Synthetic versus Badger

[RRGGMM]

I've used a Semogue Owner's Club badger brush exclusively for ten years until recently, falling victim to acquisition disorder and expanding my selection of shaving tools. While I have a Manchurian Simpsons and a Shavemac DO1 en route, my only other brush is a Platinum Synthetic Chubby 2. After using the Chubby 2 for a. couple of shaves, I used my trusty Semogue again. First, I like the know size and configuration of the Chubby 2 a lot, although I might prefer a slightly longer handle. However, the handle length is not a hindrance, and the brush is very nice. Second, the synthetic brush does an excellent job of building a lather; from a performance perspective, it is lovely. Still, after returning to my badger brush, the synthetic brush seems to lack character. That may be a problematic word to reconcile with a shaving brush, but it is the best I can come up with. I soak my brushes in hot water while showering, and the badger is notably better at retaining heat than the synthetic. My Semogue is taller than the Chubby 2, and it may just be the flop I enjoy over a shorter brush with a bit more backbone.

I look forward to using the Manchurian and DO1 brushes for comparison and will certainly keep the Chubby 2 in rotation since it is a fine brush. But, at this point, the synthetic doesn't outperform my tried-and-true badger. I also feel that the synthetic will not change its character much with use. Candidly, I can't say if my Semogue has changed over the years since I used it exclusively for so long that any changes were the equivalent of a frog-in-boiling-water analogy. My Manchurian Simpsons on the way to me is a Colonel X2L in Jade, and my Shavemac used is configured with their standard knot size and loft in a fan shape.

I look forward to experiencing the differences between the four brushes I will have on hand!

 

[Pedigree]

Synthetic has no appeal for me, it's badger all the way. Nothing beats it.

 

[Barbarian80]

Only benefits of synthetics are lower prices and their higher efficiency in lathering the super fatted artisan soaps. In terms of feel, they don't compare to any animal hair brush.

 

[Medivh]

Like pretty much everything related to shaving, it's all personal preference rather ''this'' is better than ''that''. I own 4 synthetic brushes and 2 badgers (silver tip and super) and to me badgers just require more effort and feel very floppy while my synthetics just work with everything I throw at them and the results are always 10/10. I'm glad that I had the pleasure of trying badger brushes, but I'm not sold on the so called muh fancy-schmancy feel of the badger.

 

[rodrigaj]

Synthetics are nice and badgers are nice.

Each has their qualities, but the biggest advantage to synthetics is the amount of time they take to load and to start making lather. Like @Medivh has said badgers can be finiky. For some soaps, they don't care, but for soaps such as Hendix's soaps with their triple butter formulas, they can take forever to load and make a lather.

I think also that synthetics can be dialed in to specific preferences. Guides and knot choices such as those provided by AP Shave Co. can be used to fine tune specific characteristics, which in the world of badgers, is sort of hit or miss.

And, of course, their is no comparison between costs, both in terms of $'s and in terms of killing animals.

 

[Medivh]

Synthetics are nice and badgers are nice.

Each has their qualities, but the biggest advantage to synthetics is the amount of time they take to load and to start making lather. Like @Medivh has said badgers can be finiky. For some soaps, they don't care, but for soaps such as Hendix's soaps with their triple butter formulas, they can take forever to load and make a lather.

I think also that synthetics can be dialed in to specific preferences. Guides and knot choices such as those provided by AP Shave Co. can be used to fine tune specific characteristics, which in the world of badgers, is sort of hit or miss.

And, of course, their is no comparison between costs, both in terms of $'s and in terms of killing animals.

What AP Shave Co. does is indeed amazing. I have a 24mm SynBad brush waiting for me to try it out once I get back home next month. I wish more and more brush manufacturers share some details about the knots like how stiff, floppy, scratchy, soft, how much they spray etc. just like we have specs for razors.

Some might argue that the specs of a razor can be a bit misleading (different gaps, blade exposures, proper angle etc.), but still as a customer I'd prefer to know everything I can before I buy a razor. Whatever that information is indeed useful or not is up to me and me alone to decide.

 

[BigJ]

I am not the best judge here as I have become a ‘badger boy!’ My second choice is boar. But that’s me.

 

[rsp1202]

What AP Shave Co. does is indeed amazing. I have a 24mm SynBad brush waiting for me to try it out once I get back home next month. I wish more and more brush manufacturers share some details about the knots like how stiff, floppy, scratchy, soft, how much they spray etc. just like we have specs for razors.

Some might argue that the specs of a razor can be a bit misleading (different gaps, blade exposures, proper angle etc.), but still as a customer I'd prefer to know everything I can before I buy a razor. Whatever that information is indeed useful or not is up to me and me alone to decide.

It's certainly been easier on the wallet testing out synthetics. AP Shave Co has been a great find for that. Thinking of the money spent back when I started out (circa '08) doing the same thing with badgers (and razors and . . .) makes me shudder. Then again, it has all been great fun.

 

[RRGGMM]

Synthetics are nice and badgers are nice.

Each has their qualities, but the biggest advantage to synthetics is the amount of time they take to load and to start making lather. Like @Medivh has said badgers can be finiky. For some soaps, they don't care, but for soaps such as Hendix's soaps with their triple butter formulas, they can take forever to load and make a lather.

I think also that synthetics can be dialed in to specific preferences. Guides and knot choices such as those provided by AP Shave Co. can be used to fine tune specific characteristics, which in the world of badgers, is sort of hit or miss.

And, of course, their is no comparison between costs, both in terms of $'s and in terms of killing animals.

I never expected consensus, but so far my ten year old badger builds lather equally well with my synthetic. That might be because of my choice of soap. However, the four brushes I have will likely keep me happy for a long, long time. A member here suggested I try a synthetic, and I’m glad I did. It might not blow me away, but it is a nice brush, and I’m glad I have it in my rotation.

 

[Trollky]

For my tastes, synthetic brushes are much like modern cars: reliable but uniform and bland. Whereas I find natural hair brushes to be variable, unique, imperfect and all the more characterful because of it

On a serious note though, synthetic knots give me a bit of brush burn. Even something as beautifully soft as a Cashmere is not immune to this, so dense synthetic knots with shedloads of backbone (like the Simpsons Trafalgar) are really rather painful for a face latherer like me.

 

[Brutus]

Horses for courses…

When I travel and won’t have the time to thoroughly dry the shaving brush a synthetic brush is the obvious choice.

Otherwise I like to alternate between badgers, boars and (less often) synthetics.
If I could have only one type of brush, however, it would be badger.

The one type of shaving brush I no longer use are horse hair brushes. They tangle and they shed and I could get better use out of a (cheaper) boar brush. That is not to say that I might not try a horse brush again at one stage, even though it is not likely.



B.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Brushes were my first true rabbit hole here. I ended up with 23 of them with only a few clunkers. I started with the very fine ESC Ultimate, a G4 synth brush with a two tone anodized aluminum handle. I liked it so much, I bought a second one. I'm glad I did...They are no longer being manufactured or listed as "out of stock" on their website. I gave away three or four of those first brush search efforts trying to match the performance of the ESC Ultimate. Eventually, I found several synth brushes that were equal or better.

I ended up trying natural hair brushes so I could understand what people meant when they said X, Y and Z. I learned the definitions fairly quickly, you know, the brush jargon we use every day here. As a result, I had boars, mixed bristle brushes (Mistura brushes) and badgers, really as an experiment to find out what they were all about.

I should qualify any conclusions to which I've arrived. I'm not an authority on shaving brushes. Add to that, brushes, like so many other things here, are a personal thing. There are lots of variables. Do you bowl lather and paint? Do you bowl lather, then face lather as well (I fall into this category)? Are you strictly a face latherer? Do you prefer thick or thinner lather? There are probably dozens more.

We each end up liking various things. Some of us get comfortable with certain knots or we might change brush knots based on soaps, croaps or creams. I tend to gravitate to the Manchurian Badgers I have. I have never tried the other varieties of badger knots. I don't feel the need at the moment, though I understand why some choose other varieties. I like a brush with soft tips and a little scrub. I learned about natural bristle brushes mostly from @Chan Eil Whiskers . He was my brush guide over several months.. reading his every day posts, reading old threads he had started with all the other participants chiming in. I even participated in a few month long threads, dedicated to this type of knot or that. After a few months, again, I came to appreciate the face feel of a fine Manchurian badger.

My wife, on the other hand, just started developing her own techniques and likes/dislikes while adjusting to traditional wet shaving for women. She loves a few of my synth brushes. She loves the soft feel with just that touch of synth backbone... no real scrubbing, just that slight resistance you get with the better synth fibers.

I haven't even touched on the variety of handle styles and materials that are out there. LOL

 

[Andris83]

there was a similar topic not long ago. My $0.02 has not changed. I'm a new guy, I started with synths. I used the regular Plissoft for 2 years. I still love it. I have got myself other synths, a badger and a boar. The badger should be a good one in the affordable category (Semogue SOC 2-band). It is my least favorite brush (except the handle, the SOC handle is great). It does not even come close to the painting ability of any synth. For me, when applying lather for the 2nd pass, painting is paramount. Synths apply the lather so well, it makes a difference during the shave. I agree, the badger has a better face feel (has character, if you will) during the 1st application, but that is where its superiority ends. I will trade the character happily for a better 2nd pass. Synths are also very good during the 1st pass, I don't feel I'm missing out on anything. So from my perspective, I will not spend 100s or 1000s of $ to pursue a better face feel, when performance is inferior later during the shave.
I like my omega boar, for $10 it is perfect, it has character too.

P.s.: this thread should be

 

[Mr. Shavington]

All shaving brushes work well. There are differences but mostly it’s just a case of getting used to what you’re using and adapting the way you load and lather to what works best with that type of brush. Most of the time you won’t notice the differences between brush types unless you switch - but pretty soon that other brush will just feel normal too. I suspect a lot of the negative feelings about certain brush formats is just due to lack of familiarity.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I kind of agree that "we" should look at each type of bristle on its own. What I mean by that is, as has been suggested, expecting a synth brush to feel exactly like our favorite badger, boar or horse brush is a disservice to synth brushes. I like all the ones I didn't sell and have no plans to part with any of them.

 

[Big Jim]

I'm addicted to Silvertip Badger, but I greatly appreciate Finest Badger and when properly broken in a good Boar. That said, synthetics are getting better and better and I anticipate the time may come when I prefer it. Something interesting is that I have given away a lot of brushes, usually Finest Badger. I have sometimes given away a synthetic to someone that already has a high end badger, and every one of them tell me that they prefer the synthetic.

 

[SydneyShaver]

I personally feel that synths stand out in their own right. They realistically haven't been trying to 'replace' badgers for years now. They can range from having extremely high backbone to virtually none, have basically 0 scrub or scritch even on the cheapest, poorest quality knots, don't have as much of a break-in period (or need much breaking in) [which is not to say that they don't need it but anyways..] and are widely available at an extraordinarily low price for the experience they give. They have 'spring' that no other brush type has, dry instantly and don't shed. They also require 0 maintainence too. Do they hold as much water...no, do they hold temp as well...no. Thats why its worth having a synth and a badger.

 

[nickm]

Synthetic are great for bowl lather.
If you like to face lather get the real thing.

 

[silverlifter]

I used a badger for 20 years until the knot fell out of the handle. Then I bought a chinese synthetic, not because I wanted a synthetic, but because it was in a B&M shop and it was a shaving brush, ergo it would be fine. Dear reader it was not. It was awful. I used it two more times until my current brush, a PAA synthetic arrived and, truth be told, I can't say if it is any better or worse than the badger; it puts lather on my face and it is not uncomfortable.

Wandering around here, there are enough rabbit holes to break both your ankles; I've no intention of stepping into another. Synthetics work for me, and that is where I am happy to leave it.

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

I jumped well into the badger brush rabbit hole and then did the same with synths. The latter is a lot less painful, at least financially, and while some synths are better than others I've never felt I'd completely wasted my money, as was the case with one or two very expensive badger brushes.