Synthetic, how long...

[jj_sharp]

How long does it take to get accustomed to a synthetic brush?

My wonderful wife ordered something called big bruce, an it is sort of rounded. Packing did not refer to big bruce. Would not flat be better? Few bristles contact my face.

So far I prefer naturals. Should one trim the bristles flat fot more contract?

 

[Ron R]

Could you show a picture of this brush, lots of folks who own Plissoft Bruce 24mm & Big Bruce Plissoft 26mm like them a lot. They are good brushes and some of the newer generation synthetic whiskers are also excellent. I have a 24mm regular Plissoft by Razorock and enjoyed it for over 3 yrs of use. I also like the Yaqi synthetic brushes also.

My 24 mm Plissoft, if it looks like this you should not change anything because the tips are made to be soft with the core more for back bone for scrub and painting. If you can use a natural hair brushes you should have no problem. Maybe set it aside and revisit in a few days.

 

[Timeclo]

Don't trim the bristles! The tips are made to be soft so if you trim of the soft tips, it's gonna feel prickly. Someone I know trimmed their synthetic and couldn't use it anymore.

For me, I enjoyed synthetic right off the bat because of how easy it lathered. I am on and off with synthetic and natural hair brushes but enjoy both in their own unique ways. Don't expect one to be like the other..

 

[John R]

Don't trim it! They are like an '80s superbadger, only with backbone. I have several, with one of the new Kents on the way (birthday coming up). Compared to a boar, if that's what you are used to, there is a bit of getting used to. You get more of your face into it. Sound like you have a good friend.
Enjoy.

 

[JohnPS]

I think synthetics are great, enjoyed them immediately. My favourite over brush is the yaqi moka... it's soft and works well with croaps and creams. For soaps generally a badger with back bone works better to load up the brush.

 

[GearNoir]

I don’t think anyone has said it directly yet...but the brush is meant to be gently pushed/mashed onto the skin, so it ends up helping exfoliate and also work the lather up. Most or all of the hairs should be able to contact the skin this way with little effort and should still be very comfortable.

I have a Razorock Big Bruce too. It’s a great synthetic!

 

[SterFry]

I can't imagine it taking more than just a test lather or two. Synthetics are the most efficient lather producing brush type in regards to both time and soap/cream consumption and are way, waaay tougher than naturals. You can mash that thing into oblivion and not skip a beat.

They exclusively use surface tension to retain water unlike naturals .. That was the biggest thing for me to get used to and imagine that will be the case with most people.

 

[ajkel64]

I only have a few synthetics and they are fantastic brushes IMHO. They dry quick and I actually like the feel of them on my face. I would not trim them or cut them down. I would give it a little time to get used to.

 

[Roy]

I'd an old synthetic which I decided to trim as I felt it was too floppy. Turned into a rough feel and couldn't make lather. I bought 2 new generations since and they are really really good. Experiment with the brush .

 

[gwsmallwood]

I have a couple of brushes that have that same 26mm knot. You just need to splay the brush a bit more to get face coverage. I actually prefer 24mm knots, as anything larger doesn't splay quite as easily.

 

[Demolition]

My wonderful wife ordered something called big bruce, an it is sort of rounded. Packing did not refer to big bruce. Would not flat be better? Few bristles contact my face.

If you're having trouble getting the brush to splay, then use the point of your chin to get the fibres to spread apart.

Once it's splayed, start swirling up to your cheek.

 

[John R]

My experience is that synthetics wick up a lot more water than either boar or badger. My Hulk holds about 1/4 cup, if I let it. this can drown a soap in a hurry. Once it get going, I have enough lather to do several days....................

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

How long does it take to get accustomed to a synthetic brush?

Use if for a while, exclusively. I didn't like my first synthetic when I first got it. Took it on a trip to Vermont where it was my only brush for two weeks and I fell in love with it.

 

[mata_66]

The RR Bruce was my introduction to synths (I believe around the end of 2017). After many synthetics (+20) the Bruce is still among my favorites. I agree I favor 24mm over 26mm.

 

[RayClem]

Brushes come in many different sizes and shapes.

I have some horsehair and boar bristle brushes that are quite flat at the top. They are ideal for lathering a hard puck in a mug.

I have some brushes, both badger and synthetic, that are shaped like a light bulb. They are great for building a lather in a rounded shaving bowl.

Some brushes are fan shaped. They are not as flat as some brushes, but not as rounded as others. Many times these brushes are preferred by those who face lather.

The Big Bruce is a bulb shaped knot, which is great for bowl lathering. However, because it is a 26mm knot, it should still have plenty of face contact area for face lathering.

Every brush, whether badger, boar, horsehair, or synthetic has its own idiosyncrasies and will take a little time to get used to the differences. I have quite a few brushes in my collection and enjoy using all but a couple: a horsehair brush that is too small and a badger brush that has no backbone. I find that some brushes work best with specific types of soaps. I like using boar brushes with harder soaps as the extra backbone helps. With softer croaps and creams, a floppy badger works well. However, nearly any brush can be used with mid-firm soaps. I have also found that synthetic brushes will lather nearly any type of soap from creams to triple-milled pucks. Thus, when trying a soap I have never used before, I will select one of my synthetic brushes. After that first use, I might try another brush next time.

 

[xiletero]

I think synthetic brushes is one of the few things that have really improved over the years regarding shaving. Easy to use, inexpensive. The first generation were horrible but now I think most are good.
I still use all sorts of brushes but prefer synthetics by a lot. I your current brush is too soft for your taste, get a Simpson Trafalgar or even better: Muhle. Yes they are pricy.... Or else get a Yaqi....
Anyway hope you get to enjoy these brushes...

 

[jj_sharp]

Do people leave the soap in synthetic brushes after use, for the next day?

I always rinced out natural brushes.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Do people leave the soap in synthetic brushes after use, for the next day?

I always rinced out natural brushes.

That was how things were done many years ago, although with natural brushes, and there is probably no harm in it. However, general modern wisdom is to rinse your brush thoroughly after use and most people, including myself, do just that. My advice is to not leave soap in your brush.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Do people leave the soap in synthetic brushes after use, for the next day?

I always rinced out natural brushes.

A new day a new soap, just too many choices to reuse lather....

 

[Atlantic59]

You should rinse the brush until the water runs clear.

Synthetic brushes have improved quite a lot in recent years. Your brush has more of a "bulb" shape. Other shapes are available such as the "fan" or "hybrid" shapes. The current fashion is for very large knots, though 22mm and 24mm sizes are not too hard to find.