Hi gents. I once had a Muhle Silvertip Fibre brush, and I really didn't like it that much. It did make gobs of lather out of just a tiny bit of product, but I didn't like the action of the brush for face lathering. The knot didn't splay very well. I'm thinking of getting a synthetic to throw in my DOPP kit, and I was wondering if the black fibre might be something more to my liking. Will the black fibre splay more easily yet not completely collapse for face lathering?
Need Synthetic Brush Advice
- Thread starter Foyle
- Start date
I face lather 99.9% of the time and I'll attempt to give an objective answer to a subjective question, so here's my brushes and what I like; Owning 6 Badgers (Best, Finest & Silver-Tips) 2 Vie-Long Natural White Horse Hairs, a Custom Muhle Silver-Fibre and Muhle Black Badger. One Best Badger (24mm knot) knotted by me and the Black Fibre (21mm knot) are @ 50mm, all others are: Simpson Best 47mm; Shavemac Silver-Tip Fan 44mm & Bulb 47mm; Shavemac Finest Fan 45mm & Bulb 47mm; V-L Horses 13066B 47mm & 12750B 48mm; and the Custom (by deruitem) Silver-Fibre @ 47mm. I get plenty of scrub from all my sub 50mm brushes, with the addition of slight scritch from my Horses and Best Badgers, this is what I like.
The two 50mm's are only adequate/fair, the Best has a light to moderate backbone and the splay adds ~1.5-2" in diameter across the top of the loft, the Black Fibre has a moderate to semi-firm backbone, but with moderate pressure it will have too much splay, adding close to ~1.25" across the top, but holds its shape well. If you go easy on the pressure the splay is minimal, adds ~ 1/2" on top, but due to the softness of the tips, I don't feel the same scrub as with the Synthetic Muhle Silver-Fibre.
The lowest Lofted Black-Fibre I found was the model I own; http://connaughtshaving.com/21m223.html most others are offered at ~52mm & higher. Overall, I do like the Black-Fibre though it is adequate to fair as a face lathering brush.
Silver-Fibres I've seen have been as low as ~53mm up to ~56-57mm, I've tried one at 56/26mm and found it totally foreign to what I like, it splayed way too much with some pressure, ~2-2.25", and I experienced no feeling of the tips when I lightened the pressure used, I sure hoped this helps.
The two 50mm's are only adequate/fair, the Best has a light to moderate backbone and the splay adds ~1.5-2" in diameter across the top of the loft, the Black Fibre has a moderate to semi-firm backbone, but with moderate pressure it will have too much splay, adding close to ~1.25" across the top, but holds its shape well. If you go easy on the pressure the splay is minimal, adds ~ 1/2" on top, but due to the softness of the tips, I don't feel the same scrub as with the Synthetic Muhle Silver-Fibre.
The lowest Lofted Black-Fibre I found was the model I own; http://connaughtshaving.com/21m223.html most others are offered at ~52mm & higher. Overall, I do like the Black-Fibre though it is adequate to fair as a face lathering brush.
Silver-Fibres I've seen have been as low as ~53mm up to ~56-57mm, I've tried one at 56/26mm and found it totally foreign to what I like, it splayed way too much with some pressure, ~2-2.25", and I experienced no feeling of the tips when I lightened the pressure used, I sure hoped this helps.
I make no claim for total objectivity, as I am a fan of the Black Fibre series of brushes. I do have a lot of experience with them.
I received my first model two years age, and since then I've added three more to my collection. I've noticed that over time, MÜHLE has quietly introduced refinements to the series. My first Black Fibre brush (on the right below) sported a loft of 66mm. The second had a loft of 60mm. The third measured 54mm, and the brush I received two weeks ago from Connaught (on the left) has a loft of 50mm!
True, they are all Black Fibre brushes, and yes, they all have soft tips, and all work very well with any soap or cream I use. But I suspect that there are differences not explained by loft alone.
The brush I received most recently is from the new RYTMO Black Fibre line. It is still made by machine, and as a result does not have the density of a hand-built MÜHLE STF V1 or V2 brush. The backbone is nice. It provides great face feel and a nice massaging/scrubbing quality. These are medium-density brushes, but very good at what they do. They splay easily and I find them excellent for face lathering. They are excellent travel brushes because the medium density contributes to fast drying. At less than $35 delivered to Connecticut, they are a bargain, as well.
The brush's handle is a big departure from the plastic HJM brushes I own. This is wood--very attractive and nicely grained. At 98 grams, it has a very solid heft and feel. The metal trim is nicely chromed and polished.
The brush fibers are very soft. So much so that I question whether if they are the original fibers that I found on my first Black Fibre brush. They look and feel thinner--more like the fibers on a Kabuki brush. But I cannot be sure. I examined them under 10X magnification, and they are very gently tapered for almost their entire length.
Is this the V2 version of Black Fibres? MÜHLE will not confirm. My suspicions are due to the short loft, which I doubt would have been possible with the original fibers. Member Gary Carrington concurs that this appears to be a new version of Black Fibres. We believe that the fiber is made of the original material, but that it is drawn thinner than the original.
Additional note: the new VIVO line of brushed by Muhle appears to have the new Black Fibre as well.
I received my first model two years age, and since then I've added three more to my collection. I've noticed that over time, MÜHLE has quietly introduced refinements to the series. My first Black Fibre brush (on the right below) sported a loft of 66mm. The second had a loft of 60mm. The third measured 54mm, and the brush I received two weeks ago from Connaught (on the left) has a loft of 50mm!
True, they are all Black Fibre brushes, and yes, they all have soft tips, and all work very well with any soap or cream I use. But I suspect that there are differences not explained by loft alone.
The brush I received most recently is from the new RYTMO Black Fibre line. It is still made by machine, and as a result does not have the density of a hand-built MÜHLE STF V1 or V2 brush. The backbone is nice. It provides great face feel and a nice massaging/scrubbing quality. These are medium-density brushes, but very good at what they do. They splay easily and I find them excellent for face lathering. They are excellent travel brushes because the medium density contributes to fast drying. At less than $35 delivered to Connecticut, they are a bargain, as well.
The brush's handle is a big departure from the plastic HJM brushes I own. This is wood--very attractive and nicely grained. At 98 grams, it has a very solid heft and feel. The metal trim is nicely chromed and polished.
The brush fibers are very soft. So much so that I question whether if they are the original fibers that I found on my first Black Fibre brush. They look and feel thinner--more like the fibers on a Kabuki brush. But I cannot be sure. I examined them under 10X magnification, and they are very gently tapered for almost their entire length.
Is this the V2 version of Black Fibres? MÜHLE will not confirm. My suspicions are due to the short loft, which I doubt would have been possible with the original fibers. Member Gary Carrington concurs that this appears to be a new version of Black Fibres. We believe that the fiber is made of the original material, but that it is drawn thinner than the original.
Additional note: the new VIVO line of brushed by Muhle appears to have the new Black Fibre as well.
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