Used this brush for the first time yesterday after a few soak and dry cycles and some "towel stropping" in between each cycle.
My other brush is a Semogue 1250 that I've had for years now as my only brush that I've used after not wet shaving for a while. Years ago I also had a Simpson (forget which model, possibly a Duke?) and few other less expensive/budget Semogue boars but passed them all along when I stripped down to just one brush, so the Mistura is my first new brush in a long time.
Right out of the box I have to say it felt very stiff! Even after a few soaks and actually using it once so far it's still very stiff compared to the 1250, but it's also surprisingly soft on the face. It's a slightly larger knot than the 1250 and much more dense. Despite the stiffness/increased backbone it feels very luxurious. I could immediately appreciate the denser knot compared to the 1250, and had no idea what I was missing over the years until now. The 1250 is an awesome brush and a great bowl latherer, but can feel a bit mop-like on the face and can be a little unwieldy and sloppy when applying the lather (possibly attributed to the less-dense and smaller diameter knot?) The Mistura definitely is not a mop on the face and hoping it bowl lathers just as well as it face lathers.
I used it to face lather some Arko (I'm some of you will say I already ruined the brush by using Arko for its maiden voyage!) I'm usually a bowl latherer, but the brush performed admirably despite being so stiff out of the box, and felt fantastic on my face with no scratchiness or irritation whatsoever.
I was torn between the Butterscotch and Taj resin in ivory, so in classic B&B fashion ordered both. Felt a bit gluttonous about buying both and in hindsight actually think I'd prefer the Taj resin because the butterscotch is a bit too orange for my liking, but it's still an amazing brush and these seem to be getting a little harder to find at the moment. I got one from West Coast Shaving and the other from Razor Emporium, and they're now sold out at Razor Emporium, while West Coast Shaving has them in Taj and Cherry wood. Amazon has them but the prices seem a bit inflated in comparison.
The resin handles are really nice and I prefer the feel of the heavier resin to the lighter wood. Although the handles are essentially the same shape, the resin handle is a bit thicker in the middle, or "neck" of the handle.
It's a fantastic brush, and if you want to step it up a bit from the basic Semogue boars but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for something more luxurious, this is an awesome option and I'd guess it probably punches well above its weight as far as price vs. quality and performance. This could easily be the only brush for a minimalist while still affording yourself a bit of a more refined and luxurious feel without breaking the bank. The mixed knot is just plain awesome.
My other brush is a Semogue 1250 that I've had for years now as my only brush that I've used after not wet shaving for a while. Years ago I also had a Simpson (forget which model, possibly a Duke?) and few other less expensive/budget Semogue boars but passed them all along when I stripped down to just one brush, so the Mistura is my first new brush in a long time.
Right out of the box I have to say it felt very stiff! Even after a few soaks and actually using it once so far it's still very stiff compared to the 1250, but it's also surprisingly soft on the face. It's a slightly larger knot than the 1250 and much more dense. Despite the stiffness/increased backbone it feels very luxurious. I could immediately appreciate the denser knot compared to the 1250, and had no idea what I was missing over the years until now. The 1250 is an awesome brush and a great bowl latherer, but can feel a bit mop-like on the face and can be a little unwieldy and sloppy when applying the lather (possibly attributed to the less-dense and smaller diameter knot?) The Mistura definitely is not a mop on the face and hoping it bowl lathers just as well as it face lathers.
I used it to face lather some Arko (I'm some of you will say I already ruined the brush by using Arko for its maiden voyage!) I'm usually a bowl latherer, but the brush performed admirably despite being so stiff out of the box, and felt fantastic on my face with no scratchiness or irritation whatsoever.
I was torn between the Butterscotch and Taj resin in ivory, so in classic B&B fashion ordered both. Felt a bit gluttonous about buying both and in hindsight actually think I'd prefer the Taj resin because the butterscotch is a bit too orange for my liking, but it's still an amazing brush and these seem to be getting a little harder to find at the moment. I got one from West Coast Shaving and the other from Razor Emporium, and they're now sold out at Razor Emporium, while West Coast Shaving has them in Taj and Cherry wood. Amazon has them but the prices seem a bit inflated in comparison.
The resin handles are really nice and I prefer the feel of the heavier resin to the lighter wood. Although the handles are essentially the same shape, the resin handle is a bit thicker in the middle, or "neck" of the handle.
It's a fantastic brush, and if you want to step it up a bit from the basic Semogue boars but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for something more luxurious, this is an awesome option and I'd guess it probably punches well above its weight as far as price vs. quality and performance. This could easily be the only brush for a minimalist while still affording yourself a bit of a more refined and luxurious feel without breaking the bank. The mixed knot is just plain awesome.
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