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I'm starting to appreciate the idea of synthetic brushes which is unexpected

While I can appreciate synthetic knots and have tried a few, there is something that is always lacking for me. Maybe it has to do with the bristles being made of plastic. I suppose the same holds true for plastic handles too, to be consistent if not dogmatic.
 
I use my 2 and 3 band badgers as soap killers. My RR synthetic is my go-to brush for old soaps, bottom of the tub soaps, or discontinued soaps. If synthetics were this good when I started, I wouldn't have bought 25 badgers over the years.
 
I've got a Yaqi 22mm Cola brush that is equal in every way to my Semoque boar brush and better in other ways. I never use my boar any more.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
@timetofly ,

Egg foo yong is a terrible brush. It only has flow-through if you eat it and you can’t do that if it’s been in soap.

@CCS ,

I’m starting to appreciate poor, dead animal brushes more. My AP ShaveCo Cashmere will be my top latherer for the foreseeable future, but my Simpson Wee Scot has been very enjoyable. Moreso now that I comb it
 
Having been a wetshaver for about ever, I've been used to doing things a certain way and nice badger brushes (and boar) have been part of that experience. However, the more I use the unknown brand synthetic brush I found at our other place and the recently purchased Trafalgar T2, I really have come to appreciate how quickly they are ready to go (no soaking needed) and how quickly they create very good lather. The T2 is OK but, surprisingly, the unbranded chinese brush is even better because it splays and works better for face lathering.

I've got to get rid of a couple brushes first but I just may shop for the "just right" synth.
like you I recently (this month) discovered what it's like to own and use a synthetic. It's great I used it nonstop for a week it's still pretty exciting to me. I'm not ready to give up on badger hair though because I defaulted to my 2-band badger yesterday and it was just such a nice experience. The knot density and painting of lather just seemed a little more luxurious. For me it's going to come down to if I have the time I'm gonna use my badger brush, but if I'm under some time constraint when I can't spend a long time shaving I'm going to use the tuxedo synthetic brush I have. I really like how you can just run water into it and begin without a soak.
 
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like you I recently (this month) discovered what it's like to own and use a synthetic. It's great I used it nonstop for a week it's still pretty exciting to me. I'm not ready to give up on badger hair though because I defaulted to my 2-band badger yesterday and it was just such a nice experience. The knot density and painting of lather just seemed a little more luxurious. For me it's going to come down to if I have the time I'm gonna use my badger brush, but if I'm under some time constraint when I can't spend a long time shaving I'm going to use the tuxedo synthetic brush I have. I really like how you can just run water into it and begin without a soak.
Yup. I used my Rooney made T&H silvertip just now and only ran it under warm water for about 30 seconds and it did a great job with T&H's Lime shaving cream and face lathered it. I think that brush was made for face lathering (I usually use a bowl to get it mostly done and finish lathing on my face. I recently cleaned all my badger brushes and they're all performing better post cleaning (dishsoap vs. the vinegar treatment).
 
@timetofly ,

Egg foo yong is a terrible brush. It only has flow-through if you eat it and you can’t do that if it’s been in soap.

@CCS ,

I’m starting to appreciate poor, dead animal brushes more. My AP ShaveCo Cashmere will be my top latherer for the foreseeable future, but my Simpson Wee Scot has been very enjoyable. Moreso now that I comb it
I am soooo tempted to get a Wee Scot for absolutely no good reason. I've got like 11-12 brushes in rotation at the moment.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
It’s kawaii and a better bargain than the KH1 in best badger

If you’re in the USA, Pasteur Shaving usually has the best price for the Wee Scot. Got mine from Men’s Room Barber Shop because Pasteur’s was out when I had to have it
 
I just picked up 3 badger brushes from Aliexpress for around $100 to see what I’ve been missing since I started using synthetic many years ago and I’m starting to become afraid that I wasted $100.

They’re nice brushes, but they’re really stingy with lather on passes 2+. Am I doing something wrong, or are synthetics just that much better than badger in this regard?
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
I picked up 3 badger brushes from Aliexpress for around $100 to see what I’ve been missing since I started using synthetic many years ago and I’m starting to become afraid that I wasted $100.

They’re nice brushes, but they’re really stingy with lather on passes 2+. Am I doing something wrong, or are synthetics just that much better than badger in this regard?
My experience with my badgers is they are slightly different for myself to lather with, I bowl lather so soap is pressed in or smeared first usually enough for 2 shaves for hard & croap soap and cream enough for 1 shave. I will let the brush soak while I prepare for shave & squeeze out the excess water and start to lather in the bowl, I wait until I see a thick cream or paste start and only then do I add a few drops of water by hand or my mister and lather until you need some more water and repeat until your happy with results, I do not overly press the badger tips in bowl either and it take about 1.5 to 2 minutes to make the lather I enjoy the most and seems to never fail so why change anything same process with synthetics other than pre soaking the brush as much(just wet under the sink for a 5 seconds). Generally I always have enough lather left over in my bowl for a 1-2 more passes it seems. I have lots of synthetic brushes also and they are simpler to lather but they do give a different face feel than natural hair brushes IMO. There is lots of tutorials here and on Youtube about lathering with a badger bushes.
 
My experience with my badgers is they are slightly different for myself to lather with, I bowl lather so soap is pressed in or smeared first usually enough for 2 shaves for hard & croap soap and cream enough for 1 shave. I will let the brush soak while I prepare for shave & squeeze out the excess water and start to lather in the bowl, I wait until I see a thick cream or paste start and only then do I add a few drops of water by hand or my mister and lather until you need some more water and repeat until your happy with results, I do not overly press the badger tips in bowl either and it take about 1.5 to 2 minutes to make the lather I enjoy the most and seems to never fail so why change anything same process with synthetics other than pre soaking the brush as much(just wet under the sink for a 5 seconds). Generally I always have enough lather left over in my bowl for a 1-2 more passes it seems. I have lots of synthetic brushes also and they are simpler to lather but they do give a different face feel than natural hair brushes IMO. There is lots of tutorials here and on Youtube about lathering with a badger bushes.
I face lather 🤷‍♂️
 
They’re nice brushes, but they’re really stingy with lather on passes 2+. Am I doing something wrong, or are synthetics just that much better than badger in this regard?
That was my experience as well when I decided to try a badger hair brush; I couldn't get the soap OUT of the brush and ON my face, even with prolonged loading. The advice I got was to use even more soap. For that reason, and a few others, I gave up. Whether I face lather, or bowl lather, synthetics simply work the way I want a brush to work.
 
That was my experience as well when I decided to try a badger hair brush; I couldn't get the soap OUT of the brush and ON my face, even with prolonged loading. The advice I got was to use even more soap. For that reason, and a few others, I gave up. Whether I face lather, or bowl lather, synthetics simply work the way I want a brush to work.
Yeah, while I appreciate @Ron R's reply, it's not building a lather I have problems with. The brushes all build really nice lathers without a problem. The problem is getting it out of the brush and onto my face, like you said. If I use more soap, I either end up with too much lather initially then the same problem I have now on passes 2+, or really dry lather that doesn't really do me a lot of good anyhow.

I'm starting to think badger just isn't as good as synthetic, which is really a surprise because in my experience the modern approximation of something is usually worse than the real thing. I wish I hadn't spent $100 to learn this lesson, but I guess I'm glad I didn't spend more.
 
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I'm sure you understand my comment.
I understand and share your reluctance, but it's not so easy to avoid something that didn't at least partly originate in China. How many brush makers reveal where their knots come from, synthetic or otherwise?
 
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