I started off with badger brushes but only had a few over the years. When I joined B&B I bought my first boar brushes and liked them. Then I tried some synthetics. My first was a Parker which was pure garbage. My next was the huge H.I.S. brush which was OK but my wife hated it because as she said "incapable of lathering my face without getting so much on the mirror." Since then I have added a number of synthetics but none, IMHO, can match my quality badger brushes. The only synthetics I own that come close to good badger brushes are those with the Muhle Silvertip Fibre knots and Shavemac synthetic knots. My Paladin, Shavmac, and Simpson brushes or knots put all of my synthetics to shame.
Confession: I no longer enjoy using natural hair brushes..
- Thread starter Benoni
- Start date
This thread has made me feel guilty; reinstating a boar this week!
Hm, Semogue 830 or that aluminum Zenith?
AA
Hm, Semogue 830 or that aluminum Zenith?
AA
Interesting...
Some guys above wrote it. "Feeling".
What makes people use a "fat boy". Nowadays DEs are made using new technology and practically are better than.
But what makes people feel great using a "fat boy"?
I have synthetic, boar, horse brush. But nothing is better than my Simpson PL8 Silvertip.
Some guys above wrote it. "Feeling".
What makes people use a "fat boy". Nowadays DEs are made using new technology and practically are better than.
But what makes people feel great using a "fat boy"?
I have synthetic, boar, horse brush. But nothing is better than my Simpson PL8 Silvertip.
I am a total pushover for a good brush - as my wife will certainly attest. 
As far as which type of brush? I like 'em all. Badger, Boar, Horse, Synthetics. All of them.
Preferences? My favorite brushes are my Boars (Omega, Semogue, Zenith) and my Synthetics (Full Moon, Mühle Silver Tipped Fiber, Shavemac, Tuxedo, Cashmere, AP Shave Co. 2BED Synthetic Fan, BOSS).
Just my opinion and YMMV.
As far as which type of brush? I like 'em all. Badger, Boar, Horse, Synthetics. All of them.
Preferences? My favorite brushes are my Boars (Omega, Semogue, Zenith) and my Synthetics (Full Moon, Mühle Silver Tipped Fiber, Shavemac, Tuxedo, Cashmere, AP Shave Co. 2BED Synthetic Fan, BOSS).
Just my opinion and YMMV.
I am a fairly recent convert to synthetic after using badger and boar brushes for just under a decade. It took me a long time to figure out that natural brushes were irritating my skin.
Badger was the worst. I tried quite a few different grades/types because I really ‘wanted‘ to like badger brushes but I would always get some raised ‘bumps’ and redness. Not shaving rash or ingrowns. My now very broken-in boar brush causes minimal irritation but there is still an unusual feel I can’t pin down afterwards. This happens with face, bowl or hand lathering. I am currently using a Kent Infinity synthetic and will not go back as my skin has never been better - luckily my dad wet shaves and he has inherited my badgers!
Badger was the worst. I tried quite a few different grades/types because I really ‘wanted‘ to like badger brushes but I would always get some raised ‘bumps’ and redness. Not shaving rash or ingrowns. My now very broken-in boar brush causes minimal irritation but there is still an unusual feel I can’t pin down afterwards. This happens with face, bowl or hand lathering. I am currently using a Kent Infinity synthetic and will not go back as my skin has never been better - luckily my dad wet shaves and he has inherited my badgers!
M
Member 113878
I’m in the recent synthetics converts group as well!
Hi,
I got a mix of natural hair and synthetics. I have 3 horse hair I like. I did give away all but one badger, I kept an Eveready I reknotted myself. I like it for creams like C.O. Bigelow and croaps. I haven't touched either of my boars in a couple years now.
I have 3 synthetics, an Omega, RR Plissoft, and a Yaqi Tuxedo. The Omega is a disaster, the glue bimp is too big and too tall. The knot will not splay even a little nor can you paint with it. But it will assault and batter a puck of Williams to within an inch of it's life.
The RR Plissoft was a revelation. Very much like a soft badger. Excellent for creams and croaps. And it just caresses my face like a gentle summer breeze.
The Yaqi seems to be my favorite. A bit stiffer than my badger and Plissoft, it's a good all-rounder brush for me. Nice soft tips with a firm underside. I use this brush a lot! Only thing I miss is the scritch I get from my horses. It's what keeps the solidly in the rotation.
If I was just starting wet shaving today, I could easily be a synthetic only guy.
I got a mix of natural hair and synthetics. I have 3 horse hair I like. I did give away all but one badger, I kept an Eveready I reknotted myself. I like it for creams like C.O. Bigelow and croaps. I haven't touched either of my boars in a couple years now.
I have 3 synthetics, an Omega, RR Plissoft, and a Yaqi Tuxedo. The Omega is a disaster, the glue bimp is too big and too tall. The knot will not splay even a little nor can you paint with it. But it will assault and batter a puck of Williams to within an inch of it's life.
The RR Plissoft was a revelation. Very much like a soft badger. Excellent for creams and croaps. And it just caresses my face like a gentle summer breeze.
The Yaqi seems to be my favorite. A bit stiffer than my badger and Plissoft, it's a good all-rounder brush for me. Nice soft tips with a firm underside. I use this brush a lot! Only thing I miss is the scritch I get from my horses. It's what keeps the solidly in the rotation.
If I was just starting wet shaving today, I could easily be a synthetic only guy.
I would sure love to love synthetics more than natural hair brushes, for the costs alone, but just don’t.
Good for you though, you can buy 4 synthetics for the cost of one good badger!
Good for you though, you can buy 4 synthetics for the cost of one good badger!
Is there a synthetic knot with some scrub and some scritch. I don't mean wire brush old type synthetics but pillow soft just doesn't do anything for me. TIA
This is more or less my opinion. The only synth I truly like is the STF fiber in a Jagger handle. But, I’ll still reach for a Shavemac two-band 3 of 4 times.
Synthetic brushes I own that have good backbone, scrub and scritch:
@Graydog Backyard Maple Chubby, 26mm "Full Moon" Synthetic:
Shavemac 26mm Synthetic 'Flattop' Fan:
Mühle 35K256 25mm Silvertip Fiber:
Just my opinion and YMMV.
Once I had a cheap Wilkinson badger which worked fine until the handle cracked and it lost hair. I have got a boar which I do not like much. The first synth I got had a bit to soft plisson knot but a superb brush guy handle. Since then I got a couple of other brush guy brushes and some other short handle travel ones and never looked back.
maybe I will get a timber wolf knot to replace the plisson in the brushguy
oh and I bowl lather
maybe I will get a timber wolf knot to replace the plisson in the brushguy
oh and I bowl lather
Synthetic brushes I own that have good backbone, scrub and scritch:
@Graydog Backyard Maple Chubby, 26mm "Full Moon" Synthetic:
View attachment 1061413
Shavemac 26mm Synthetic 'Flattop' Fan:
View attachment 1061414
Mühle 35K256 25mm Silvertip Fiber:
View attachment 1061416
Just my opinion and YMMV.
Rocking that Tabac and Veg like a BOSS!
Rocking that Tabac and Veg like a BOSS!
Thank you. They are two of my favorites.
Omega S feels almost like a natural boar YMMV.
I have an Omega S . . . I rarely use it. If I try to face lather with it, it slings soap around like a garden sprinkler. Although I did have a bit more success with it using a bowl and the paintbrush technique.
I also have a natural boar. It's a real inexpensive Burma Shave brand (which may have been produced by Omega). If I can remember to soak the damn thing before I get into the shower, it's one of my favorites for my harder soap pucks.
I have 3 RR Plissoft Synths and they are my absolute favorites. Nice and soft with just enough backbone for my technique. They load up nicely whether I face, mug, or bowl lather.
Last but certainly not least I have a beautiful pink Rudy Vey 2019 St. Sue commemorative brush with an AP Shave synth that is quite on par with the plissofts.
I have an old AoS badger that I almost never use anymore. It always sheds a few hairs every time I use it (did I mention that it's old?). I've not tried a really good badger yet but maybe in time I'll give it a go.
I also have a natural boar. It's a real inexpensive Burma Shave brand (which may have been produced by Omega). If I can remember to soak the damn thing before I get into the shower, it's one of my favorites for my harder soap pucks.
I have 3 RR Plissoft Synths and they are my absolute favorites. Nice and soft with just enough backbone for my technique. They load up nicely whether I face, mug, or bowl lather.
Last but certainly not least I have a beautiful pink Rudy Vey 2019 St. Sue commemorative brush with an AP Shave synth that is quite on par with the plissofts.
I have an old AoS badger that I almost never use anymore. It always sheds a few hairs every time I use it (did I mention that it's old?). I've not tried a really good badger yet but maybe in time I'll give it a go.
As much as I hate to admit it, my Gamechanger black synth gets more use than any of my other brushes. No need to soak and as you mentioned, it builds a lather FAST! It’s different from the other synths I’ve tried which I didn’t like at all. It has as much or more backbone as my stiffest two bands and is soft or softer than my best silvertip. My only gripe is like all other synths it tends to fling runny lather around. I think I get a better lather if I put the time in with my favorite two band, but the difference isn’t enough make it my regular brush. I use it mainly when I want to enjoy a shave rather than just get it over with.
