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Muhle STF dethroned

No, it's the 26mm. I think a 24mm wouldn't satisfy me with this knot in comparison. With 26mm it's between the Plisson and the 24mm. I would even bet that the Timber Wolf actually IS a Plissoft with diffferently dyed fibres.

What I might be interested in is a Cashmere or the PAA Albino knot. But the PAA only has 24mm. So I am hasitating (and it's sold out here in Germany anyway).

The fibers are the same in deed and i think the 26mm is much closer to the Plissoft, exactly as you say. I only have one 26mm synthetic, the Razorock Big Bruce and it is noticeably floppier than my 24mm and 22mm plissofts.

Yes, sir, i think you are right, that the Cashmere should be the best candidate. Better if you find it in 26mm from another vendor. Maybe someone in Etsy might have a 26mm Cashmere? Anyway, you have nailed the situation perfectly, as far as i am concerned.
 
I hope @Steve_in_CT doesn't mind if I re-post his photo of a Roswell knot conversion he made. This is a 24mm Roswell knot in a Yaqi Sagrada Familia (replacing a Tuxedo knot). It turned out really nice, as you can see...

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I hope @Steve_in_CT doesn't mind if I re-post his photo of a Roswell knot conversion he made. This is a 24mm Roswell knot in a Yaqi Sagrada Familia (replacing a Tuxedo knot). It turned out really nice, as you can see...

View attachment 1262904
I certainly have no objections to having you share that photo. That brush was born from my purchase of the Sagrada Familia as a travel brush and my disappointment with the tuxedo knot Yaqi provided. Based upon input in this forum, I bought a 24 mm PAA Roswell knot to create the brush you see above. I used it every day for a 14 day quarantine in Canada while visiting my son and his family. In fact, although I bought it as a travel brush, I use it quite often at home as well. I have several other synthetic brushes (and sold several more, including a Simpsons Chubby and T2), and I would put this one up along with my Yaqi Rainbow Brown as my favorites.

To the point of this thread, however, I have never used a Muhle STF brush, so I can't compare the two.
 

Whilliam

First Class Citizen
I cannot speak to your specifics, but I can certainly endorse PAA brushes. These are the ones I enjoy:
  • StarCraft
  • Amber Aerolite
  • Atomic Rocket
  • Phantom Aerolite
The Peregrino is on my list. At twenty bucks apiece, why not?
 
Recently made the jump from Muhle to PAA. I don't have any complaints with my Muhle STF brushes which have served me well but the PAA lineup appears to have serious super star potential in the genre. The PAA brushes generate incredible lather straight out of the box.
Agreed on all counts.

Which PAAs do you have? Which is your favorite?
 
Agreed on all counts.

Which PAAs do you have? Which is your favorite?

I rotated primarily on these three Muhle brushes for over a year so they're thoroughly broken in, very nice brushes and extremely soft. I have no complaints with these - They're high quality brushes.
IMG_2800.JPG

Moving on, I now have all seven PAA synths. The Atomic Rocket lit the fuse in a big way and set the standard. The Solar Flare and Starcraft are equally impressive. I just used the little Green Ray, far right, for the first time this morning and it's definitely a keeper as well. If I had to narrow the field, those would be the four I would recommend first but YMMV. That's a preliminary assessment; however, the PAA brushes in general represent a completely different level for me. I expect to be happy with them for quite some time.

IMG_2799.JPG
 
I rotated primarily on these three Muhle brushes for over a year so they're thoroughly broken in, very nice brushes and extremely soft. I have no complaints with these - They're high quality brushes.


Moving on, I now have all seven PAA synths. The Atomic Rocket lit the fuse in a big way and set the standard. The Solar Flare and Starcraft are equally impressive. I just used the little Green Ray, far right, for the first time this morning and it's definitely a keeper as well. If I had to narrow the field, those would be the four I would recommend first but YMMV. That's a preliminary assessment; however, the PAA brushes in general represent a completely different level for me. I expect to be happy with them for quite some time.

Which of the seven PAA's is the "floppiest", i.e. easiest to splay?

I'm looking for to purchase something as close to my original L'Occitane Cade brush as possible, have been disappointed with the recent Yaqis as too dense or hard to splay, and the PAA's look very interesting.

Thanks.
 
Which of the seven PAA's is the "floppiest", i.e. easiest to splay?

I'm looking for to purchase something as close to my original L'Occitane Cade brush as possible, have been disappointed with the recent Yaqis as too dense or hard to splay, and the PAA's look very interesting.

Thanks.
Solar Flare for sure followed by ...probably Green Ray or Peregrino.
 
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never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
I have the Peregrino, Solar Flare, Amber Aerolite and Atomic Rocket

Also have the PAA 26mm and 24mm Roswell Grey Hybrid Synthetic knots in custom handles.

The Roswell Grey is my favorite PAA knot - I like it a lot - but it has not replaced the Mühle STF as my favorite synthetic knot.

My current synthetic knot rankings look something like this:
  • Mühle STF & TNS Original BOSS Fan.
  • TNS Quartermoon, PAA Roswell Grey & TNS Full Moon
  • TNS Timberwolf Fan & TNS Tuxedo
Just my opinion and YMMV. :cool:
 
I certainly have no objections to having you share that photo. That brush was born from my purchase of the Sagrada Familia as a travel brush and my disappointment with the tuxedo knot Yaqi provided. Based upon input in this forum, I bought a 24 mm PAA Roswell knot to create the brush you see above. I used it every day for a 14 day quarantine in Canada while visiting my son and his family. In fact, although I bought it as a travel brush, I use it quite often at home as well. I have several other synthetic brushes (and sold several more, including a Simpsons Chubby and T2), and I would put this one up along with my Yaqi Rainbow Brown as my favorites.

To the point of this thread, however, I have never used a Muhle STF brush, so I can't compare the two.

I have the Peregrino, Solar Flare, Amber Aerolite and Atomic Rocket

Also have the PAA 26mm and 24mm Roswell Grey Hybrid Synthetic knots in custom handles.

The Roswell Grey is my favorite PAA knot - I like it a lot - but it has not replaced the Mühle STF as my favorite synthetic knot.

My current synthetic knot rankings look something like this:
  • Mühle STF & TNS Original BOSS Fan.
  • TNS Quartermoon, PAA Roswell Grey & TNS Full Moon
  • TNS Timberwolf Fan & TNS Tuxedo
Just my opinion and YMMV. :cool:

I was hoping one of you fine gentleman or another that has reknotted a handle with a 24mm Roswell Grey knot could provide some help. I was curious what loft you set your 24mm PAA Roswell Grey knot at or what loft you think performs well? I know YMMV but gives me a starting point to play with. The two 24mm brushes with the Roswell Grey knot PAA sells have different lofts, 53mm and 56mm so just curious what you loft you use and how you like it. APShave Co suggested around a 50mm and I found it didn’t splay well at all and was awkward for bowl lathering for the first but until the lather was mostly done then it was a little better, plus as you can see from the pictures below, their knot is noticeably smaller then the Roswell Grey.

For those curious in the difference, I’m replacing a 26mm APShave Co flat / fan hybrid with the 24mm PAA Roswell Grey fan / bulb hybrid. There is a difference in color and not sure if it is because the APShave Co is a flat / fan hybrid but it is noticeably smaller then the one size down PAA knot. I haven’t used the PAA knot yet so can’t say yet if they perform the same. In the photos, the left is the 26mm APShave Co, the right is the 24mm PAA

D8CCB6EE-3A9F-44C3-8CE4-B871A3D5E269.jpeg


726AFDEC-69DF-4C29-B419-29B85111BF2F.jpeg


Thanks in advance for any assistance 👍
 
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never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
I was hoping one of you fine gentleman or another that has reknotted a handle with a 24mm Roswell Grey knot could provide some help. I was curious what loft you set your 24mm PAA Roswell Grey knot at or what loft you think performs well? I know YMMV but gives me a starting point to play with. The two 24mm brushes with the Roswell Grey knot PAA sells have different lofts, 53mm and 56mm so just curious what you loft you use and how you like it. APShave Co suggested a 50mm loft for their knot and I found it didn’t splay well at all and was awkward for bowl lathering plus as you can see from the pictures below, their knot is noticeably smaller then the Roswell Grey.

For those curious in the difference, I’m replacing a 26mm APShave Co flat / fan hybrid with the 24mm PAA Roswell Grey fan / bulb hybrid. There is a difference in color and not sure if it is because the APShave Co is a flat / fan hybrid but it is noticeably smaller then the one size down PAA knot. I haven’t used the PAA knot yet so can’t say yet if they perform the same. In the photos, the left is the 26mm APShave Co, the right is the 24mm PAA

View attachment 1290819

View attachment 1290823

Thanks in advance for any assistance 👍

Don't remember exactly where I set the lofts on my brushes that use the PAA knot. I'll have to measure and report back.
 

BradWorld

Dances with Wolfs
I have enjoyed the PAA brushes since the release of the Atomic Rocket. I also have the Starcraft and the Green Ray. The Starcraft is indeed sporting a great knot. And the Green Ray is quite different. It’s called a faux horse knot, but I’ve owned a horse brush and it’s a good thing the green ray is nothing like that one. But it definitely differs from the other two. Can’t really quantify it in words, but it’s just very different. The new aerolite and peregrino brushes have me curious. They look amazing. But those knots are all the same as the Starcraft, and I really have too many brushes already.
 
I have enjoyed the PAA brushes since the release of the Atomic Rocket. I also have the Starcraft and the Green Ray. The Starcraft is indeed sporting a great knot. And the Green Ray is quite different. It’s called a faux horse knot, but I’ve owned a horse brush and it’s a good thing the green ray is nothing like that one. But it definitely differs from the other two. Can’t really quantify it in words, but it’s just very different. The new aerolite and peregrino brushes have me curious. They look amazing. But those knots are all the same as the Starcraft, and I really have too many brushes already.
Too many? No, I actually understand… but, they are soooo small, they hardly take up any room.
They just sit there patiently looking so nice waiting for you to take them to the dance.
But, you’re right…too many.
Just let that fabulous little brush wallow all alone on a storeroom shelf, stuck in its little box, dark alone, hoping someone will rescue it.

I’ve been working on my enabling skills…how did I do?
 

BradWorld

Dances with Wolfs
Too many? No, I actually understand… but, they are soooo small, they hardly take up any room.
They just sit there patiently looking so nice waiting for you to take them to the dance.
But, you’re right…too many.
Just let that fabulous little brush wallow all alone on a storeroom shelf, stuck in its little box, dark alone, hoping someone will rescue it.

I’ve been working on my enabling skills…how did I do?

Not great. I haven't bought a brush yet as a result of your post. :)
 
So having both the Roswell Grey and AP Shave Silksmoke, I will say there are some differences. The fibers may be the same or very similar, but the Roswell is higher loft and a little less dense, making the Roswell easier to splay. It also releases lather a little easier.

Out of all my brushes, the Roswell is by far the best all rounder, and the Nexus (solar flare) is amazing for face lathering.
 
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