Advice on Yaqi brush

[Steve_in_CT]

As I wrote somewhere... It's beyond me why anyone would want a Chinese crap with a wait time of several months, when you can get a genuine Simpson Trafalgar within a few days AT THE SAME PRICE

Here in the US I can buy a Yaqi brush from West Coast Shaving, for example, and it will arrive just as quickly as will a Simpsons Trafalgar. In addition, I have owned the Simpsons T2 as well as a Simpsons Chubby Synthetic and prefer my Yaqi Rainbow Brown and Purple Handle Mink synthetic brushes to both of those Simpsons offerings. And that's without considering any differences in price. I would also list my PAA Roswell Grey (probably also Chinese made) as being a better brush (for me) than either of those Simpsons synthetic brushes.

And for what it's worth, the Yaqi Rainbow Brown at WCS is $14.86, while the T2 is $22.75 making it 53% more expensive.

 

[Multum in parvo]

I’ll keep my Pony and will try to ditch my T3. I find the balance point of the T3 a bit awkward for my hands, also it’s harder to splay than the Pony. When I bought it I thought bigger is better but I guess I would have been better off with a T1 or T2.

 

[MapsGill]

I’ll keep my Pony and will try to ditch my T3. I find the balance point of the T3 a bit awkward for my hands, also it’s harder to splay than the Pony. When I bought it I thought bigger is better but I guess I would have been better off with a T1 or T2.
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That rainbow handle looks damn snazzy in your kit! I also own multiple Simpsons, and their Best in smaller brushes is great as a treat once in a while, but out of my PAA, Razorock, Muhle, Yaqi and other synth, I reach for my Yaqis the most and RRs the 2nd most. They all suffice just fine, but Yaqis perform among the top of them all and they were so cheap that I don't worry about wearing them out in my bowls. My 2 fav Yaqis are the Rainbow and the Atlantis.

And there's no question that Simpsons synth knots and badger hair are all from China, as is their acrylic stock most likely. I don't think China manufacturing in general is the issue. It's the QC and the assembly and selection of materials that plague them. Plenty of European and American companies source good quality material from China and assemble it and sell it at a premium.

 

[Multum in parvo]

That rainbow handle looks damn snazzy in your kit! I also own multiple Simpsons, and their Best in smaller brushes is great as a treat once in a while, but out of my PAA, Razorock, Muhle, Yaqi and other synth, I reach for my Yaqis the most and RRs the 2nd most. They all suffice just fine, but Yaqis perform among the top of them all and they were so cheap that I don't worry about wearing them out in my bowls. My 2 fav Yaqis are the Rainbow and the Atlantis.

And there's no question that Simpsons synth knots and badger hair are all from China, as is their acrylic stock most likely. I don't think China manufacturing in general is the issue. It's the QC and the assembly and selection of materials that plague them. Plenty of European and American companies source good quality material from China and assemble it and sell it at a premium.

The Pony and the Phantom Aeorolite are still in my headshave kit but for regular shaves it’s now either Mühle STF or Shavemac - which are completely different fibres - if I reach for a Synth.