A little over 1/2 hand.In hands? It is a horse after all.
Zenith, A Horse of a Different Color!
- Thread starter Chan Eil Whiskers
- Start date
The loft is listed on the webpage as 51mm, but as I shared in a previous reply, this is identical to the B03-A26 which is listed as having a 57mm loft.
I have noticed some inconsistencies with the dimensional details of the zenith boar knots. It’s not bothered me as Ihave been happy with the resulting variation.
Has anyone been able to compare the 50/50 extra soft horsehair brush to the 50/50 standard horsehair brushes? What is noticeably different between them?
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- #84
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Thanks.
Yes, I've noticed many knots are reported by the vendor as being higher lofted than they measure with my calipers. Not just Zeniths but certainly including them. Generally this works to my advantage.
I'd really hate to buy a boar said by the vendor to be 57mm and have it turn out to be 62mm, but if it were 52mm I'd be okay.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I have had exactly that occur with my zeniths. My B02-A28 is 64mm loft instead of the listed 57mm, but i like the variation. I also have noticed that some versions are set into handle with a nickel ring and others without. I find that it is inconsistent as to whether or not you get the ring on the base of the knot each time. Thankfully I’m buying them at a low price and i haven’t had a brush arrive and be too similar to another, so again, I enjoy the variation.
I also suspect this is mor of an issue with Boar brushes from zenith as my badgers have been spot on, but this may be a quality control detail given the premium on badger brushes.
Don't buy an Omega then ;-) Don't get me wrong - Omegas are my favorite boars that I much prefer over Semogues, but I think they determine measurements by eye instead of actually measuring them.
Ask around or read posts from people who actually have the brush you like if you want an Omega or Zenith. Semogues have all been bang-on published specs from what I have seen.
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- #87
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I'm kinda winding down on most brush buying (in a way) as I have a few brushes already, and a few in transit.
If Semogue made the brushes I want I'd buy more of them. I'm not a big fan of Semogue boars but I love love love my SOC Mistura and wish Semogue made a Mistura in 26mm or 28mm. I like the Semogue Mistura so much that I'd also think their badgers, particularly their finest, would be a nice knot. However, I don't much want any more 24mm knots.
Other than a few unobtanium brushes I'm not planning on buying more boars.
#1 on my unobtanium list would be Zenith unbleached boars; I have one already and there's one ^ in transit. YourShaving has one I don't want (chromed plastic handle, too small), but I can't find any more anywhere. An eye is peeled though.
Yeah, I've gotten very picky.
Happy shaves,
Jim
So, I’m right at about 1 full month with my extra soft zenith horse hair brush. This brush has been getting regular use. At first just to experiment and see what would happen. But after just a few uses, I find myself reaching for it quite often, at minimum 1 in every 3 shaves. My wife is using it about 50% of the time as well. This brush has just been outstanding. Not a single hint at wanting to tangle, and really had below average stink for an animals hair brush. The brush has not lost any hairs beyond the initial test lather or two.
Based on my experience and the positive remarks of those who have come before me, in regards to these zenith horse hair brushes, anyone looking for an excellent new brush should pony up the money and give one of these a try. I sincerely believe that this brush will become a top rated brush for many if they would give it a shot. If you are on the fence and reading this thread, pull the trigger.
Based on my experience and the positive remarks of those who have come before me, in regards to these zenith horse hair brushes, anyone looking for an excellent new brush should pony up the money and give one of these a try. I sincerely believe that this brush will become a top rated brush for many if they would give it a shot. If you are on the fence and reading this thread, pull the trigger.
I just ordered the Zenith 507N horse hair black brush
Wish someone had I am having the same dilemma after using a loaner extra soft
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- #91
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Used my horse today.
Good brush. As described in the OP.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Good brush. As described in the OP.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I recently acquired a Zenith 507U XS 27mm extra soft horse brush and it's......different for lack of a better word than any other brush I've used. I like the softness and lather making capabilities, but it feels kind of floppy compared to my badger and boar brushes. I wish it had a little more backbone. To be honest I think it feels closer to a synthetic (without the springiness) than a natural hair brush. The only other horse hair brush I've used was a Vie Long years ago and it was a terrible scritchy, stinky little thing. This one is miles better so I think I'll keep it for some more variety in the rotation.
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- #93
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Yeah, mine is very floppy.
In spite of that, I like it very much, but you're right. It's a horse of a different color.
I use mine mostly for variety, but I'll confess that when I first bought it, and used it a lot, it became obvious that I'd be happy with the Zenith horse were it my only brush. The knot is fully capable of growing on you.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I do like these Zenith horses. Enjoyable brushes, very well made, great value, and definitely no tendency to tangle.
Both the Extra Soft and the 50/50 Mane/Tail knots are equally enjoyable. The Extra Soft knot is quite floppy and soft-feeling, which I like, and the 50/50 knot has noticeably more backbone (though still not firm like a boar or a dense, low badger) and some light scritch (what @Chan Eil Whiskers would call “good scritch”). I rather like the horsiness of the hair - it feels like what it is, quite distinct from other types of hair or fibre. The feel and smell is what you expect if you’ve encountered a violin bow, or a horse-plumed military helmet, or, you know, a horse.
To me these are as good to use as any other badger, boar or synthetic knot, and they’re something different. Enjoy it for what it is. It will work perfectly well for shaving. I would only ever buy a horse brush made by Zenith, though.
I have a few of each of the two knots. Can’t choose between them, I pick whichever type I feel like on the day. Here are pics of some of them in several of the excellent available Zenith handles….
Both the Extra Soft and the 50/50 Mane/Tail knots are equally enjoyable. The Extra Soft knot is quite floppy and soft-feeling, which I like, and the 50/50 knot has noticeably more backbone (though still not firm like a boar or a dense, low badger) and some light scritch (what @Chan Eil Whiskers would call “good scritch”). I rather like the horsiness of the hair - it feels like what it is, quite distinct from other types of hair or fibre. The feel and smell is what you expect if you’ve encountered a violin bow, or a horse-plumed military helmet, or, you know, a horse.
To me these are as good to use as any other badger, boar or synthetic knot, and they’re something different. Enjoy it for what it is. It will work perfectly well for shaving. I would only ever buy a horse brush made by Zenith, though.
I have a few of each of the two knots. Can’t choose between them, I pick whichever type I feel like on the day. Here are pics of some of them in several of the excellent available Zenith handles….
I'm liking the look and fit of their 502 (without the metal ring) handles.
502 shape is my favourite too, and I usually prefer without the metal ring. Zenith makes brushes with and without rings, and it appears vendors can order whichever they want (or offer both). So if you shop around you can often find what you want, or the vendor will order it for you, though most Zenith vendors are Italy-based and may not always ship outside the EU.
The 502s I posted above are both from their higher priced acrylic range, mostly emulating semi-precious stones or Italian glassware. I think some of the acrylic designs are stunning, and they aren’t really very expensive. These ones are the amethyst and amber, but I think I have all the different options (either with horse or silvertip badger).
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- #98
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
It's been a challenge for me to find the Zenith handles I'm interested in. Well, I can find 'em, but buying them and having them shipped to me in the USA are so far impossible. I've got plenty of brushes and have become very picky, but some of the Zenith handles appeal to me, and you have most that do.
Happy shaves,
Jim
True. I wonder why Zenith isn’t distributed more widely than it is outside southern Europe, given how good their products all are. I just relocated out of the EU and my recent buying spree of Zenith brushes was in anticipation of not being able to get them so easily in future.
Well, there’s a lot of nice shaving stuff that is hard to get outside North America so I suppose it’s fair if Europe has its own hard to get treasures.
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- #100
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
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