You could be right. I do use it as a stick. It's the best stick after La Toja in my opinion.
Synthetic Brushes Give Different Lather?
- Thread starter Ringer
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You could be right. I do use it as a stick. It's the best stick after La Toja in my opinion.
Synthetics are more softer than the boar brushes, no need for breaking in period,animal friendly, no pre-soaking required, odor-free.
Great for those who are vegans or allergic to animal fur.
Great for those who are vegans or allergic to animal fur.
I just like synthetics the best based on pure performance. For me synthetics perform the best. I've tried high quality silvertip badgers and still my preference is with synthetics.
The difference shows up most when using a shave stick.
Boar or badger brushes don't come close to producing the amount of lather a synthetic will produce with less effort.
I wouldn't even use a shave stick if not for a synthetic brush.
The difference shows up most when using a shave stick.
Boar or badger brushes don't come close to producing the amount of lather a synthetic will produce with less effort.
I wouldn't even use a shave stick if not for a synthetic brush.
Best way to use a stick is rubbing it on your damp face and than proceed to face lathering.
In this way, even with a badger brush, it's an easy job.
I disagree. Especially when using a boar brush.
I get the same lather as well regardless of synthetic or boar or badger. Water is what makes or breaks my lather, alot of my soaps I need a really very dry brush to make a great thick creamy lather. I shake the heck out of my synthetic and it makes a big difference.
I'm talking strictly shave sticks now. Not pucks.
Not my experience at all comparing synthetics to boar bristle.
Using a shave stick?
Using a shave stick?
In my post #43 I said: The difference shows up most when using a shave stick.
In my post #43 I said: The difference shows up most when using a shave stick.
Great!
Would you mind sharing some tips on how you get your lathers to be the same level of quality between Synthetics and Badgers?
I love the feel of Badgers and I've tried many different ways, but the lathers I get from them, don't come close to the ones I can produce with a synthetic.
I'm aware that i need to soak it and load way more soap, but after that, I'm lost.
Thanks.
I have a mixture of boars, badgers, and synthetics. My favorite brushes fall in the badger category. I get a decent lather with all of my brushes. The only thing I dislike about synthetics is that many of them seem to splatter lather on the mirror which makes my wife unhappy. When my wife is not happy, I am not happy!
I used to feel the same way about that aspect of Synthetic brushes.
My solution was to use a mist spray bottle for adding water to my face while face lathering. This way, the water is 'finely' applied and immediately worked into the soap with no chance of flying all qover the place.
If you don't mind the idea, it's a great alternative.
I find the kind of hair makes a big difference.
Boar brushes seem to be ok once broken in but until that time I struggle to get good lather.
Badger:
Pure - again once the first few uses are out of the way i can get copious amounts of great lather
Silvertip - lather is great but tends to eat it all in between passes so needs reloading.
Synthetics are easy and consistent but I too find they tend to fling the lather everywhere.
Overall I'm a badger fan first and foremost, then synthetic, then boar.
Boar brushes seem to be ok once broken in but until that time I struggle to get good lather.
Badger:
Pure - again once the first few uses are out of the way i can get copious amounts of great lather
Silvertip - lather is great but tends to eat it all in between passes so needs reloading.
Synthetics are easy and consistent but I too find they tend to fling the lather everywhere.
Overall I'm a badger fan first and foremost, then synthetic, then boar.
I started with an EJ Super Badger and used it for six months. Then WCS ran a special on synthetic brushes and I had heard lots of good things on this forum, so I bought one. There was a reason it was on sale, it is a wretched little brush and I never use it. Fast forward a few months to the arrival of Winter and the arthritis in my hand started flaring up and I had problems gripping the brush. I looked around for a Rubberset 400 and could not find one. Then I landed on the Italian Barber’s web page and found the RazoRock 400 synthetic that is set in a Rubberset style handle. I bought one for $20 in the aluminum handle and have not been disappointed. It is now my favorite brush. It doesn’t make different lather, but it more readily releases the lather it holds, so more lather ends up on my handsome face rather than stuck in the brush. It’s also Uber soft, whic as a bowl latherer, I prefer.
What a fun thread; thanks for those posing the questions above, as it has made me think about my brush use and the whys involved.
I had a lot of time this past year to play with shaving gear and after years of not buying much but blades, went a bit nuts in 2020. I decided to try synthetics again- years ago I had a few and they were poor performers. Normally, I use shave sticks about twice a week and have Arko, Tabac and a MWF stick I made that are in the rotation. Last summer I participated in Arko August, for me in stick form.
After thinking about it for awhile, to me it all comes down to the amount of water held in the bristles. With shave sticks using a good synthetic, because they don't hold much water, lathering seems faster, easier, and more consistent. I have a few decent synthetics, Simpson T2 and the Yaqi Sagrada Familia come to mind. Both of these brushes perform well with shave sticks, although not better, just differently than natural bristle brushes. I have far more boar and badger brushes, probably a couple of dozen. And, for me it's the variance in natural brushes that makes them a fun and interesting part of shaving as a hobby. It's easy to understand using a synthetic and being totally satisfied. Nowadays, they're really quite good.
Boars are trickier; they need a soak just to initially soften for use, and there is wide variance in the amount of water a knot will hold- from my experience even in two examples of the same brush model. This variance in natural bristle knots both makes natural bristle brushes touchier to use and also provides the interest for me. Since you have wider variation, you sort of need to learn each brush. Badgers seem easier to me than boars, not because there isn't wide variation, there is, but perhaps because I have so many more years of practice with them.
Bottom line, if you're troubled by the use of animal products, looking for good consistency, maybe a shorter learning curve, or even just price sensitive, synthetics have evolved into a great choice. YMMV, but for me, at least for now, I'll stick to pondering that natural knot in hand, enjoying the challenge of determining exactly how much water to shake out, how many swirls in the soap tub, or how vigorous to brush my face after applying a stick soap. BTW, I can envision a future where at least badger brushes are no longer imported to the US or EU- but that is an entirely different kettle of fish.
Have happy shaves today!
I had a lot of time this past year to play with shaving gear and after years of not buying much but blades, went a bit nuts in 2020. I decided to try synthetics again- years ago I had a few and they were poor performers. Normally, I use shave sticks about twice a week and have Arko, Tabac and a MWF stick I made that are in the rotation. Last summer I participated in Arko August, for me in stick form.
After thinking about it for awhile, to me it all comes down to the amount of water held in the bristles. With shave sticks using a good synthetic, because they don't hold much water, lathering seems faster, easier, and more consistent. I have a few decent synthetics, Simpson T2 and the Yaqi Sagrada Familia come to mind. Both of these brushes perform well with shave sticks, although not better, just differently than natural bristle brushes. I have far more boar and badger brushes, probably a couple of dozen. And, for me it's the variance in natural brushes that makes them a fun and interesting part of shaving as a hobby. It's easy to understand using a synthetic and being totally satisfied. Nowadays, they're really quite good.
Boars are trickier; they need a soak just to initially soften for use, and there is wide variance in the amount of water a knot will hold- from my experience even in two examples of the same brush model. This variance in natural bristle knots both makes natural bristle brushes touchier to use and also provides the interest for me. Since you have wider variation, you sort of need to learn each brush. Badgers seem easier to me than boars, not because there isn't wide variation, there is, but perhaps because I have so many more years of practice with them.
Bottom line, if you're troubled by the use of animal products, looking for good consistency, maybe a shorter learning curve, or even just price sensitive, synthetics have evolved into a great choice. YMMV, but for me, at least for now, I'll stick to pondering that natural knot in hand, enjoying the challenge of determining exactly how much water to shake out, how many swirls in the soap tub, or how vigorous to brush my face after applying a stick soap. BTW, I can envision a future where at least badger brushes are no longer imported to the US or EU- but that is an entirely different kettle of fish.
Have happy shaves today!
If you want to shave your head and face and don't want to hit the soap again, synthetic is the way to go..... I have even tried loading double time w a large boar or a nice badger....still no good. If only shaving face or head....it doesn't matter...it's just about preference.... some people like Ford, others Chevy and others Toyota..... there is so much variety to feed the addiction. For me the Chinese synthetics are better than the UK.....(same reason)
Synthetic all the way. I had an Omega boar brush for a while and even after I left it in a cup of water inside the fridge at least 5 times for 3-4 days it didn't helped too much and I wasn't pleased with the results. Somehow the Omega was eating too much cream and soap and I had to spend more time to get good results so I ended up selling it.
I haven't tried a badger brush and I don't think I ever will, since the good ones are rather expensive and they also require a special care unlike synthetics and I really don't think a badger brush is going to impress me with anything whatsoever. I would gladly try one in a pass around though, but I doubt that anyone from Europe would do such thing.
I also think that face lathering works better for me with both shave sticks like Arko or using creams. Somehow the lather becomes more slick even if it doesn't look as good as the lather that I make when I use a bowl.
I haven't tried a badger brush and I don't think I ever will, since the good ones are rather expensive and they also require a special care unlike synthetics and I really don't think a badger brush is going to impress me with anything whatsoever. I would gladly try one in a pass around though, but I doubt that anyone from Europe would do such thing.
I also think that face lathering works better for me with both shave sticks like Arko or using creams. Somehow the lather becomes more slick even if it doesn't look as good as the lather that I make when I use a bowl.
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I use Speick stick, can’t say I notice any difference lathering between brushes of boar, badger and synthetic. No problem face lathering the stick with any of them. Horse? Now there is a difference I notice. Doable, as it’s a floppy face painter with little backbone. Not a go-to if using the stick.
