Bowl Lathering Brush Size/Synthetic

[Well_Groomed_Yeti]

Hey all, I have a Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic that is a little finicky for my bowl lathering. I typically switch between bowl and face lathering depending on the situation and mood haha.. I would like to get a different synthetic and used to have a PAA Amber Aerolite, but decided to gift it to a friend who was just getting into wet shaving (even though I am fairly new, I got him into it), and it was great. I am deciding now between the Green Ray, Atomic Rocket, Phantom Aerolite, or Starcraft - though I will certainly take other recommendations on great synthetics, I had considered getting a Muhle STF or G5C to try out in a new handle. Does anybody have any great recommendations on a great synthetic?

Also, how much does the size of the knot matter in your experience with bowl lathering? Fran at PAA recommended a 24mm for bowl lathering, but I did not actually do much research past that.

Thank you in advance!

 

[NorthernSoul]

I have the Starcraft, that seems like a good match for what you're looking for. It can work for either bowl lathering or face lathering, so it's versatile. Th knot is 24mm with 55mm loft, IIRC, so not too big.

The handle is the main thing with bowl lathering. Maybe a slightly taller loft on the knot, but that mainly affects the amount of lather the brush can hold.

 

[rudygu]

Out of the brushes listed I have the Starcraft and a 22 mm G5C. They’re both excellent brushes that I happily use for bowl and face lathering, but if pressed to choose I’d say the G5C is better for bowl lathering and Starcraft is better for face lathering. The G5C has more backbone and I find it easier to whip up a nice lather in my Timeless bowl and the fan shape is fantastic for painting. Both knots have very soft tips, but the Starcraft is a bit softer, almost like a Cashmere knot with a little more backbone.

 

[Markdad2]

Omega Evo 2.0. It's perfect.

 

[musicman1951]

I like a big brush for bowl lathering, but I'm lazy and appreciate the time saved. As long as you can paint the lather on your cheeks without covering your entire ear it's small enough.

 

[Jim in NZ]

While this may seem to be a downgrade, every new wet shaver should at least take a look at Yaqi on AliExpress and search their shop for 'defect' brushes. I have yet to spot an actual defect on them, and they are very affordable (less than US$10) and a great way to work through a range of brush sizes / shapes. The synthetic bristles are smooth, don't shed, and behave really well.

 

[blade08]

My personal rule is 21mm or less for any brush. I never understood the appeal of crazy large knots. Unless you need to lather up an elephant

 

[Jim in NZ]

Mine are all around 20mm and I agree - more than that is just a waste of soap!

 

[Wgg2017]

It kind of depends on the size of the bowl. I have a Timeless bowl and for that I wouldn’t go above a 25/26mm brush. 21-23mm is the sweet spot, imho.

 

[UncleBob59]

Hey all, I have a Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic that is a little finicky for my bowl lathering. I typically switch between bowl and face lathering depending on the situation and mood haha.. I would like to get a different synthetic and used to have a PAA Amber Aerolite, but decided to gift it to a friend who was just getting into wet shaving (even though I am fairly new, I got him into it), and it was great. I am deciding now between the Green Ray, Atomic Rocket, Phantom Aerolite, or Starcraft - though I will certainly take other recommendations on great synthetics, I had considered getting a Muhle STF or G5C to try out in a new handle. Does anybody have any great recommendations on a great synthetic?

Also, how much does the size of the knot matter in your experience with bowl lathering? Fran at PAA recommended a 24mm for bowl lathering, but I did not actually do much research past that.

Thank you in advance!

I have a 26 mm G5C knot from AP Shave Co. I love it. If is very soft on the tips, has good backbone and because it's a fan knot, it plays easily. When it's wet, it looks like a high-end badger.

 

[Juanmosey]

Mine are all around 20mm and I agree - more than that is just a waste of soap!

Jim you're right as rain. I use the little Yaqi 22mm white Lil Joe and get excellent results.