Yaqi Silvertip (how does it compare with other silvertips)?

[Dobric]

I have been using Yaqi Silvertip 24mm brush for about 2 months, it's my first badger brush, and I like it a lot.
Since I have nothing to compare it with, I would like to hear your opinion, how does it compare with other, higher price and higher end silvertip badgers? Also is it really a silvertip or it's something else sold as silvertip?

 

[DesertIguana]

if you lkikec your brush what is the problem you embassies because it is not a $200.00 BRUSH? Being sort of minimalist, I do not buy designer much. Functional products work, but you can not brag about have a SUPER HIGH PRICED BRUSH.

 

[lasta]

After so many years, there still isn't a widely accepted standard on what a silvertip is!

The hairs on your brush look mighty fine, I'd take their word on it.

As for price and quality, I don't think there is a direct correlation. I had a Shavemac 2-band silvertip, it had the exact same hairs as my Classic Shaving Super Badger. The Classic shaving brush is packed more densely and had an easier splaying fan shaped design.

I ended up selling the Shavemac because the CS is a better brush at 1/5 the price.

 

[Flanders]

It's pretty difficult to tell by picture, yours could have Super Badger equivalent hair. It looks similar, but different shaped, to my Zenith 3 band and thats a moderate priced brush. I wouldn't be surprised if it was at least that good, but really... lathering is the only way to be sure! Somebody that has more brushes would have to try it or you pick out a brush that you know you like the look of in the moderate range and see if it's better or worse. Unfortunately, or not, if it's worse then you can just keep using this brush and maybe pick up another.

 

[Ron R]

I have been using Yaqi Silvertip 24mm brush for about 2 months, it's my first badger brush, and I like it a lot.
Since I have nothing to compare it with, I would like to hear your opinion, how does it compare with other, higher price and higher end silvertip badgers? Also is it really a silvertip or it's something else sold as silvertip?
View attachment 1722757

I have the same brush, "Mysterious space" handle 24mm 3band badger. If it has three bands it is a silver tip. Yaqi also calls it a silver tip. If you enjoy your silver tip brush you should enjoy the Yaqi 24mm 2band badgers also, I have found them ideal for my every day shaving needs(the silvertips have finer hairs from the badger neck area, where the 2band hairs are from different areas of the badger). I bought most of mine on sale over the last 2 year at good prices and they all perform very well. Yaqi makes great shave brushes and they are a excellent middle of road brush that will give anyone a good lather and excellent face feel massage when applying lather I have found over the years of use.

 

[Dobric]

I have the same brush, "Mysterious space" handle

My handle is almost black, there is no "space" in it...but tbh space is dark...
I like their brushes, I'll try some 2 bands.

 

[shupey]

I have the same brush. I actually like the Yaqi because it has a bit of a backbone compared to other badgers however I don't use it that often as I prefer my $15 Yaqi and Razorock synthetic brushes to any badger. I've owned a couple mid to higher priced badgers (Simpson) and felt they were not worth the extra money. Plus they shed hairs like crazy.

 

[Dobric]

I have the same brush. I actually like the Yaqi because it has a bit of a backbone compared to other badgers however I don't use it that often as I prefer my $15 Yaqi and Razorock synthetic brushes to any badger. I've owned a couple mid to higher priced badgers (Simpson) and felt they were not worth the extra money. Plus they shed hairs like crazy.

I have Yaqi tuxedo Sagrada Familia
It's an amaizin brush for it's money

 

[Tathlum]

I got the Yaqi Sagrada Familia 2 band badger. It's a very nice brush as well.

 

[shupey]

I have Yaqi tuxedo Sagrada Familia
It's an amaizin brush for it's money

Yep I have the Sagrada Familia as well. That and my RazoRock Plissoft synthetic are all I really use anymore.

 

[Cleanface]

I have four Yaqi badgers including the same as the OP (knot looks the same too). Three silver tip and one two band all about 4 years old. All are fine performers. They'll shed a hair now and then but nothing alarming. I also have several artisan brushes that cost four or five times as much and I can't tell any major difference in the knots between them and the Yaqis save for those with gel tips (I still don't get the big deal about them; too mushy for my taste). Yaqi are good bang for the buck.

 

[Cleanface]

I have four Yaqi badgers including the same as the OP (knot looks the same too). Three silver tip and one two band all about 4 years old. All are fine performers. They'll shed a hair now and then but nothing alarming. I also have several artisan brushes that cost four or five times as much and I can't tell any major difference in the knots between them and the Yaqis save for those with gel tips (I still don't get the big deal about them; too mushy for my taste). Yaqi are good bang for the buck.

I spoke too soon. I am now noticing that all four Yaqi badgers are now starting to shed several hairs with each use. Can't complain for the prices I paid but I don't see that happening with other badgers I've had for the same amount of time.

 

[Dobric]

I spoke too soon. I am now noticing that all four Yaqi badgers are now starting to shed several hairs with each use. Can't complain for the prices I paid but I don't see that happening with other badgers I've had for the same amount of time.

Thnx for insight, I'll monitor for late shedding

 

[Andris83]

Resurrecting this thread, but I'm in almost the same shoes as OP.
I just purchased this Yaqi Black Marble 24mm Silvertip. This is my 2nd badger brush and the 1st silvertip. I am mainly a synth and boar user.
I had two shaves with this brush and it seems I got it right this time. My other badger is a 2 Band Finest (Semogue), that just isn't for me. It got good reviews here, but for me it lacks painting abilities. The Yaqi on the other hand is a much better painter. It delivers what you'd expect from a silvertip. In a way it is an unfair comparison, because this is for sure not a 24mm knot (bigger).
Anyway, it feels like a huge, soft pillow on the face, splays well. Also very soft when painting. Zero face feel, scrub or scritch. It easily holds 3 passes worth of lather. It has some backbone, but not a whole lot, but it will be ok for someone after a silvertip. The handle is big, I like big handles. It is quite comfortable and good to hold. The only thing that I didn't like is that it is bulky, it is awkward to reach smaller parts of the face, i.e. under the nose. A big boar knot is much easier to direct without painting lather on half of your face.
In comparison the Semogue has better flow through, a light, good scrub, and you may feel the individual hairs in the knot.
Bottom line: if anyone wants to try a badger brush without braking the bank, the yaqi silvertip might just be the one.

P.s.: according to the specs this knot has 60mm of loft, which is a bit taller than Yaqi's silvertips in other handles. This was a plus to me, not sure how accurate these measurements are (probably not very). But as I said, I like big boars that have higher lofts so this is a plus to me.

 

[Cleanface]

I have four Yaqi brushes (3 silver tip including the one Andris83 owns and a two band) among the thirty odd brushes in my collection. They are the softest of the lot for sure, which, is not to my liking. Had I spent more for them it would have been disappointing. But, as I’ve stated elsewhere, good bang for the buck.

 

[Ron R]

I have 5 Yaqi silvertip brushes that where bought on sale and happy with them all and price was very good what I paid when they had some great sales years ago. I also have 5, 2band badgers that where also bought on sales for decent prices years ago and they are really nice all around shave brushes.
If you enjoy luxury pillow like feel the silvertip brushes work well and the 2 band badgers are also very good for most shaving needs and are usually less expensive.
When Yaqi makes silvertip brushes that have a large bloom it is designed by the knot tiers a certain way to make them bloom like that, I also have the black marble brush in silvertip and it works great and when getting in tight spots I just use the corners of brush as best method to reach areas like under the nose.
The back marble 24mm silvertip is a great gentle scrubber brush I found, the Bali 24mm silvertip has a large bloom also very similar knot.
Glad your enjoying the brush!
(Old archived photos of my brushes and racks!)

Have some great shaves!

 

[sig303]

I've had several Yaqi brushes with both badger and synthetic knots, though I've now paired down my brush collection to just a couple of Chubby 3s (best and super) and a Zenith boar at this point. While I (obviously) preferred the Simpson brushes, I recall that I was quite happy with the few Yaqi ones I had - no where near as dense, but with decent backbone and probably better flow through than the Simpsons. They did shed, but I still lose a hair every now and then with the Simpsons as well. If I'm correct in my understanding, pretty much all badger hair is coming out of China nowadays anyway, so it's really just a question of how the hairs are treated (or not) and the quality of the tying of the knot.

Back when I was paying more attention to what was available, it seemed like Yaqi made a lot of brushes that were rebranded and sold from the various shaving sites as their "in-house" brushes, many of which were pretty well regarded in their own right.

For the money, you really can't go wrong with them.