Synthetic Brushes Give Different Lather?

[DaveHStone]

Not only do the synths differ from the boar, but also from each other. I've just gone all synthetic. My first boar brush was great. It's replacement wasn't. I'm now using three synthetic brushes on all my main products, to determine which will live in the travel washbag, which will live in the bathroom permanently, and which will by put away as standby, or only brought out for certain products. Not only are they varying in speed/efficiency and face feel, but also consistency and efficacy of the lather too, in my opinion.

Hey @AimlessWanderer, I have just ordered my very first synthetic brush (Trafalgar T3) and like you.

I'd be much obliged if you could share some more info on the 3 brushes you mentioned above.

P.s.: I face-lather and prefer brushes with strong backbone.

 

[Pottertons]

Hey @AimlessWanderer, I have just ordered my very first synthetic brush (Trafalgar T3) and like you.

I'd be much obliged if you could share some more info on the 3 brushes you mentioned above.

P.s.: I face-lather and prefer brushes with strong backbone.

There's a good chance that you'll like the T3 then.
The backbone is pretty solid.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Hey @AimlessWanderer, I have just ordered my very first synthetic brush (Trafalgar T3) and like you.

I'd be much obliged if you could share some more info on the 3 brushes you mentioned above.

P.s.: I face-lather and prefer brushes with strong backbone.

Since then, I have added another. A Simpson Trafalgar T2.

The other three are an Omega Hi-Brush, Kent INF1, and 22mm Maggards synthetic. The Kent is my primary brush for hard soaps, and the Maggards my primary for creams. They each do those better than the other. The Hi-Brush is the permanent resident in my travel washbag for shaves away from home.

The Trafalgar T2 plays backup to my two primaries, and while it might be used occasionally just for a change, will spend most of the time in a drawer in case of problems with the primary two. It's a good brush, and does hard soaps better than the Maggards, but not as well as the Kent. It also does creams better than the Kent, but not as well as the Maggards. In that respect, it's the perfect back up brush.

I have also revisited natural hair with an Omega Mixed Midget, and am so far unimpressed. It's very scritchy, and doesn't really do anything any better than my primary synthetics.

 

[old_school]

Interesting thread. In an effort to engage the plastic revolution I found a badgers' lather quality can be made finer, smoother than lather from boar or plastic brushes with a given soap. Don't own a plastic brush right now although I think the Muhle STF I once had is worth having on hand.

In any case we all should enjoy what works for us and have fun along the way, plastic, boar, badger, horse...

 

[nav]

Been using boar brushes pretty much exclusively the last 4 years or so when shaving from home. I take a synthetic on the road with me for reasons you are all aware of. Well, decided to use the Fine Stout brush of mine at home because I was having a hard time with Mystic Waters shave stick using my Semogue SOC boar. Long story short, lather was great! No foamy bubbles like I have been getting most of the time. Used it again for today's shave for B&M Reserve and got that dense, low-structure, very hydrating looking lather that seems to elude me much of the time with my Semogue. I wouldn't say the lather I get on the boar is bad. It just doesn't look like many of the lather shots I see posted, whereas the Fine Stout gets it there pretty easily.

I always considered myself a boar guy over these last few years, but the last few shaves has me considering looking at a nice Muhle or EJ synthetic. Are these results expected or consistent with your experiences?

100% agree with you!
Synthetics always produce a creamer, lower structure lather for me.

I discovered synthetic brushes 5 years ago, accumulated around 50+ and then experienced the EJ and Muhle silvertip fibre brushes.

Sold off nearly all my synthetics, around 30 badger brushes and 15 boars.

Now I have just 3 badger, 1 boar, a couple of synthetics and four silvertip fibre brushes from EJ and one from muhle (the now discontinued 25mm).

I could use the silvertip fibre XL as my only brush and I'd be fully satisfied!

 

[DaveHStone]

Since then, I have added another. A Simpson Trafalgar T2.

The other three are an Omega Hi-Brush, Kent INF1, and 22mm Maggards synthetic. The Kent is my primary brush for hard soaps, and the Maggards my primary for creams. They each do those better than the other. The Hi-Brush is the permanent resident in my travel washbag for shaves away from home.

The Trafalgar T2 plays backup to my two primaries, and while it might be used occasionally just for a change, will spend most of the time in a drawer in case of problems with the primary two. It's a good brush, and does hard soaps better than the Maggards, but not as well as the Kent. It also does creams better than the Kent, but not as well as the Maggards. In that respect, it's the perfect back up brush.

I have also revisited natural hair with an Omega Mixed Midget, and am so far unimpressed. It's very scritchy, and doesn't really do anything any better than my primary synthetics.

Just wanna say, I've been using the T3 exclusively for the last couple of shaves, since I received it.

I L.O.V.E. this brush, it's fantastic.

Perhaps my expectation level is not that sophisticated, but I could live with this one as my "one and only" brush.

It produces fantastic lather all around, with hard triple milled soaps, soft soaps and creams. It splays nicely, yet it has a tremendous backbone. It's perfect.

It's my first ever synthetic brush, but it does all I can possibly ask for.