.

 

[Roy]

I've 2 brushes, chubby 2 synthetic, and SV badger, similar to chubby 3 badger. Whilst I live the chubby 2 when I use it, the SV badger is by far the better brush and my favourite by far.

 

[lancre]

For me, badger and boar are on a par with each other, with synthetics far behind. They just don't feel right to me. Mostly, I use synthetics just for traveling. Even my favorite synth, a Trafalgar T2, doesn't compare with the naturals. On the road, though, the quick-dry nature of the synth is paramount.

That said, when a newbie seeks my advice, I usually recommend a Maggard Kit with its synthetic brush. There's no point in spending a fortune before you even know if you're going to like DE shaving.

For a second brush, my advice is different - boars from Omega or Semogue, badgers from Maggard or Stirling.
(Lovers of higher end brushes, save your fingers. They're great brushes, but I'll never recommend any brush expensive enough to scare my friends away.)

Synthetic brushes are the vinyl siding of the shaving world. Soft, cheap, low maintainence, and good enough to start.

 

[thefenlander]

I doubt demand will be a problem, at least for a little while yet.

Supply might be more of an issue. I don't have any in-depth knowledge of the supply chain for badger bristle, but my understanding is that it is a side-product of other economic activity. If that changes, the market for badger hair shaving brushes alone may not be able to pay for their continued production. An artisan badger knot business may emerge, but I would have thought it would be a pretty heavily regulated area, which may prevent it.

That said, I don't see horse hair supplies being affected by similar issues - I don't think supply of fibre would be a big impediment to setting up such a business. So maybe not all natural fibres are so vulnerable.

 

[lancre]

I doubt demand will be a problem, at least for a little while yet.

Supply might be more of an issue. I don't have any in-depth knowledge of the supply chain for badger bristle, but my understanding is that it is a side-product of other economic activity. If that changes, the market for badger hair shaving brushes alone may not be able to pay for their continued production. An artisan badger knot business may emerge, but I would have thought it would be a pretty heavily regulated area, which may prevent it.

That said, I don't see horse hair supplies being affected by similar issues - I don't think supply of fibre would be a big impediment to setting up such a business. So maybe not all natural fibres are so vulnerable.

Also, boar bristles shouldn't be hard to come by as long people keep eating ham and pork.

 

[Hercule]

My synthetics get the the least use of any of my brushes.
To me, synthetics are functional but lack any soul or personality.

Can you explain how soul and or personality in a brush (or lack thereof) effects your shave?

 

[musicman1951]

I suspect synthetics are a few generations from taking over.

I use an EVO as a travel brush. But for the same price I have an SOC badger 2 band that I like nearly twice as much for face lathering.

For bowl lathering I have a couple of boars I like better, and a big Kent BK 8 that brings luxury to a whole 'nother level.

I also have a collection of cheaper synthetics and they are wonderful brushes for the money. Some shavers like them better than badger and boar. The spring back is still to out of control for me, but if you simply move slower (or develop a studied disregard for flying lather) it pretty much solves the problem. And for an inexpensive brush I don't think you can beat a synthetic.

 

[Big Jim]

Of the roughly 50 brushes I rotate through, the ones I use the least are Horse. Boar gets some use, and Synthetic gets maybe 10% so Badger gets used the most.

Most of using a good Synthetic is getting accustomed to it. It is different, but in many ways better. It is easier to lather. It feels good on the face, different, but good. The more I use them the more I like them. Silvertip Badger is still my favorite, with Finest Badger close behind, but Synthetic is catching up.

 

[shave/brush]

Then you should try a Morris & Forndran Finest, or a Simpson’s 2 Band Silvertip then you could no longer say that, but each to his own this hobby/necessity appeals to a wide range of people that is what makes it so much fun.

What badger brush would you recommend as the best for under $150.00? And do you feel it would out perform my synthetics?
Keep in mind I only face lather using a shave stick.

 

[Steve56]

I suspect that the answer is yes, natural hair days are numbered, but the number of days is very large, especially for the very best natural hair brushes.

There isn’t a lot of money in shaving brushes, compared to other industries, so there isn’t any strong incentive to develop a really great synthetic knot. Millions invested, pennies in return. If a great synth knot would bring the price of an iPhone, we’d already be there.

The synth knot market is already handicapped by the cheap price. If someone made a synth the quality of a Simpson Super Badger/Manchurian or a Rooney Finest, they’d go broke asking $50 for it.

 

[Ron R]

I like to bowl lather and I thought synthetics were the best at making lather quickly and creating great lather but I found most of the time they are very similar if you timed them. Badger can give you a little extra lather to the face when applying possibly. All I do with my badger brush is squeeze out most of the water and then start stirring the soap in the bowl and it will kick up lather very quickly and just add water to the tips as needed and the results are similar to my synthetics, badger 24mm seems to use a fraction more soap and boar about the same amount as a 24mm synthetic brushes. I enjoy synthetics for the face feel and badger + boar are a different feel, badger more a pillow soft & good scrubbers and boar very similar to my synthetics with nice scrubs with cloud like soft tips most of the time is my experiences.
Enjoy what ever you have & brush lathering your face is a treat for millions of folks around the world who prefer brush over hand lathering.

Have some great shaves!

 

[Ruva]

Not in my den. The fibers are springy and don't hold water well.

 

[thombrogan]

I hope the days of naturals aren’t numbered — I’m just sad that only badgers, boars, and horses are featured on the natural side when there are so many other mammal species on the planet.

 

[ScottChapin]

Yes! I want a beaver brush.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ouchyfoot]

Panda bristles and two band baby seal.

 

[SgtCrppls]

What badger brush would you recommend as the best for under $150.00? And do you feel it would out perform my synthetics?
Keep in mind I only face lather using a shave stick.

I would say the only way you are going to get a brush you would love for close to $150.00 is to get one custom made by Rudy Vey, and get a 26 or 28mm Shavemac 2 Band Silvertip knot in it.

Pick a handle from some brush maker that is next to impossible to get and send Rudy the picture.

Then let me know what you think, you need to use it about 15 times to break it in, but it is great at the beginning, it just gets to the level it is going to stay at after 15 times.

Do that and if you still would rather use your synthetic, then I guess your just a synthetic kind of guy, and there is nothing wrong with that, if you lived next door I would let you borrow my best and you could compare.

I just want people to have the best shave experience possible.

 

[Whiterook]

I'm thinking lion's mane, as long as I don't have to harvest it!

 

[thombrogan]

Lion’s mane sounds excellent. And I think giving a lion a crew cut is less lethal than patting its tummy at least based on my experience with housecats.