Zenith Silvertip | My First | You Have One?

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Not long ago I found an unbleached Zenith boar I wanted to buy and threw into the order my first Zenith silvertip. The thumbnail above pictures both brand new.

I already owned a bunch of bleached boar Zeniths + an extra soft Zenith horse + a couple of Zenith Manchurians so I expected a lot from the Zenith silvertip. Plus, everything I've read about the Zenith silvertips has been good.

Here's the brush still damp from it's first lathering effort.

The effort was quite successful. I like this brush a lot. First off, and not inconsequential, is the handle. My horse has much the same handle. It may be my favorite handle of all so I got a second one. The knot keeps up. It's may or may not be quite as dense as some brushes I own, but it loaded and lathered as easily as my favorite brush.



My favorite brush of all being the copper handled Zenith Manchurian.

The silvertip doesn't have the backbone of the Manchurian, but it has excellent backbone and scrub for my face lathering. The Manchurian wasn't soft to speak of when it was new, but it's very soft now that it's well broken in. The silvertip is probably as soft or maybe softer right out of the box (washed a couple of times prior to use though).

There is everything to like and nothing to dislike about this Zenith silvertip.

That's the view ^ from above. The brush was damp when the photo was taken. The knot looks, from the same view, a lot denser now having dried for just a few more minutes. Don't think the knot lacks density. It's not extra dense; it is plenty dense and not sparse or under-stuffed.

I found it very easy to use in my usual face lathering manner which is to say it splays great and also paints like Michelangelo.

I mash with vigor and notice no bump against my skin by a glue bump.

Very happy with this brush I am. I will use it in an actual shave in April (at the moment I can't fully employ it because of the Fixed for March restrictions, but I was allowed to lather up and rinse the soap since I wasn't going to shave).

If you have a Zenith silvertip I'd like to hear about it AND see pictures.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[ajkel64]

No Zenith brushes here. Looking at those I might have to rectify that.

 

[Space_Cadet]

I knew you wouldn't be disappointed. I bought my first Zenith Silvertip about... 3 years ago or so, and I'm still enjoying it every time. Mine has the copper handle, which I like too, it's very comfortable.

 

[niketin]

Two manchurians and a silver tip

 

[gstriftos]

Scaringly similar..


(Click on thumbnails).

Truth be told and as much as I like it I find it kind of cumbersome that it needs A LOT of product to load propely, hence I tend to use my synths more often. Plus this thing is freaking huge once it splays (caveat emptor, I 've being warned).
Ah, if only 20/22mm was available..

But once dialed in I stand by my original statement: LUXURY

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Truth be told and as much as I like it I find it kind of cumbersome that it needs A LOT of product to load properly, hence I tend to use my synths more often. Plus this thing is freaking huge once it splays (caveat emptor, I 've being warned).
Ah, if only 20/22mm was available..

But once dialed in I stand by my original statement: LUXURY

I do not find this brush too big at all. I'm a face latherer and use knots a lot larger.

To each his own.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I notice that the current prices with shipping on Zenith brushes are lower at the Spanish vendor. Probably an exchange rate advantage for us in the USA; it's not always like this. I shop around on brushes sometimes (and sometimes get lazy and don't); right now I'm not buying (just looking is free regardless of the exchange rate).

Thank you so much for your votes. They mean everything to me. Call the 800 number to donate and help the cause. $5, $10, $25, or, hey, a few million...every donation is appreciated. Thank you so much!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Really nice brush.

 

[BigJ]

Great looking brush!! Thanks for the detailed review!!

 

[charliemilano]

Beautiful brush!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Might as well be all Italian.

You mean you haven't discovered the Italian Polsilvers?

 

[back_to_shaving]

Beautiful brush. Might spring for one. Why are there many brushes called Manchurian?

 

[SliceOfLife]

Refers to a region in Northern China. Started out with a couple manufacturers to signify a high end badger offering (beyond silvertip/super/etc). Buzzword in badger hair these days. Premise is it's a cold region, so if the animals were harvested there, they had softer hair. Most of the new badger brush offerings are "Manchurian" now.


Basically just ignore it.

 

[back_to_shaving]

Refers to a region in Northern China. Started out with a couple manufacturers to signify a high end badger offering (beyond silvertip/super/etc). Buzzword in badger hair these days. Premise is it's a cold region, so if the animals were harvested there, they had softer hair. Most of the new badger brush offerings are "Manchurian" now.


Basically just ignore it.

So they're not actually getting the hair from there?

 

[SliceOfLife]

No clue. My guess is either all badger hair comes from there or none of it.

 

[Levue]

Beautiful brush. Might spring for one. Why are there many brushes called Manchurian?

To my knowledge, but I could be wrong, the Manchurian is just a two band finest badger whose tips have been treated/bleached.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

To my knowledge, but I could be wrong, the Manchurian is just a two band finest badger whose tips have been treated/bleached.

I've heard that, too, but don't know if it's accurate. Not saying it's inaccurate. Just saying I believe it's more of a rumor than a certainty.

I believe it's certainly a certainty sometimes, but I'm not certain I'm right in my belief.

Main thing is we certainly know that the very most expensive brushes in the product lines of some brush makers (examples: Simpson and Zenith) carry their Manchurian knots. We also know there's no uniformity or consistency in naming knots as you go from brush maker to brush maker.

For that matter there's not necessarily consistency from brush to brush. My Stirling finest may be different from you Stirling finest. Simpson? Same issue. Etc. All brush makers are dependent on supply of raw ingredients whether they're using knots from China or batches of hair from wherever.

Are there any actual badger hairs or boar bristles which don't originate in China?

You pay your money and you take your chances.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Cino]

The Zenith silver tips are also sold by Italian Barber as a Razorock chubby.

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Synthetic brushes all originate from the high mountainous region of China called Plastic.

 

[Levue]

@Chan Eil Whiskers

I see your point, but..
If Manchurian was another species of badger, may be, but just may be, we 'd have Manchurian pure, Manchurian best, Manchurian Silvertip as well.

And I guess the price is justified by the treatment vs the raw material of the other hairs.