I have a mixture of boars, badgers, and synthetics. However, my #1 favorite brushes are all badgers. My favorite brush is the Paladin ElDorado.
Do synthetics lather better than badger brushes?
- Thread starter Duggo
- Start date
I have two Stirling synthetic brushes, a 26 mm and a 24 mm. The synthetics don't absorb water, so that needs to be added back. Some soaps are more resilient to having large amounts of water to them at a time, some are not very resilient. The synthetics get my Captain's Choice Sandalwood Soap to a slickness my badgers have never come close to, but it tends to be very resilient to lots of water at a time. Stirling has been less resilient for me at times, and requires slow gradual water addition otherwise it blows out into foamy large bubbles on me.
I have less experience with badger than with my synthetics. I prefer my badger brushes for most days, but also enjoy my synthetics. My badgers tend to make a denser lather, and have more scrub while the synthetics are very soft and make a very slick lather.
The lathering method for synthetics that works for me: Rinse the brush thoroughly under the faucet, and dribble about 10 drops onto the top of my soap. Shake the brush a few times, then squeeze the very tips to get the water out of them. Keeping the water on the soap, load generously for about 30 seconds or until there is a pasty texture to the the tips of the brush. Start face lathering by painting back and forth, getting a fairly sticky paste on the face. Then, get the brush to splay a little to release the water in the base of the knot, circular motions and painting to generate more lather. At this point, it needs more water for me so I dip the tips in water (about 1 mm of the tips) very quickly, then continue lathering with circular and painting motions. I usually need two dips total, but this has worked for me with my synthetics fairly consistently. Not sure if this method will work for you, but hope it isn't any worse than you've experienced with it so far.
Sounds good, I will try this method at my next shave in an hour or 2. Thanks
[emoji106] I hope that the method works for you.
Yes that worked very well but I ended up with 2 weepers. But I was on day 4 or 5 of a PolSilver blade and maybe I stretched the blade 1 day too far. But the quality of the lather was much improved, thank you for this advice.
No disrespect to any members of Excalibur but THATS IT for me, 4 days maximum on a blade. No mas. I dont like weepers. Im also shaving with ice water and maybe that is why I cant get 7 shaves out of a PolSilver like others do.
The resulting lather was good but still not as dense as Badger and also it took longer overall than badger. But I keep reading so many posts of people saying "Ive switched 100% to synthetic brushes" and I wanted to find out what all the hoopla was about.
Would you say that anybody who says "Badger is better than Synthetic" is just not lathering the synthetic properly? I sure hope it is not user error that is causing me to not like synthetic as much as badger
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- Thread starter
- #86
I would say this:
It's like life - it's what you are used to. I just got a synthetic, and have used it maybe 7 times.
I have a lot more experience with badger brushes, but on the other hand, my tap water tested out on the high end at 177 parts per million. (PPM). To put that into perspective, anything greater than 180 PPM, is considered Very Hard Water.
Also, I would think if you are used to lathering with a badger brush, and you all of a sudden make the switch to a synthetic brush, I would think / anticipate that you would need time to adjust to get to using your new brush, as it posses diferent qualities than a badger brush, because synthetics don't hold on to as much water / lather as a badger shaving brush would.
Duggo
Glad the lather method improved the lather quality, unfortunate about the shave quality though.
Yes I did just as you say except that instead of dipping the brush into the water I just dunk my other hand in water and then dribble water on to the brush. I never feel comfortable to dip the whole brush in water, I fear that I will lose soap that way
I will try again the day after tomorrow. But I had a rough shave today and whenever that happens to me I always go back to basics and fundamentals the next day. So tomorrows shave will just be a plain jane with the badger and a Personna blue on day 2
Dribbling water is definitely the better method when learning. I now dip the very tips of the bristles since I've gotten used to lathering with my synthetics and the soaps/creams I use them with. Hope that the next few shaves go better!
Excited about the RazoRock Plissoft extra-large beehive that I have on order. This is my first synthetic brush in a long time (my last experience predated the synthetic revolution of the last several years, so it doesn't really count). Will let you know how it lathers.
My first synth makes a good hat brush, by the way.
My first synth makes a good hat brush, by the way.
I have both the black and green handle B&B 2006 models and both lather like a champ. They had been sitting in a cupboard since I received the B&B 2008 Kent brush. Last November I pulled them out and have been using them again. I now use MWF at home and travel with Nivea shave cream in the tube almost exclusively. Sometimes I use a scuttle and when in a hurry I face lather.
I have 8-9 badger brushes from best to silver tip and all work great once you get used to the amount of water you hold in the brush for different soaps. I soak the brushes and shake out as much water as needed. Use the same brush for a longer period to get a feel for it. Most days I am in a hurry so I don't complicate my shave, I want to be done in less than 5 minutes with 2 passes.
I have 8-9 badger brushes from best to silver tip and all work great once you get used to the amount of water you hold in the brush for different soaps. I soak the brushes and shake out as much water as needed. Use the same brush for a longer period to get a feel for it. Most days I am in a hurry so I don't complicate my shave, I want to be done in less than 5 minutes with 2 passes.
This thread reminded me of a youtube video I saw when I first started wet shaving. I'm not trying to promote the store or anything, but I've linked the video below. At the 2 minute mark they split screen (4 videos at once) showing the time it takes to later each badger, boar, horse and synthetic and they time it. Once finished, they take a closer look at how each performed.
I Just thought this was an interesting video that may add to the conversation.
I Just thought this was an interesting video that may add to the conversation.
OMG! THank you so much for that link. THis is exactly the kind of test I have been looking for to see how the lathering methods stack up when it comes to speed.
Is there anyone on this forum who thinks that they can lather up faster with a synth compared to a badger?
They seem to take me about the same amount of time and effort. I enjoy using both.
I mostly use croaps, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference. People may have a different experience with creams or hard pucks.
I mostly use croaps, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference. People may have a different experience with creams or hard pucks.
The Plissoft beehive arrived and I lathered up with it for the first time last night. Wow!Excited about the RazoRock Plissoft extra-large beehive that I have on order. This is my first synthetic brush in a long time (my last experience predated the synthetic revolution of the last several years, so it doesn't really count). Will let you know how it lathers.
My first synth makes a good hat brush, by the way.
The combination of soft tips and backbone is really impressive. And to answer the OP's question, this brush certainly lathers as well as if not better than my beloved boars. Time will tell, but it's quite possible that the Plissoft will become my go-to brush.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
+1 ,same conclusion I came to. Another nice brush that acts close to a boar brushhttps://www.italianbarber.com/collections/brushes/products/razorock-400-synthetic-shaving-brush-with-noir-plissoft-knotThe Plissoft beehive arrived and I lathered up with it for the first time last night. Wow!
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
YES!!!
Plissoft synthetic - bought it because some said that its lathered Williams better than boar. They were right. I’m sold. Inexpensive and wonderful.
