Please point me in the right direction on the "proper use of a synthetic brush". My first day was not what I expected.
Muhle STF V2
- Thread starter Swxteacher
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What was your experience?
I use the 23 mm Classic brush in the Silvertip Fibre V2. I have face lathered Arko soap and TOBS Jermyn Street cream by loading the brush and dipping the brush tips in water to expand the lather. Works great. Where did things fall apart for you?
I have two Muhle synthetic brushes and use them face lathering, bowl lathering, soaps, or cream without any problems at all.
A little more info is needed like. Maybe you put the handle in the soap by mistake then banged it on your forehead?
A little more info is needed like. Maybe you put the handle in the soap by mistake then banged it on your forehead?
My dentist hands out customized tooth brushes that have "The fuzzy end works best" printed on the handle. Maybe this applies to shave brushes too?
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- #7
That's It!!!! I kept getting this big red circle on my face. Thanks
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- #8
OK So I didn't feel like explaining myself at 6:30 am Here it is 1. Quick soak ~ 30 seconds in warm water 2. 4 good shakes 3. 20-30 seconds of loading Mike's soap 4. Brush to face (I mostly face lather) applying soap evenly 5. Dip brush in water to build lather At this point it is building a lather, but not the "tons" I have read about. I keep dipping in water and eventually it builds up and it seems that it likes to stay around the knot rather than on the tips. I have enough for 3 passes, but it isn't the amount I have been accustom to with an inexpensive badger. I think it is a technique thing, just like when I went from an HD to a Fatip (steep learning curve)
No neeed to soak as they are synthetic not natural so do not absorb water. Dampen, moisten, what ever you want to call get it wet and ready to load your soap
Sounds good. the synthetic "traps" water, not absorbs it so you may be removing too much water if you are not use to the synthetic yet
Still sounds good. You may want to turn the soap upside down and load with the bristles pointing UP. This will get more soap deeper into the knot. Load more soap. the brush may not have the body of your other brushes so it may not be picking up as much soap as you think in the time you are allowing. Try doubling the time you load next time and see if you notice a difference
good
What I do is to dip my fingers in water and "drizzle" the water into the brush instead of dipping (remember that not natural hair part).
Are you moving the brush back and forth to deposit the lather on your face? Work it like a paint brush, back and forth, up and down, not swirling around. Slap it on your face, back and forth.
I've only face lathered with my Muhle synthetics so I have no idea how they do in a bowl but so far I have been very satisfied with both of the ones I have.
No need to soak the bristles as a quick run under tap water will be sufficient.
Also, it sounds like you might be using too much water.
With synthetics, the lather doesn't explode and accumulate at the tip of the knot compared to badger. It tends to build lather evenly throughout the shave and keeps on building it, if you face lather. The lather will usually tend to find its way to the base of the knot if you apply too much pressure, so try using less pressure. Good luck.
Also, it sounds like you might be using too much water.
With synthetics, the lather doesn't explode and accumulate at the tip of the knot compared to badger. It tends to build lather evenly throughout the shave and keeps on building it, if you face lather. The lather will usually tend to find its way to the base of the knot if you apply too much pressure, so try using less pressure. Good luck.
I also wet the brush under the tap, I let it drip, give a small shake 10/15 sec load, then to a bowl just to get the water in the brush mixed with the soap then to the face. I can skip the bowl as I did this morning but I don't like adding water to the brush and prefer to start with a wetter brush. With the synthetic Muhle and others if I splay the brush too soon before getting the lather built I lose wet lather down my arm or on the counter. But either way the lather is superior to my other brushes, boar, badger,horse and mixes especially if you consider the speed factor of making the lather. Basically try using a wetter brush, less soap and start in a bowl.
Use my 19mm Muhle Slivertip Fibre this way. While I shower it soaks in the sink along with the shave soap. Take the brush out of the water and give it a gentle squeeze. Load it up with shave soap and face lather. I get the best lather compared to any natural material brush.
I suggest you try loading more soap.
I would change soaps. I use mainly creams and it only takes about 5 seconds to load a brush.
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- #15
Thanks to all who gave me a lot of great suggestions. I'll give it another try this morning. I have found out - like a lot of things in wet shaving - you have to develop a personal technique that works for your setup. But I do really appreciate getting me pointed in the right direction.
I think you need to load a lot longer. Of course this depends on your water's degree of hardness/softness, but--using a Muhle HJM black fibre and face lathering--I need to load Mike's soaps for 75+ seconds (after dipping the brush in water, squeezing it, giving it two or three flicks, and occasionally dipping the brush tips in water as I load). While face lathering I occasionally add a couple of drops of water to the breach, though I'm not sure that this works better than occasionally wetting the tips. I get lots of luxurious lather, more than I need.
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- #17
Better this morning. Load time increased and resulted in better quantity of lather. I think I'm on the right track now. Just a matter of adjusting the variables
