Much Difference between Mew Brown and Tuxedo knots?

[bobmsp]

I generally prefer badger over synthetic knots. I do have a couple of synthetic brushes that I have held on to and like. My favorite synthetic is my Stirling Tuxedo brush.

However, I seem to recall a lot of discussion around the Yaqi Mew Brown knot when it came out with many folks claiming that it was even softer and/or better than the Tuxedo knot. I'm contemplating the purchase of a Mew Brown to check it out, but only if there is a real difference between it and the Stirling.

Now that both knots have been out there for a while, does anyone have any opinions about the difference between the knots? Thanks.

 

[Levue]

There will be a difference between a mew brown and a tuxedo, being the former softer and with less backbone.
If you're thinking of getting a Yaqi mew brown, don't think twice

 

[Olegausany]

There will be a difference between a mew brown and a tuxedo, being the former softer and with less backbone.
If you're thinking of getting a Yaqi mew brown, don't think twice

Have any experience with Timberwolf? How it compares to Mew Brown?

 

[Timeclo]

I generally prefer badger over synthetic knots. I do have a couple of synthetic brushes that I have held on to and like. My favorite synthetic is my Stirling Tuxedo brush.

However, I seem to recall a lot of discussion around the Yaqi Mew Brown knot when it came out with many folks claiming that it was even softer and/or better than the Tuxedo knot. I'm contemplating the purchase of a Mew Brown to check it out, but only if there is a real difference between it and the Stirling.

Now that both knots have been out there for a while, does anyone have any opinions about the difference between the knots? Thanks.

I have both knots. Tuxedo knots are soft and they perform great. I feel that they are in the middle of the road for everything. Soft but enough backbone to work with. Not scratchy but also enough feel to enjoy the lathering process.

As for the Mew Brown knot, I did not like it at first. It has a lot of resistance and feels springy and pokey on the face. It might be that the knot is set too deep in my handle but it did not feel nice. However, the more I use it, the more I enjoy it. Especially for a heavy growth of stubbles, the Mew Brown knot exfoliates very well and I enjoy the springy backbone. Overall, Mew Brown has more resistance, more pokey, but still performs as well as Tuxedo.

I would say get the Mew Brown if you are okay with a bit more exfoliating brush. If your skin is sensitive, I would suggest not to get one. Just my 2cents.

 

[bluesman 7]

Have any experience with Timberwolf? How it compares to Mew Brown?

I have a Timberwolf, but I've never tried a Mew Brown, unless the Green Ray is the same knot. The Timberwolf is less dense than the Tuxedo.

 

[Olegausany]

I have a Timberwolf, but I've never tried a Mew Brown, unless the Green Ray is the same knot. The Timberwolf is less dense than the Tuxedo.

Thanks for the information, I was considering Tuxedo and now it even more interested to try

 

[John Rose]

Is the Yaqi Mew Brown much different from an APShaveCo SynBad?
It looks very similar.

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle

• John Rose
• Oct 19, 2018

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle, from AP Shave Co.
The colour is more of a cobalt blue...

SynBad knot:

 

[bobmsp]

Is the Yaqi Mew Brown much different from an APShaveCo SynBad?
It looks very similar.

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle

• John Rose
• Oct 19, 2018

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle, from AP Shave Co.
The colour is more of a cobalt blue...

SynBad knot:

My understanding (which could be wrong) is that the SynBad has the same fiber as the Mew Brown, but is more densely packed.

 

[Timeclo]

Is the Yaqi Mew Brown much different from an APShaveCo SynBad?
It looks very similar.

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle

• John Rose
• Oct 19, 2018

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle, from AP Shave Co.
The colour is more of a cobalt blue...

SynBad knot:

I thought they were the same thing. APShaveCo seems to carry very similar knots to Yaqi, if not the same.

 

[John Rose]

For what it's worth, my APShaveCo Tuxedo ...

Barbershop-Tuxedo brush_0181

• John Rose
• Sep 3, 2019

"Made in W Germany" Barbershop brand handle with an APShaveCo Tuxedo knot. The handle had...

... feels softer than my 24 mm Synbad

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle

• John Rose
• Oct 19, 2018

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle, from AP Shave Co.
The colour is more of a cobalt blue...

I use the SynBad about 90% of the time. The only reason I don't use the Barbershop-Tuxedo more often is that it capsizes my lather bowl floating in the hot rinse water.

Floating Stainless Steel Lather Bowl

• John Rose
• May 29, 2017

with Semogue 620, and a silicone rubber trivet at the bottom.

I do have a couple of synthetic brushes that I have held on to and like. My favorite synthetic is my Stirling Tuxedo brush.

That's good to hear, because I'm waiting for one in the mail.

 

[Timeclo]

For what it's worth, my APShaveCo Tuxedo ...

Barbershop-Tuxedo brush_0181

• John Rose
• Sep 3, 2019

"Made in W Germany" Barbershop brand handle with an APShaveCo Tuxedo knot. The handle had...

... feels softer than my 24 mm Synbad

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle

• John Rose
• Oct 19, 2018

24 mm SynBad knot in Blue Lagoon handle, from AP Shave Co.
The colour is more of a cobalt blue...

I use the SynBad about 90% of the time. The only reason I don't use the Barbershop-Tuxedo more often is that it capsizes my lather bowl floating in the hot rinse water.

Floating Stainless Steel Lather Bowl

• John Rose
• May 29, 2017

with Semogue 620, and a silicone rubber trivet at the bottom.

That's good to hear, because I'm waiting for one in the mail.

That has been my experience with Yaqi knots as well. Yaqi tuxedos feel softer than the Mew brown knots. I tend to go for the Mew brown brush as I enjoy the resistance of the synthetic knots but still, Tuxedo performs well any time of the time.

 

[muzichead]

My understanding (which could be wrong) is that the SynBad has the same fiber as the Mew Brown, but is more densely packed.

I thought they were the same thing. APShaveCo seems to carry very similar knots to Yaqi, if not the same.

Al does get the Cashmere and Synbad knots from Yaqi but they are different from the Yaqi version. They are made to specs that Al had submitted to them. For the most part all the APShaveCo knots are more dense than the Yaqi counterpart as @bobmsp already pointed out.

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

For me there is a bit of difference between the Tuxedo and Mew Brown, but I can only detect the latter's slightly firmer nature if I use one immediately after the other. Otherwise they seem equally good to me.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

I like the Yaqi Mew Brown and find it is a particularly good travel brush to pair with a shave stick. That said, my favorite synthetic brush is the Yaqi Rainbow Brown.
Yaqi Brown Synthetic Shaving Brush, Rainbow Handle

 

[les24preludes]

There are small differences between the Yaqi knots - Timber Wolf, Mew Brown and Tuxedo. But they should not be exaggerated - they are more the same than different. This is in comparison with boars for instance, which are hugely different from each other.