Doctor, it hurst when I do this!

[Foyle]

Well, a few months ago I got a Muhle V2 synthetic brush. My intention was to use it as a travel brush. After getting the Muhle, I decided to use it for a week straight to get to know how it worked. At first I was a little discouraged. It was very different from badger or boar brushes. It really did lather easier, but it took a different technique. Not drastically so, but just a little different. As time went on I used my natural hair brushes less and less. Now, I almost never use them, and when I do I always think, "I wish I'd used my Muhle today."

Yesterday, I got a really nice Semogue 620 in on a trade and I loaded some vintage Williams with it this morning. I had a nice shave, but I noticed it was a lot more work to get a good lather than it is with the synthetic. In fact, it's so much more work that I noticed my right shoulder getting sore from beating the lather into submission with the Semogue. The Muhle STF just lathers so much easier and needs far less product than either a badger or boar brush. So, while I was lathering the old visage this morning I was thinking of that old joke, "Doctor, it hurts when I do this."

As much as I like my Duke 2 and my new Semogue, the Muhle STF is still king of my shaving brushes.

​

 

[OkieStubble]

Foyle, you have described the exact same experience as I have had once I purchased my Muhle synthetic in 19mm. It has made my boars feel floppy and left my badgers seeming inadequate in the lathering process. It has became my only used brush and my 8 other brushes seem useless to me now. This has given me the desire to attempt a go at minimalism with the rest of my shave den.

 

[petr]

huh? that is surprising news.

what are the bristles made from?

 

[Foyle]

huh? that is surprising news.

what are the bristles made from?

I'm not exactly sure. I think it's some kind of nylon, but don't quote me on that.

 

[JRL]

Another guy here with a drawer full of rarely used "natural" brushes. My conversion was the result of a Frank Shaving 24mm synthetic brush that I bought for no good reason other than it was pretty cheap. I was impressed by the value I recieved for my $15 or $20. The technique was a little different, but not difficult, and before too long, I simply had to order another one (just in case, you know). Now the two Frank brushes alternate days. The boars and badgers come out once in a while, just to remind me that I'm not missing anything.

When the word finally gets around, there could be a significant explosion in the badger population.

 

[Lexbomb]

I still love my badger and boars. For all you guys pretty much exclusively using synthetic I'll be more than happy to store your other brushes

 

[Elbe]

As time went on I used my natural hair brushes less and less. Now, I almost never use them, and when I do I always think, "I wish I'd used my Muhle today."

Exactly the same here. In the meantime I've sold 17 badger brushes, among them 8 Simpsons and only two shavemacs are still on board. And when I use one of them, I think I'd better used a Mühle Silver Tip Fibre.

 

[bosseb]

When the word finally gets around, there could be a significant explosion in the badger population.

You are on to something here .

A while ago I did a write up on my stick lathering brushes. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/359040-Stick-brushes-shootout . I did arrive at a similar conclusion regarding these brushes:

 

[GDCarrington]

The materials for the V2 fibre is a nylon base material used in the cosmetic industry. Even though I have a arsenal of brushes, my favorite at the moment seems to be my late Generation 3 TGN Ever Ready C40 restoration.

​