LOL - you are certainly correct about that Uncas.
Finally got around to using my new Zenith Copper 2 Band and it has some serious backbone - yet soft feel with a hint of scritch - in a good way. I do believe, this will ultimately be a very good face latherer for me.
Can't imagine anyone who likes firm, dense backbone not liking these brushes.
It did seem a little thirsty and demanding of more soap on the maiden voyage (treated it to a Santal Auster initiation ), so I am going to need to work it a few times to get the drill down correctly.
All things considered - Happy camper here.
Ditto @facetime.
I was using Declaration Grooming Trismegistus, and I also seemed to need a lot of water. However in my case, I overshot the sweet spot and had to add more soap. So whether it was me or the brush, I too need to get the drill down. Also, the handle is beautiful, but it is a bit larger than I would prefer. I own the Zenith aluminum handle Pro Big Boar with the B1 knot - with what looks like the same size handle - and the aluminum handle Boar works great for me. I think the difference is that the Manchurian is designed with stiffer backbone to optimize face lathering, and so the large size handle is harder for me to work with. That said, the copper Manchurian is a great brush, and I too am still a happy camper at this point. I've just been spoiled lately by another brush, which bring me to ...
On a slight tangent, it happens that the Manchurian beauty showed up on my doorstep within a few days of a custom Shavemac that spent 21 days en route as a guest of US customs. I compared the two in this thread, where I explained how very much the handles of the Zenith and Shavemac affected my reactions to them (in post #10).