Can an animal hair brush make that much of a difference?

[dk-109]

I've been using synthetics exclusively for 7 years. They have produced great lather, but I am questioning the quality of the shave. I bought a boar brush a few months ago and was getting better shaves, then a badger and getting even better shaves and near zero irritation.

Is this me or is there a reason behind this?

 

[sugardaddy]

Lots of people like synthetics and they are a great way to get started. And they may be exactly what some people want.

But maybe the animal hair brushes coincide better with what you want your shaving experience to be.

Nothing wrong with that! I am definitely a fan of animal hair brushes over the synthetics.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

 

[naughtilus]

The reason is because they are better. Enjoy.

 

[PreachTheWord]

I enjoy both. Started with synths and still use them. I also have a badger. Both make lather well, and have the characteristics that I like. The face feel of natural hair (at least badger) is different. Use what you like.

 

[celestino]

I highly doubt the brush is a significant factor in your improved shaves compared to a more refined and improved technique that you have developed, more than likely.
Whatever it is, keep doing it, though.

 

[trashcanmagic]

I personally find synthetics to be more performant than the badgers I have if all we are measuring is how I can make a great lather. it's also quite a bit faster.

but they not very good at face lathering, IMO

YMMV

 

[bkatbamna]

If I could start all over again, I'd still just use the Stirling Kong and not spend all the money that I have spent on badger brushes.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The reason is because they are better. Enjoy.

 

[Scotchd]

I've been using synthetics exclusively for 7 years. They have produced great lather, but I am questioning the quality of the shave. I bought a boar brush a few months ago and was getting better shaves, then a badger and getting even better shaves and near zero irritation.

Is this me or is there a reason behind this?

There could be a few reasons. The hair brushes absorb/hold water in the bristle, and then release it while lathering. Your lather technique could be better suited to having more water stored in the bristle and released at a more even pace into the lather. It also holds some water for the second and third passes for a wetter late stage lather, which is where a lot of lather breaks down.

My Experience is that the synthetics lather well, but there is a little more precision required to get the water ratios right since they tend to release all their water into the lather rather quickly. The badgers and boars are more forgiving when working up lather that has a more "finicky" water profile.

 

[mawashi]

Syns, boars, badgers and horses all have their idiosyncrasies.

They all can make great lather but you'll need to understand their characteristics. I find boars and horses to hog lather more than w badgers and syns. Some are more suited to bowl lathering vs face lathering but all of them work if you know how to use them.

Happy shaves,

Mawashi

 

[Member 113878]

I have tried a lot of syns in the past weeks/months, and I'm back to animal hair.
Currently have three in the rotation: badger, horse and boar.
They perform the best for me. (and I'm a bowl latherer)

 

[TropicalHotDogNight]

I tried a few badger brushes and then discovered a synthetic that outperformed them, and never went back. Some people prefer badger hair brushes while others prefer synthetics, boars, or even horse hair brushes. The superior brush is the one that meets your own needs, whatever they may be.

 

[Timeclo]

In terms of performance, synthetic beats others in my opinion. However, in terms of feel, natural hairs beat synthetics by long shot. I like to alternate between them to keep myself interested. Someday, I'll enjoy the performance of synthetics while other days, I'll enjoy the feel of lovely boars and badgers. They all have their own place in this shaving world.

 

[kluber]

Personally prefer badger brushes. I generally face lather.

 

[Zen Shaver]

People really seem to love synth brushes. I tried to catch the fever and picked up a few synths in recent years. I kept them in rotation for awhile trying to like them. I keep one in my travel kit and the rest are in a box now. I find natural hair brushes superior in all respects, but as they say, ymmv.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Currently have two soaps in rotation. Omega herbae and MWF. The Fat likes a Muhle STF best. No contest. OTOH, the Omega soap only plays nice with a boar. Go figure.

 

[oldjoe]

When you find the badger hair brush that is perfect for you, no synthetic can compare! The search is half the fun. All synthetics work, much like any paint brush or make up brush will work. But, that Badger hair perfect brush is something else!!!

 

[nav]

I much prefer the lather I get from a synthetic but badger brushes have that unique, luxury feel that no other brush type can match.

My favorite brush though? It's a synthetic that feels like a badger! The version 1 silvertip fibre from muhle/EJ. They replaced it with v2 back in 2012.
Glad I have 3 of the v1 (21/23/25mm)!!

Even though they call it "silvertip" fibre, it feels more like a two band finest to me. It's just perfection!

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

I marginally prefer the feel on my face of a few of my favourite badger brushes (M&F Blonde, DaVinci, Shavemac two band silvertip) to that from the latest generation of synths, but it's a very small difference, and I've never noticed any difference in the quality of the shaves.

 

[les24preludes]

I sold my Maseto Silvetip because I was getting better and quicker results from synths. I face lather, and with synths I add plenty of water as I go to make a sloppy lather, and then add a bit more when I re-lather. Bits of lather do fly off at times, but that's no bother if you shave in your T-shirt. You learn how to get control of the lather since the synths don't store the water - you need to keep adding it.