The context
I have been waiting for this brush with impatience for several months, as soon as I saw it on Yaqi’s Facebook page. As far as I know, the idea of this brush came from an Italian client designer by trade and the handle of the brush is inspired by the Moka express coffee maker invented in 1933 by Alfonso Bialetti. After producing a certain number of prototypes, Yaqi was able to present it among their novelties at the Cosmoprof fair in Milan in March of this year.
Les moustaches de Renato Bialetti | La tentation du regard par françois chevret
The knot
Its color in English is "mew brown", which is still hard to understand for me (mew + brown do not really make sense if literally translated). Anyway, the fibres that form it are the same (BASF type) as those used in other knots produced by Yaqi (Tuxedo and the like, with the exception of the Black Fibre). Its diameter is 24 mm for a height of 53 mm (manufacturer data); I have not checked the measurements, but they seem accurate in regard with the stocky aspect of the knot.
The handle
This is the piece de résistance: the homage to Bialetti and his coffee maker of which shapes and proportions were scrupulously respected. However, what triggered the impulse buy is the resin used, which imitates horn perfectly. The amber color and the transparency give a vintage touch of the most beautiful effect, giving off simplicity and sophistication.
Performance
These are just first impressions, but overall, the brush behaves like any other Yaqi brushes that I have tested (Tuxedo and Black Fibre): easy lathering and abundant lather without much effort. Important note: the glue bump is much lower than in Tuxedo knots, resulting in too much stiffness; it is also the reason why I sold all my Tuxedos for a Black Fibre brush, whose the backbone is much more acceptable. In conclusion, the behavior of the Mew Brown knot is very similar to the Black Fibre.
Downsides (for now)
The knots does lose some hairs; I only built two lathers, but the knot lost two to three fibres each time. No big deal, but if the shedding persists, I will contact Yaqi.
Conclusion
Despite the slight price increases of the beginning of the year, the purchase of this Yaqi brush still remains (for how long?) an excellent value for money (£18.50 shipped, about €20, delivered in 10 days with tracking and signature).
Moreover, Yaqi does not fail to stand out (diversification with razors), as much by the price as the originality of their brushes, always renewing their range regularly. Definitely a brush that makes you want to use it and shave.
To be continued ...
