Attn Shavemac users. Can I get a good soap lather with the fine or silvertips???

[ricardo9505]

saving up for a shavemac. currently have an omega 20mm knot fine bagder and its nice but floppy and later on I want a bigger brush. 23mm, and shavemacs have come highly recommended from various coworkers. still trying to find a place where I can see them up close. (I'm in nyc by the way).
Anyhow I enjoy D.R. Harris soap and my tub of arko. Wondering if anyone has issues lathering with a fine or silvertip shavemac brush and if the difference is night and day between the fine and silvertip (leaning toward fine because of the $$$). thanks again all. always appreciated.

 

[Vlad]

No difference in the lather, just in the way the brush feels on the face. You have multiple coworkers who not only wetshave but use Shavemacs? Do you work at B&B headquarters?

 

[infotech]

I have a Shavemac 177 Silvertip that can lather anything I throw at it, but they are way overpriced, IMO. The one I have isn't the softest brush in the world and it isn't as stuffed as much as I'd like it to be considering the cost. Overall it's a good brush that is priced out of it's league.

 

[Monkeyboy]

I have a 23mm shavemac silvertip. The tips on mine are very soft. I only use it for creams and bowl lathering. I'm sure it can work with soaps but I prefer more backbone for face lathering with hard soaps.

Also, you can see it in action in the brush chronicles:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/237128-Brush-Chronicles-9-Shavemac-177-Silvertip

 

[Blue-EyedSon]

I've had a Shavemac finest and a Savile Row silvertip, which I suspect is made by Shavemac given the apparent similarities. Both brushes did very well with soaps. I wasn't accustomed to the lack of density in the knots when compared to something like a Simpson, but both proved to me that a brush need not be dense to perform well and that less density can have advantages: it use less product and releases lather easier. I found the Shavemac finest a little too prickly for my preferences and that the SR silvertip was a noticeable step up and much softer. I'm currently awaiting a response from Bernd about a custom silvertip knot for a re-knot project.

 

[Rudy Vey]

You get great lather with all kind of Shavemac brushes! I rate the finest above Simpson's best, the silvertip is quite soft. Finest is a mix of silvertip with pure hair to give the brush some resilience, i.e. stiffness.
My choice would be either a Finest, or a three or two-band D01 knot. The latter two are a bit pricey, but well worth the money. All my Shavemac knots are very dense, the D01 versions trump many other brushes there are when it comes to density of the hair, but they release the lather easily.

 

[German]

I own both regular silvertip and D01. Typically, the latter is not as soft as the first but has more density to it (also means a bit more of a lather hog). Big advantage with shavemac is that you can customize your brush in the way you want it (knot size, loft, handle) and you get what you ask for, i.e. very consistent brushes. I prefer the regular silvertip over the D01 for its softness. Both are good for creams and soaps, though I customized a shorter loft than off the shelf. Rudy made me a wonderful boxelderburl handle with a 25/50mm shavemac regular silvertip knot, which turns out to be one of my best brushes.

 

[ricardo9505]

Vlad,
no no, they recommended them. One owns an old one. They and my brother got me into wet shaving while talking over a cigarette.

 

[ricardo9505]

I've had a Shavemac finest and a Savile Row silvertip, which I suspect is made by Shavemac given the apparent similarities. Both brushes did very well with soaps. I wasn't accustomed to the lack of density in the knots when compared to something like a Simpson, but both proved to me that a brush need not be dense to perform well and that less density can have advantages: it use less product and releases lather easier. I found the Shavemac finest a little too prickly for my preferences and that the SR silvertip was a noticeable step up and much softer. I'm currently awaiting a response from Bernd about a custom silvertip knot for a re-knot project.

thank you mon amie. That is exactly what I was looking for, some good personal feedback. The backbone is what led me to decide on one from the research I gathered on here by the many fine gents who offered advice on them. appreciate the recommendations. I just bought my first soap, a D.R. Harris puck. I ask because I may come to love this soap.

 

[ricardo9505]

the custom work must be outstanding... people rave about this guy.

 

[Sqratch]

I have a D-01 3 band and it lathers anything I put in its way. Silky soft and very dense. I would spend a few more bucks and go with the d-01 if I was you. The 3 band is softer than the 2 band though. You really can't go wrong with a shavemac.

 

[mftoms59]

I own two Shavemac Silver-Tips, one Bulb, one Fan & two Shavemac Finest, one Bulb, one Fan, and I prefer them in this order; Finest/Fan, S-T/Fan, Finest/Bulb & S-T/Bulb. All are the standard knots with custom handle, no D-01 or anything fancy, I like the bit of scritch the finest offers & prefer Fans over Bulbs. If I was able to do it over again, they would all be Finest/Fans with the different lofts & knots.