More Yaqis, first impressions and reviews to follow.

[mawashi]

Same for me. I ordered both this Tuxedo knot and the Cashmere knot in the cosmetic defect handles, to compare the two knots at such a cheap price. They arrived a couple days ago and for the life of me I can't find a defect in either one, no place where the pattern is inconsistent or anything like that. Needless to say it's a pleasant surprise!

The best I can come up with is that to my eye one handle does look a little nicer than the other, just in terms of one has more variation of the black/grey/white, like more prominent swirls, whereas the other has more black and the swirls stand out less. So this probably varies a lot across across a huge batch, and I wonder if that's all it is, if they just have a certain standard of how they want them to look, and the ones that are less aesthetically pleasing are discounted. It's lot of integrity on the part of the seller if you ask me, if there's no noticeable defect in any particular brush.

All I can say that dealing w Yaqi has been great, zero issues and really good service.
Much better than shopping at many places.

Thanks for the great review! Lots of good info in there to help all of us. Thank you sir! I also picked up a cashmere defect brush & enjoy it a great deal.

You're more than welcome I hope the info was helpful. I still have quite a few more brushes to review so pleasewwatch this space lol.

Good to know that you got brushes with no problem. What is the difference between the knots, which one is softer for you?

From the many reports here, the cashmere is softer than the tux.

Happy shaves,

Mawashi

 

[TioFabi]

Option three: the Mokka espresso version.

I like the look of that brush but if i'm buying a brush only for looks the purple haze seems better to me, the barber pole is in the run because the lather don't get to my hands with those long handles, the mokka looks great but i think i'm going to get my hands covered in lather

 

[MrSmith83]

The cashmere also splay more and behaves more like a badger brush. Tuxedo isn't quite as good as the other gen4 synth knots imo.

 

[TioFabi]

From the many reports here, the cashmere is softer than the tux.

I think the softer YaQi knot is the Arctic, can anyone confirm?

 

[Olegausany]

I think the softer YaQi knot is the Arctic, can anyone confirm?

View attachment 997908 View attachment 997909

I was considering Arctic since I like the handle and I don't have any knots with such color but nobody mentioned it I went with tuxedo. My Yaqi brushes are expected tomorrow so I will compare to the other brushes I have how it feels to the touch and if I don't like it I will return and get Arctic instead

 

[nav]

I think the softer YaQi knot is the Arctic, can anyone confirm?

View attachment 997908 View attachment 997909

I find the cashmere softer than the Arctic knot...but very slightly.

 

[zoidberg]

Yaqi said they only use 2 different types for all their brushes, one which is used for the Plissoft style brush, and another for the black fibre one and for all the different types of knot the fibres are dyed.

The differences in how the knots 'feel' are down to other factors including density, loft height, and glue bump.

 

[MrSmith83]

^yaqi told me the black fibre is different and all the others are the same.

Whichever it is, they all feel a little different, due to how there processed or set etc.

 

[TioFabi]

I find the cashmere softer than the Arctic knot...but very slightly.

Thanks, my Dandelion it's on the way, is good to know it's the softer of the bunch

 

[TioFabi]

Yaqi said they only use 2 different types for all their brushes, one which is used for the Plissoft style brush, and another for the black fibre one and for all the different types of knot the fibres are dyed.

The differences in how the knots 'feel' are down to other factors including density, loft height, and glue bump.

^yaqi told me the black fibre is different and all the others are the same.

Whichever it is, they all feel a little different, due to how there processed or set etc.

Interesting, in any case it's good to know the different experience with the brushes, does anyone have a watermelon 28mm yaqi? any difference with the Dandelion?

 

[Olegausany]

I find the cashmere softer than the Arctic knot...but very slightly.

Thanks for information

 

[les24preludes]

does anyone have a watermelon 28mm yaqi? any difference with the Dandelion?
View attachment 997982

How is the Watermelon? I just got the 28mm Tuxedo - 57mm loft. Looked a little firmer but I may be wrong.

 

[Olegausany]

This is latest addition to my small collection. From left to right
TurnNShave 26mm Quartermoon knot on dark blue Maggard handle. I didn't use it yet but it very soft and springy to touch
TurnNShave 26mm Silversynthetic knot on light blue Maggard handle. I didn't try it either but it is feels like badger to touch with soft tips instead of synthetic. Very likely it will be for sale but I will decide that after my 2 Yaqi brushes arrive
CravingShaving brush with 26mm Duro knot. It is biggest and heaviest brush plenty of backbone and very springy and still very soft to touch and face feel
Now I'm very curious how soft is black knot on Yaqi short heavy metal handle is and compares to other known synthetic

 

[nav]

Interesting, in any case it's good to know the different experience with the brushes, does anyone have a watermelon 28mm yaqi? any difference with the Dandelion?
View attachment 997982

The watermelon is 28mm knot whereas the dandelion is 24mm.

The dandelion has less splay being a smaller knot but in terms of feeling, they are similar.
I prefer the watermelon for the slightly bigger face coverage but the dandelion handle is one of the best.

 

[mawashi]

Onward to a review that's both the most interesting but also some I'm somewhat dreading...

My buddy Nav did a really great review before so I'll just give my personal views

The Heavy Metal Badgers

From left to right, Heavy Metal Silvertips Long/Short Handle and the 2 bands.

These are interesting because they have the knots I really love but also the heaviest handles.
The long handle brushes are at a really hefty 153g and the short handle a more manageable 93g.

The knots on the metal series are the most dense and have the least splay of Yaqi brushes.
A couple of pictures of the splay of the metal vs the standard resin brushes.

I love these dense knots but for those who prefer a larger, softer knot look at the resins.

First off, the Silvertips.
I had done a review on the Short Metal Silvertip before on the Yaqi Triplets thread but not with the Long Handle.

I did the usual 10s load with Arko and was expecting a real workout when I face lathered. However, most of the weight was in the handle so it wasn't that bad lol.
The trick is to keep the base in the palm of your hand and just draw circles.

Cos its so heavy, dropping it would be a real disaster, you can easily break a toe, or worse crack the basin or tile lol. This is where size matters, it's large and big enough that you can really grip it well.

It has really nice gel tips and lathers up a storm in no time. If it wasn't for the sheer weight I'll give it a 9 but it's so large n hefty that it won't suit everyone so, it gets an 8/10.

The Heavy Metal Short handle Silvertip gets a 10/10 for me. Its just a super cute Silvertip.

To me the best value you can get in badgers are the 2 Bands and these Metal 2 bands are really fun. For 3/4 the price of a Silvertip you get a really decent badger that works as well or better for daily shaving.

To me they combine the perfect blend of skirtch, soft tips and great backbone, in a bullet proof handle.
A 10/10 for the Stubby metal 2 band which, has become one of my 4 brush rotation and a 8.5/10 for the 2 band long handle.

Cheers and happy shaves,

Mawashi

 

[TioFabi]

Onward to a review that's both the most interesting but also some I'm somewhat dreading...

My buddy Nav did a really great review before so I'll just give my personal views

The Heavy Metal Badgers
View attachment 998237
From left to right, Heavy Metal Silvertips Long/Short Handle and the 2 bands.

These are interesting because they have the knots I really love but also the heaviest handles.
The long handle brushes are at a really hefty 153g and the short handle a more manageable 93g.

The knots on the metal series are the most dense and have the least splay of Yaqi brushes.
A couple of pictures of the splay of the metal vs the standard resin brushes.
View attachment 998241
View attachment 998250

I love these dense knots but for those who prefer a larger, softer knot look at the resins.

First off, the Silvertips.
I had done a review on the Short Metal Silvertip before on the Yaqi Triplets thread but not with the Long Handle.

I did the usual 10s load with Arko and was expecting a real workout when I face lathered. However, most of the weight was in the handle so it wasn't that bad lol.
The trick is to keep the base in the palm of your hand and just draw circles.

Cos its so heavy, dropping it would be a real disaster, you can easily break a toe, or worse crack the basin or tile lol. This is where size matters, it's large and big enough that you can really grip it well.

It has really nice gel tips and lathers up a storm in no time. If it wasn't for the sheer weight I'll give it a 9 but it's so large n hefty that it won't suit everyone so, it gets an 8/10.

The Heavy Metal Short handle Silvertip gets a 10/10 for me. Its just a super cute Silvertip.

To me the best value you can get in badgers are the 2 Bands and these Metal 2 bands are really fun. For 3/4 the price of a Silvertip you get a really decent badger that works as well or better for daily shaving.

To me they combine the perfect blend of skirtch, soft tips and great backbone, in a bullet proof handle.
A 10/10 for the Stubby metal 2 band which, has become one of my 4 brush rotation and a 8.5/10 for the 2 band long handle.

Cheers and happy shaves,

Mawashi

Thanks, great review, i was thinking of buying one of this brushes, but now that you let us know how they are, it's clear that they are not what i'm looking for in a badger, it seem to me the only badger in Yaqi's line that fits my taste is the Yaqi 24mm Aqua Highmountain Silvertip, is there another Yaqi brush with the same knot as the Aqua Highmountain? (That handle is not my favorite)

 

[mawashi]

Thanks, great review, i was thinking of buying one of this brushes, but now that you let us know how they are, it's clear that they are not what i'm looking for in a badger, it seem to me the only badger in Yaqi's line that fits my taste is the Yaqi 24mm Aqua Highmountain Silvertip, is there another Yaqi brush with the same knot as the Aqua Highmountain? (That handle is not my favorite)

You're welcome and I don't think the High Mountain comes in another handle but for what it's worth, a Manchurian for $40+ is a steal. You could extract it or cut it out once you've found a better handle or someone like Graydog to make one for you.

Happy shaves,

Mawashi

 

[Olegausany]

My High Mountain is out for delivery and I do like the handle otherwise I doubt I would order it so I will try it starting tomorrow for 2-3 shaves so I can decide if I will keep it or sell it and just stick with synthetic

 

[mawashi]

My High Mountain is out for delivery and I do like the handle otherwise I doubt I would order it so I will try it starting tomorrow for 2-3 shaves so I can decide if I will keep it or sell it and just stick with synthetic

It's a less treated Silvertip and will need around a dozen or more shaves to get the tips a little broken in.

I do hope you love the high mountain though as its one of the most interesting brushes compared to the usual fare.

Happy shaves,

Mawashi

 

[Olegausany]

It's a less treated Silvertip and will need around a dozen or more shaves to get the tips a little broken in.

I do hope you love the high mountain though as its one of the most interesting brushes compared to the usual fare.

Happy shaves,

Mawashi

Ok thanks for the information