Muhle STF XL - It is that good!

[Steve_in_CT]

I've never experienced flinging lather. Running down my wrist? You bet (while figuring out how to hydrate).

For those of you with this flinging problem, have to you viewed the Foolproof Lathering Method posts?

... Thom

I think that the flinging problems occurs with some synthetic brushes if the bristles have a bit of springiness to them. Particularly if you are face lathering, and not painting after whipping up lather in a bowl (as in your linked "Foolproof Lathering Method"), when you remove the splayed brush from your face the bristles may spring back and fling some lather. I find that the Muhle STF does not do this.

 

[Doc Dan]

One thing I can say about both of my Rudy Vey brushes with 25mm STF knots is that after a couple of months or use or so they break in and become so much better. They are so soft and inviting, with enough backbone to load any soap. This knot makes me anticipate shaving.

 

[nav]

One thing I can say about both of my Rudy Vey brushes with 25mm STF knots is that after a couple of months or use or so they break in and become so much better. They are so soft and inviting, with enough backbone to load any soap. This knot makes me anticipate shaving.

I fully agree with this.

When I first got the STF XL, I really hated it!
After several uses, it opened up and became my dream brush!

That was 3 years ago and to this day, it remains my most favorite brush of all time.

I really look forward to creating a lovely lather with the STF XL!

 

[muzichead]

I really tried to like the APShaveCo/Shavemac STF XL Beehive but I just feel its not for me at this time. I have had no problems in making a very usable lather with the brush but it just has a little more backbone than I would prefer and the handle isn't very comfortable for me to use. This past week I've went back to using my TNS Quartermoon and Timberwolf brushes and imo, the STF XL just isn't in the same league as they are. This may have something to do with me putting the brushes together to my specs, but none the less the STF XL has failed to make the cut and has found its way to the BST.

This is not to say that I won't revisit an STF XL in the future as I'm leaning towards either having another made with a handle more to my liking and that is more ergonomic for me at the same time or commission a handle and set the knot myself since I know what is required for the knot.

 

[Andris83]

I bowl lathered the EJ STF XL today. It made a massive amount of lather, more than I usually get when facelathering(any brush, not just this).
It felt 100% like a badger. It splayed and felt like "a wall of badger", with a light scrub. Until it released the lather, then the prickliness surfaced again. So I kept put more lather onto the knot. Since I had a ton of lather this wasn't an issue even for the 2nd and 3rd passes.
It seems everyone is right, the STF feels like a badger, if some preconditions are met.

 

[Doc Dan]

I bowl lathered the EJ STF XL today. It made a massive amount of lather, more than I usually get when facelathering(any brush, not just this).
It felt 100% like a badger. It splayed and felt like "a wall of badger", with a light scrub. Until it released the lather, then the prickliness surfaced again. So I kept put more lather onto the knot. Since I had a ton of lather this wasn't an issue even for the 2nd and 3rd passes.
It seems everyone is right, the STF feels like a badger, if some preconditions are met.

Wait till it breaks in.

 

[Keto]

Wait till it breaks in.

How many shaves do you think that takes?

 

[Doc Dan]

How many shaves do you think that takes?

I don’t know but I noticed a big difference after a month and a half or a bit more of daily use with both of mine.

 

[rsp1202]

Re: break-in. I have what has to be less than a dozen lathers with my favorite RV STF, and the lather is just exploding from the brush now, to the extent I'll have to back off on loading from both MdC and Canada soaps. It's really quite remarkable. I noticed a change somewhere after the fifth shave (which is when I stopped counting).

 

[Keto]

I'm in about 3 weeks or so, I'll keep going with it and see how much softness I can get out of the brush.

 

[muzichead]

I couldn't sell my STF XL so decided to put it back into the rotation and have found that I've been losing hairs every 2-3 shaves recently. This is not alarming me right now but I'd say in the last 1.5 months I've lost a total of about 8 hairs in total and thought I'd take a pic today to post and ask if anyone else is experiencing this? The hair has soap on it as I pulled it out of the tub after loading the brush.

 

[Chandu]

The XL is too big for my taste. I much prefer the Large or Medium synths and there are very few in that size that are any good IMO save for the STF fibre brushes. All other brands seem to want to send you 25 - 30mm synthetic knots because their fiber apparently is not up to the task of making a decent smaller brush.

 

[Doc Dan]

I like the larger knots on any brush. I have smaller, but the STF XL is actually 24mm, and it is really good. Rudy Vey has had many requests for an even larger knot (even from me). He said Mühle simply will not entertain the idea of making a larger knot for some reason.

 

[Chandu]

I like the larger knots on any brush. I have smaller, but the STF XL is actually 24mm, and it is really good. Rudy Vey has had many requests for an even larger knot (even from me). He said Mühle simply will not entertain the idea of making a larger knot for some reason.

I guess it's a case of different strokes for different folks. I think Muhle have gone too far with XL and you think they have fallen short. I personally would love a bunch of good synths in 20-24 mm and I don't think they exist other than in STF.

 

[slyfox279]

I guess it's a case of different strokes for different folks. I think Muhle have gone too far with XL and you think they have fallen short. I personally would love a bunch of good synths in 20-24 mm and I don't think they exist other than in STF.

what do you want in synth? theres lots of brushes in 20-24mm. even seen 18-19mm.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I guess it's a case of different strokes for different folks. I think Muhle have gone too far with XL and you think they have fallen short. I personally would love a bunch of good synths in 20-24 mm and I don't think they exist other than in STF.

They used to come also in 19, 21 and 23 mm. I guess the 19 is no longer available, my travel brush has one. Now I buy only their 25 , which is really a 25 mm knot, and the 23 mm, which is in reality a 22 mm knot (at least I drill the hole 22 mm, otherwise the knot sits lose in a 23 mm hole). Have some of the old 21 and 23 left, but they are set into a cup which has the crimped upper ring that has the metallic look (like the Portuguese Semogues), so their loft is fixed. The other two, the 23 and 25 also in a cup, but without to top ring, so loft adjustment is easy.

 

[Galibier_Numero_Un]

What do you think about the Xl Mühle brush handle ergonomics?View attachment 1711864

I love the ergonomics of the 50mm Mühle Classic XL handle.

Working with @Rudy Vey we specified a brush with a 55mm Tulip handle, which (because of the slight lip) feels only about 1 or 2 mm longer than the 50 mm Mühle. This is my Goldilocks size.

Tall handles "leverage out" for me, and I develop more muscle tension when trying to (for example) control a 60 mm handle. I have average to slightly larger than average hand size.

I can see where the bowl lathering crowd would prefer longer handles.

... Thom

 

[Andris83]

I have bought a FrankShaving Pur-tech 26mm brush during black week. The knot should have the same fibre as the STF. Compared to my EJ STF, the main characteristics are the same, but it is a little different. It feels smaller on the face, which is odd, as it is the wider knot, but it does not spread out that much. The shape is different too, the FS is more fan. It feels a bit less dense, but I'm not 100% on this yet. However, what is 100% sure is that this one has no scritch like the EJ. It still has some scrub, and more than enough backbone.
I'll break it in before drawing any conclusion, but so far so good.

 

[muzichead]

I have bought a FrankShaving Pur-tech 26mm brush during black week. The knot should have the same fibre as the STF. Compared to my EJ STF, the main characteristics are the same, but it is a little different. It feels smaller on the face, which is odd, as it is the wider knot, but it does not spread out that much. The shape is different too, the FS is more fan. It feels a bit less dense, but I'm not 100% on this yet. However, what is 100% sure is that this one has no scritch like the EJ. It still has some scrub, and more than enough backbone.
I'll break it in before drawing any conclusion, but so far so good.
View attachment 1754775

It's been discussed in this thread and a few others, Rudy Vey pointed out the Pur-tech is a completely different fiber than the STF fiber...

 

[Andris83]

It's been discussed in this thread and a few others, Rudy Vey pointed out the Pur-tech is a completely different fiber than the STF fiber...

oh, I must have missed it. I'll try to search now. The difference isn't day and night to me.