New MUHLE Black Fibre V2 brush?

[Codfish]

During the past two years, I've acquired five MÜHLE Black Fibre synthetic brushes. The first brush was a pre-production model with a loft of 66mm. The second, a regular production model had a loft of 60mm. A year later, I ordered a third, which had a 54mm loft.

Recently (about two years after getting the first Black Fibre brush), I ordered a custom Black Fibre brush. It has a loft of 50mm, and what I suspect may be a new V2 Black Fibre. Seeing a new line of MÜHLE brushes (RYTMO) at Connaught Shaving with 50mm lofts, I ordered one. It appears to have this "new" fiber, too.

It is not my intent to review the RYTMO brush here. I will simply say that the fibers on the two new brushes are incredibly soft. So much so that I question whether they are the original fibers that I found on my earlier Black Fibre brushes. 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.

I'd really like the opinion of those who have tried these new brushes. I am not positive that this brush is definitely V2 Black Fibre. It has been an accepted fact that brush lofts with synthetics are directly related to the flexibility of the fibers, and that thinner fibers are necessary for shorter lofts. MUHLE has been gradually reducing lofts to a length that I think would be impossible with the original Black Fibres.

The new RYTMO and VIVO lines available at Connaught Shaving for about $35 delivered to the U.S. may be the most cost-effective ways to get truly fine V2-like shave brushes.

What is your experience with them?



New RYTMO brush and original HJM brush of two years ago.

 

[Gone Gray]

I don't have a lot of experience with the new synthetic brushes, but I do have a 21, 23, and 25 Muhle Silvertip, a 21mm Muhle Black Fibre and a 26mm Frank Shaving custom brush. The 21 and 25 mm is V1 while the 23 is V2. Besides the differences in loft, I cannot tell the difference in feel or performance between the V1 or V2. Frank's brush if very dense compared to Muhle's, but I think that's because of the loft...I had it set at 50mm compared to the Muhle 25mm which is 62mm. I like the black fibre brush even though it's not very dense. I love all but the 25mm Muhle...the loft is set too high for me. The custom FS brush has a lot of backbone which makes it great for soaps, but at the same time, it's still very soft. I had it custom made to almost the same dimensions as a Chubby 2. It's so easy to order from FS...tell them what you want and seven days later it's at your door. It seems the lower the loft the more backbone. I could do this with normal badger hair when I was refurbishing old brushes.

 

[a Rose's thorn]

About a year ago, I bought a Muhle Basic 2 synthetic from Connaught on the strength of one of our esteemed member's (GD Carrington) recommendation. The handle alone is worth the price of admission. The loft is 54mm, right at my current sweet spot. I haven't used it much but your post piqued my curiosity, so off to the shave den to revisit it.

I am a soap/face latherer. As I remembered, this brush makes a great lather. It reminds me of my Vie-long horsehair, great flow-through, but without the horsehair's scritch or scrub. And I think that is why it drifted to the back of the shave den cabinet. I had heard it compared to and possibly exceeding badger brushes. I don't think that is a fair comparison. If you approach the synthetics as another option, just as boar is different to horse, horse to badger, etc..., I think you may enjoy using one. I will admit I like the sound of the bigger knot with the shorter loft.

Ah well, thank you for bringing the synthetic to my attention, I may give it front position in my rotation!

 

[Codfish]

Frank Shaving recently introduced its new PUR-Tech line of synthetic brushes. Gary and I each purchases examples and can confirm that they are true Generation 4 brushes.

My brush is a 28mm with an advertised 53mm loft (actual measure = 57mm). It is quite dense with very soft tips. Here are a couple of photos:

 

[wimbouman]

I have one of the older HJM models also:



And whereas it got almost under the radar with the impact of the Muhle Silvertip fibers, I must say it is a very good brush.
The fibers are well executed - soft, but firm and as with most synthetics a truly great performer.
It is now a regular in the travel bag and with a puck of Haslinger's I really cannot complain about shaving on the road.
The handle has its fans, but I am not one of them; ergonomics are great but looks - meh.

Now that has changed dramaticaly - there's a new color in the catalog.
I think it is called powder blue, and I really like it!

If these fibers are even better, I must try it one day!

It's a pity that Muhle does not make it in the Vivo model, as I like that model better:

 

[Codfish]

...It's a pity that Muhle does not make it in the Vivo model, as I like that model better:

I believe the VIVO models do have the new fiber, if you like that line better. That line has 50mm lofts, which I am nearly positive would not have been possible with the original fibers.

 

[Ronnie Aloha]

Looks like Connaught is clearing out their old black fibres.

 

[kentclark]

Any thoughts on the functionality of the Vivo and Rytmo handles? They look a bit heavy, and I'm worried about the ergonomics.

 

[Codfish]

My RYTMO is heavier (surprisingly so) than the Kosmo I have, and it is bottom-weighted whereas the Kosmo is more evenly weighted. I'll weigh both in the morning when the office opens, and add a note here. To be honest, I am not that fond of the weight or balance of the RYTMO.

 

[4freek]

According to the Muhle factory
The silvertip fiber brushes are comparable to Silvertip Badger and are made by hand and the black fiber brushes are machine made and comparable to a pure badger.

I have a Muhle Silvertip V2 23mm. It is in no way floppy but it is super soft. I easily face lathers, bowl lathers. I have no idea what a high end silvertip might be like but I can't imagine that any brush could be any better. and if it was better what it could offer.
I just don't know what brush could do a better job at making lather or feel any nicer.

I'd like to try a good Silvertip one day just out of curiosity

HA, got sucked in by an old post

 

[kentclark]

My RYTMO is heavier (surprisingly so) than the Kosmo I have, and it is bottom-weighted whereas the Kosmo is more evenly weighted. I'll weigh both in the morning when the office opens, and add a note here. To be honest, I am not that fond of the weight or balance of the RYTMO.

Thanks, Jim. I'm also curious about the Vivo handle if anyone else wants to weigh in.

 

[Kooze]

According to the Muhle factory
The silvertip fiber brushes are comparable to Silvertip Badger and are made by hand and the black fiber brushes are machine made and comparable to a pure badger.

I have a Muhle Silvertip V2 23mm. It is in no way floppy but it is super soft. I easily face lathers, bowl lathers. I have no idea what a high end silvertip might be like but I can't imagine that any brush could be any better. and if it was better what it could offer.
I just don't know what brush could do a better job at making lather or feel any nicer.

I'd like to try a good Silvertip one day just out of curiosity

HA, got sucked in by an old post

thanks for posting the differences.

SBAD can sneak up on you quickly. If you are satisfied with the Muhle stf, run out of this subforum and don't look back.

 

[Codfish]

My RYTMO is heavier (surprisingly so) than the Kosmo I have, and it is bottom-weighted whereas the Kosmo is more evenly weighted. I'll weigh both in the morning when the office opens, and add a note here. To be honest, I am not that fond of the weight or balance of the RYTMO.

I weighed the RYTMO today along with one of my Kismos. The Kosmo is nicely balanced at 70 grams. The RYTMO is very bottom heavy at 100 grams.

 

[kentclark]

Thanks again, Jim. That helps.

 

[GDCarrington]

We are noticing now that Muhle is stepping up the game in terms of the quality of handles used in their synthetic brushes. Spices up the competition between them and other manufacturers.