Yes!!!
Who makes the softest synthetic brush
- Thread starter narativesoul
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I'm with @gwsmallwood on setting all my own knots. The reason I do this is I've purchased brushes from vendors in the past and while I liked the knot very much, I wasn't keen at all on the handles the vendors supplied for them and it wasn't until I set the 1st Cashmere from APShaveCo that I noticed the difference in feel and performance between the complete brush they sent and the complete brush I put together with my desired loft. Same thing with the SynBad brush also... I personally feel Yaqi has the ugliest handles in the industry, but as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!! The only handle they've released that I was moderately interested in was the Sagrada Familia handle but it came with the standard Tuxedo knot so that was an automatic pass imo... I've personally never had a problem with a higher glue bump with any of my knots I've set myself and in fact as I mentioned already, the knots I've set improved and are why they are still a part of my rotation.
Although the Silksmoke I had at one time was from Larry at Whipped Dog, I'm sure it wasn't much different than the ones from Al at APSaveCo. To me there was no difference between the regular Tuxedo that most offered and the Silksmoke as it just had way too much spring to it and I always felt I had to really work to get it to splay even the slightest bit. I will always give a knot at least a month of good use before I make the decision to keep it or put it in the BST as I have found personally, even synthetic knots have a break in period just the same as a natural hair knot. A perfect example of this is the Timberwolf knot I set from Milton @ TurnNShave. For the first 3-4 shaves it had a slight springiness to it and then it softened up and now it is one of the top knots I use as it splays on demand now just like I would expect it to!!
I haven't noticed any upside down fibers in any of my brushes as well but will check it out as I'm intrigued to say the least. I will do some checking with the knots I have and report back...
Although the Silksmoke I had at one time was from Larry at Whipped Dog, I'm sure it wasn't much different than the ones from Al at APSaveCo. To me there was no difference between the regular Tuxedo that most offered and the Silksmoke as it just had way too much spring to it and I always felt I had to really work to get it to splay even the slightest bit. I will always give a knot at least a month of good use before I make the decision to keep it or put it in the BST as I have found personally, even synthetic knots have a break in period just the same as a natural hair knot. A perfect example of this is the Timberwolf knot I set from Milton @ TurnNShave. For the first 3-4 shaves it had a slight springiness to it and then it softened up and now it is one of the top knots I use as it splays on demand now just like I would expect it to!!
I haven't noticed any upside down fibers in any of my brushes as well but will check it out as I'm intrigued to say the least. I will do some checking with the knots I have and report back...
I took my SynBad knot and did an inspection with it today and although I did find several upside down hairs in the brush it just wasn't enough I feel to make any kind of distinctive difference in the lathering!! My knot feels extremely soft and has absolutely no scritch or scratchiness to it at all. I will say that after several lathers the knot seemed to become softer and easier to splay much like any of my other synthetics. My newest TurnNShave 26mm Timberwolf has only had about 5-6 shaves on it and I can already feel a difference in face feel and splay ability. I am thinking it might take the top spot in my rotation in the near future!!
I went through my Synbad again this weekend. The number of upside down hairs I've removed is 35. I used it on today's shave and it was drastically improved. It seems like Andrew at APShaveco has seen more of in issue with his last batch of Synbad 24mm knots than his 28mm knots. It is a fantastic brush. Congradulations on your TurnNShave Timberwolf. I've heard they are a bit more pricey? My favorite synth at the moment is my Silksmoke from APShaveco.
I bought mine back in August so it may be from the same batch as the one you have, but as I said there weren't that many in it. The Timberwolf knot only cost $15 shipped but the handle was I believe in the $60 range from what I recall but it has broken in and whips up a great lather in just a couple minutes and its enough for at least a 5-6 pass shave if I needed to do that many!!
The thing that surprises me is you said your Silksmoke was softer than the Synbad. The one I had was springy and stiff and I really had to work to get it to splay when lathering. Its great to hear your brushes are doing well for you though...
For me, the softest by far is the 30mm SynBad I got in July. I have the 24mm as well, had it first and liked it so much I got the 30mm a month later.
Which brings me to my point: I thought the 24mm was superb, then was totally blown away by the 30mm! And within the last month or so, I thought my 24mm was poking me, almost scritchy. How could this brush change? I originally thought it was the best. I don't think it changed, I think my perception changed after using the 30mm much more. I emailed Andrew at APShaveCo and learned about inverted fibers. I have now removed 30. Today's shave experience was much better, but still feels like the knot has more scrub than the 30mm. I think that is what I want to call it. I tried a Frank Shaving Pur-Tech, reportedly the same fibers but not as densely packed as the SynBad, and found it to have too much scrub or backbone for me. I believe because the knot was either set lower or the loft wasn't as tall. The Pur-Tech seemed to be stubby or stout compared to my Maggard and SynBad brushes.
Which brings me to my point: I thought the 24mm was superb, then was totally blown away by the 30mm! And within the last month or so, I thought my 24mm was poking me, almost scritchy. How could this brush change? I originally thought it was the best. I don't think it changed, I think my perception changed after using the 30mm much more. I emailed Andrew at APShaveCo and learned about inverted fibers. I have now removed 30. Today's shave experience was much better, but still feels like the knot has more scrub than the 30mm. I think that is what I want to call it. I tried a Frank Shaving Pur-Tech, reportedly the same fibers but not as densely packed as the SynBad, and found it to have too much scrub or backbone for me. I believe because the knot was either set lower or the loft wasn't as tall. The Pur-Tech seemed to be stubby or stout compared to my Maggard and SynBad brushes.
I don't know if these are "the softest," but for me and my face, they're all perfectly soft.
The Yaqi Tuxedo, flanked by the RazoRock Plissofts. ----- Mmmmmmm good !
The Yaqi Tuxedo, flanked by the RazoRock Plissofts. ----- Mmmmmmm good !
I recently bought the 24mm Brown and White Knot from Haircut and Shave Co. I have had about five shaves with it. I'm sure it is the softest knot I've ever used. I've tried quite a few others, including the Synbad, Cashmere, Tuxedo, and various plissofts.
It has very little backbone, which I may try to remedy by setting it deeper. But it is pillowy soft and dense. The denseness makes it more of a lather hog than other synthetics, but not to the extent of many badger brushes. It also holds water better than other synthetics. So you can add more water at one time while face lathering without dripping.
I'm still not sure it's my favorite knot, but it is the softest.
Haircut and Shave Co. 24mm Synthetic Shaving Brush knot (Brown and White)
It has very little backbone, which I may try to remedy by setting it deeper. But it is pillowy soft and dense. The denseness makes it more of a lather hog than other synthetics, but not to the extent of many badger brushes. It also holds water better than other synthetics. So you can add more water at one time while face lathering without dripping.
I'm still not sure it's my favorite knot, but it is the softest.
Haircut and Shave Co. 24mm Synthetic Shaving Brush knot (Brown and White)
Looks to be the exact same knot as the Mother Lode that Elite Razor carries. I've read reviews that had described it as nothing more than a make-up brush it was so soft...
Umm... that's not what I see with my 8X loupe.
Looking at the tips of an APShaveCo SynBad, an APShaveCo Tuxedo, an older The Body Shop synth, and a Personnelle Kabuki makeup brush, there are two things that they all have in common:
- They taper, possibly done by drawing the fibre out while it's hot enough to melt.
- They have a slight bend at the tip, varying from 10 to 30 degrees.
FWIW, the SynBad is my favourite brush these days (competing with a couple of badgers and boars). I would probably use the Tuxedo more if it was not set in a long handle.
Not completely relevant, but I came across this illustration, which is about brushes for painting and watercolours:
Presumably the "bristle" is boar.
I don't know what makeup brushes are like. But this would definitely be a brush for people who want extreme softness and don't mind lack of backbone.
Thanks for your first hand observations and information that clarifies that once again I shouldn't believe everything I read on the internet when doing research.Umm... that's not what I see with my 8X loupe.
Looking at the tips of an APShaveCo SynBad, an APShaveCo Tuxedo, an older The Body Shop synth, and a Personnelle Kabuki makeup brush, there are two things that they all have in common:
The intentional bend would help it buckle under less pressure at the tip, compared to a straight fibre.
- They taper, possibly done by drawing the fibre out while it's hot enough to melt.
- They have a slight bend at the tip, varying from 10 to 30 degrees.
FWIW, the SynBad is my favourite brush these days (competing with a couple of badgers and boars). I would probably use the Tuxedo more if it was not set in a long handle.
Not completely relevant, but I came across this illustration, which is about brushes for painting and watercolours:
Presumably the "bristle" is boar.
I suspect the "rounded nubs" thing might still be true for hair brushes and toothbrushes.
Just for fun, I bought a synthetic Kabuki brush exactly like this:
The hairs are much finer and denser than shaving brushes, and less wavy. Once you get them wet (with water or lather) they sorta clump together. It's like applying lather with a really soft and squishy piece of memory foam, or a hot jumbo marshmallow.
It works though.
I like the handle, and would almost consider replacing the knot with a proper shaving knot.
Answering to the initial question...
The softest tips I've found was in a Plisson L'Occitane. I've tried several "Plisson-lookalikes", like Yaqi, Maggards and several rebrands, but the tips were not as soft as the Plisson. The same for the STF from Mühle or Edwin Jagger. So, my vote goes to Plisson.
The softest tips I've found was in a Plisson L'Occitane. I've tried several "Plisson-lookalikes", like Yaqi, Maggards and several rebrands, but the tips were not as soft as the Plisson. The same for the STF from Mühle or Edwin Jagger. So, my vote goes to Plisson.
Very nice. May i ask, if you could tell me, how high is the glue bump in the two Razorocks?
Here’s what I consider the softest synthetic shave brushes.
Haircut & Shave Co with tuxedo knot
PAA Atomic Rocket
Rich Man Shave brushes with the blood knot
Maggard Razors faux granite handle (the bristles on that are very soft)
Haircut & Shave Co with tuxedo knot
PAA Atomic Rocket
Rich Man Shave brushes with the blood knot
Maggard Razors faux granite handle (the bristles on that are very soft)
So sorry Boar Fighter, but I am not that technical when it comes to my brushes,
and I have no idea how to measure the glue bump. All I can tell you is that they
are both terrific brushes with the perfect combination of softness and backbone,
allowing me to work up a marvelous lather and enjoy a sublime shave. I suggest
you give the fine folks at Italian Barber a call, and ask them about the "glue bumps"
on their RazoRock brushes. I'm sure that your question can be answered.
Yes, that sounds something like the Brown and White knot. I kinda like it.
Thank you anyways. It isn't much important, i was only curious to see if they are made with the same classical Yaqi glue bump or not.
