Maseto Avatar 30 Knott 56 Loft Silver Tipped Badger Shaving Brush!

[nemo]

However, you can't find any Yaqi badger brushes for sale in the US. The only places you can buy them are on Ebay and Aliexpress.

Have you tried West Coast Shaving?

Wet Shaving Razors & Supplies

Shop top classic wet shave brands sourced from around the world. Shaving soaps, double edge safety razors, straight razors, shaving brushes and more.

www.westcoastshaving.com

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

Have you tried West Coast Shaving?

Wet Shaving Razors & Supplies

Shop top classic wet shave brands sourced from around the world. Shaving soaps, double edge safety razors, straight razors, shaving brushes and more.

www.westcoastshaving.com

Thanks! They do seem to have some badger brushes from Yaqi, a couple of which are cool looking. But they don't carry Mysterious in badger, they only have that in synthetic. I can only seem to find Yaqi Mysterious in badger, on places like Ebay or Aliexpress. I don't know if it has to do with the supply shortages or what, but I am most certainly not looking for another 1-month long wait rodeo.

I was willing to do that once, to get my holy grail brush, so that was worth it. But so not doing that again, for a non holy grail brush. Thanks again though Nemo, I love how helpful you can be, and I want you to know that I appreciate it!

 

[APBinNCA]

Because I started this journey with a real badger brush, I am afraid to try out synthetic brushes. I think Phoenix might be this way, but in reverse. One thing I find interesting about Yaqi brushes is, you can find plenty of synthetic Yaqi brushes for sale in the US. However, you can't find any Yaqi badger brushes for sale in the US. The only places you can buy them are on Ebay and Aliexpress.

There's a Yaqi brush that I got my eye on that I want, but it would mean another month long wait to get it, as it comes direct from China. Of course, if I can get myself to buy a synthetic instead, there is that option to get a Yaqi brush with the handle I'd like, much quicker. But then I am taking a chance, will I like the synthetic? Or will I hate it?

Hmmmm

EmptyDrop

G5 Shaving Brush Knots. The G5 Synthetic Shaving Brush Knots contain the following: 1. All G5A & G5B Knots contain hair imported from Germany. G5C hair is imported from Japan 2. All G5 knots have characteristics that make them an improvement over G4 knots. Click on each knot to learn more!

apshaveco.com

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

EmptyDrop

G5 Shaving Brush Knots. The G5 Synthetic Shaving Brush Knots contain the following: 1. All G5A & G5B Knots contain hair imported from Germany. G5C hair is imported from Japan 2. All G5 knots have characteristics that make them an improvement over G4 knots. Click on each knot to learn more!

apshaveco.com

Your always so violent lol!

Thanks for the recommendation, I had a look at their brushes on the site, and while they don't have any brushes with the Mysterious handle, they do have a brush I am interested in though. I like their brushes with the Blue Lagoon handles, those are right up my alley. And I see a couple of different choices with that handle. I might just end up getting one of these.

I think they are based in the US right? Well, thats great! While their pictures are not as high resolution as mine, they were detailed just enough, that I was able to see the density of the knot, and it seems dense enough to impress me. I also like, (believe it or not) the smaller knot size, I kind of want my next brush to be a smaller one.

 

[APBinNCA]

Your always so violent lol!

Thanks for the recommendation, I had a look at their brushes on the site, and while they don't have any brushes with the Mysterious handle, they do have a brush I am interested in though. I like their brushes with the Blue Lagoon handles, those are right up my alley. And I see a couple of different choices with that handle. I might just end up getting one of these.

I think they are based in the US right? Well, thats great! While their pictures are not as high resolution as mine, they were detailed just enough, that I was able to see the density of the knot, and it seems dense enough to impress me. I also like, (believe it or not) the smaller knot size, I kind of want my next brush to be a smaller one.

There really needs to be a less violent "nudge, nudge" emoji, but I have grown to like it!

You can't loose with any of the brushes with the blue lagoon handle, but the link I sent you is the latest synthetic hair technology. It is only rivalled by the existing Muhle STF. What you do is look at their handles and there is an option to pick the hair you want and they make you a brush. You can always email them, they are helpful. The G5C is going to be my next synthetic when I figure out so things. They are in Canada.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I have and use only one synthetic along with a lot of badgers and boars.


View attachment 1447553


My synthetic is very much like a three band silvertip in all its characteristics. That's not to say other synthetics are the same.

The Evo feels almost exactly like a good albeit not terribly dense silvertip three band. It loads and lathers the same or so close I can't tell enough difference to shake a stick at. It also holds the heat so it can deliver a warm lather. (They say synthetics don't usually do that.) I suspect its at the top of the synthetic knot heap, but my knowledge of synthetics is limited.

Yes, I've tried a couple of other synthetics. They were not the same as this one.

This one synthetic is, to me, not enough different, if it's any different, from a badger to matter.

I'd say the lather it produces is very slightly different in having perhaps a finer texture (sorry, can't define that better), but that difference is terribly minor and certainly of no practical consequence to me.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Jim,

OK..... I did the next best thing to ordering a badger brush... I ordered the Omega Evo. lol.... so another synthetic that feels like badger. That way, I'll be able to tell if I really need to buy a badger or not.

Now... I'm going to have to unload some brushes. I have a G5 brush sort of purchased on a FB Alpha Shaving group buy. That will be ready in a few weeks, I think. And I have a Maseto synthetic on the way... 28mm with the Avatar handle. And now the Omega Evo. I'll find new homes for my two PAA brushes. They are my least favorite: the Atomic Rocket and the Peregrino. It's not that they are bad...... but they don't feel anywhere near as nice as my ESC Ultimate G4 brush.

The jury is still out on the Simpsons Trafalgar T3. I've only used it once and it was just OK. There have been lots of mixed feelings about it here on B&B. I think I get that. But I got it for cheap.... so I might let that one hang around a while. We'll see.

I'll update this thread when I get the Omega Evo, if that's ok with you, Chris... this is your thread, after all. Oh.... and I will also let you know what I think about the Maseto 28mm synth when it shows up. You're the reason I looked at his brushes in the first place.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I'll update this thread when I get the Omega Evo, if that's ok with you, Chris... this is your thread, after all. Oh.... and I will also let you know what I think about the Maseto 28mm synth when it shows up. You're the reason I looked at his brushes in the first place.

Yes, thats ok with me. I mean, I know that technically were talking about two different brushes, so can be a little off topic. But at the end of the day, I think its much more helpful for a viewer, to see comparisons between brushes, in a single thread. IMO, that would be more helpful, as it would make it easier for a beginner to choose their brush.

A beginner will ask, should I go synthetic? Should I go badger/bore? And if I go synthetic, badger, or bore, among those choices, which are the best for me? See what I mean? So, lets just keep it all in this thread, so we can help more folks out there. That works for me anyways.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Jim,

OK..... I did the next best thing to ordering a badger brush... I ordered the Omega Evo. lol.... so another synthetic that feels like badger. That way, I'll be able to tell if I really need to buy a badger or not.

Now... I'm going to have to unload some brushes. I have a G5 brush sort of purchased on a FB Alpha Shaving group buy. That will be ready in a few weeks, I think. And I have a Maseto synthetic on the way... 28mm with the Avatar handle. And now the Omega Evo. I'll find new homes for my two PAA brushes. They are my least favorite: the Atomic Rocket and the Peregrino. It's not that they are bad...... but they don't feel anywhere near as nice as my ESC Ultimate G4 brush.

The jury is still out on the Simpsons Trafalgar T3. I've only used it once and it was just OK. There have been lots of mixed feelings about it here on B&B. I think I get that. But I got it for cheap.... so I might let that one hang around a while. We'll see.

I'll update this thread when I get the Omega Evo, if that's ok with you, Chris... this is your thread, after all. Oh.... and I will also let you know what I think about the Maseto 28mm synth when it shows up. You're the reason I looked at his brushes in the first place.

I wasn't actually trying to get you to buy one...

But there's a reason I win this award month after month.

I look forward to your reviews and comparisons of the various synthetics.

My guess is the upper end synthetics which are apparently more expensive than the others have somewhat similar knots. From what I've read the knots are certainly not exactly the same, and probably not exactly the same fibers, but they're similar and perhaps so similar as to not make much difference to most people.

I'm not very experienced with synthetics.

However, I don't think a high end synthetic is going to tell you not to try a good badger. Badgers and boars and horses have an actual voice, but synthetics are silent.





This rather expensive for a Yaqi brush is calling my name at West Coast Shaving. (Which is an example of the "voice" mentioned already.) It's pretty, but it's too small for me to be tempted enough to pull any triggers. I noticed another really nice one at WCS on sale and pretty cheap.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Not that I've confirmed the information but it's been occasionally reported that Stirling brushes are made by Yaqi, so perhaps they can be joined to the WCS Yaqi brushes available retail in the US.

I have both Stirling and Yaqi brushes and suspect the information reported is correct.

My favorite Stirling badger is a brush they seem to no longer carry. Its loft is a little higher than some. Initially I didn't like it. Now I like it a good little bit. It's a two band but feels like a three band. In fact, for a while I though it was a three band even though it obviously isn't. (Now I know the difference but that was then.)

I believe they had this brush is a lower and a higher loft.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Phoenixkh]

You're right, but there's only one way to find out how an apple tastes and what its texture is like.

I have little synthetic experience but enough to recommend the Evo. Rave @Raven Koenes has used a fair number of badgers, at least one of them being an excellent Manchurian, and other natural animal hair and/or bristle brushes. He has for a long time only used synthetics. He says the Omega Evo is the World's Best Brush. I don't know if he's right, but I know it is better than the other synthetics I've used (for me), and I like it.

This is what convinced me to try the Evo. It's only money, right? I should get it sometime this week, I hope. It will ship out of Michigan when UPS picks it up... the label has been created. So MI to FL should only be a few days at most.

Alpha Shaving makes the Ultimate for ESC and Steve Tinter is doing a group buy on a FB group page. I'm taking another chance there too... though I can just get him to add another G4 knot to the brush. He is concocting some sort of G5 variant for this run... not A, B or C.. at least, that is the claim. Those should be ready to go sometime in the next few weeks.

So my hope is... with the Maseto 28mm synth, the Evo and the Alpha Shaving brushes, if they all perform to my expectations... I'll be able to settle on a 4 brush rotation and that will be settled for a while... if not.. I'll be going down the badger rabbit hole, I'm sure.

 

[APBinNCA]

This is what convinced me to try the Evo. It's only money, right? I should get it sometime this week, I hope. It will ship out of Michigan when UPS picks it up... the label has been created. So MI to FL should only be a few days at most.

Alpha Shaving makes the Ultimate for ESC and Steve Tinter is doing a group buy on a FB group page. I'm taking another chance there too... though I can just get him to add another G4 knot to the brush. He is concocting some sort of G5 variant for this run... not A, B or C.. at least, that is the claim. Those should be ready to go sometime in the next few weeks.

So my hope is... with the Maseto 28mm synth, the Evo and the Alpha Shaving brushes, if they all perform to my expectations... I'll be able to settle on a 4 brush rotation and that will be settled for a while... if not.. I'll be going down the badger rabbit hole, I'm sure.

You really should just grab that Chubby 1 Super in the BST right now. You won't find a price like that again and you will have one smaller brush, which is a handy thing to have.

 

[Phoenixkh]

You really should just grab that Chubby 1 Super in the BST right now. You won't find a price like that again and you will have one smaller brush, which is a handy thing to have.

That is a remarkable price indeed.

 

[Raven Koenes]

You're right, but there's only one way to find out how an apple tastes and what its texture is like.

I have little synthetic experience but enough to recommend the Evo. Rave @Raven Koenes has used a fair number of badgers, at least one of them being an excellent Manchurian, and other natural animal hair and/or bristle brushes. He has for a long time only used synthetics. He says the Omega Evo is the World's Best Brush. I don't know if he's right, but I know it is better than the other synthetics I've used (for me), and I like it.

To me, some synthetics are artificial feeling (the Evo is not) and/or too springy and/or don't hold water and heat. I require scrub and the ability to splay nicely. Not all brushes give me that. Some boars and badgers are not to my liking so why should I like all synthetics?

Happy shaves,

Jim