Plisson synthetic

[imbored2deth]

I have this brush now. It is my third synthetic. I have a parker which is nice but is fairly firm with quite the snap back action. I do not use it much. You can coat a mirror with the droplets that are flinged off. I also have a Kent Silvertex. After a little break in time it does well but has shed a bit. I stopped using it recently. Now onto the Plisson from L'OC. It is soft and others use the word "floppy". I would prefer to use the word pliable. If you are looking to dig into your beard this is not the brush for you. I have only done one shave with it so I need some more time. I also lost 4-5 hairs so some shedding is going on. I like the brush and for $30 it will be fine. My lather technique is that I use the brush to get the lather on my face brush but then I also use my hands to get the lather into my beard better. This techniques works for me. I am not all that particular about the brush beyond it not being scritchy/scratchy. I used this brush with Institut Karite Shaving Soap and had very good success.

 

[jesseix]

Gave mine a first run today and it definitely loaded up very easily from DR Harris almond hard soap. I face lathered and found that I kindof needed to mash it into my face a little to get at the lather in the middle of the brush (next time will try squeezing it out a little). Lather came together really nicely with painting motions, although the DR Harris lather is pretty much always awesome
Super soft tips felt great on my face while painting it on.

 

[Mjairo]

one day i will own a plisson knot but for now my semogue 620 boar is doing its job and very well indeed.

 

[shimsham]

I also got my Plisson yesterday. I think quite a few of us jumped on the $30 L'OC restock at the same time.

I love this brush. It has a lot more backbone than I expected, but is super soft. I jumped in with the hardest soap I own: MWF. It dug right in and loaded up nicely, then built an excellent lather on the face. I did notice that I hadto keep adding more water than usual with my Omega boar that I normally use. Mine didn't lose a single "hair" which is a nice change from my usual boar.

 

[AnthonyD]

Yes, the Plisson is quite a good deal at $30. I have used mine twice now and think it is fantastic. Too many people are saying this brush has no backbone, and that is simply not true. It has backbone, but it is so soft feeling throughout the knot (not just the tips) that people are equating that with no backbone. It certainly isn't a scrubby brush but I have now used it twice as a face latherer and it has performed wonderfully.

 

[Sploosh]

My Plisson is en route so I
can see what all the fuss
is about.

 

[Anigai]

Ahhh the world of "IMHO", it can often be very confusing to others.

I'm debating a Plission with a Muile but can't for the life of me figure out which one to get. The $30 brush doesn't apply here in Ireland but I can get one from a store for close to the equivalent of $50ish (Irish L'OC website wants €70 not including shipping lolnope).

#1 At least a 54mm loft.
#2 Backbone.
#3 No wooden handles.
#4 The rest doesn't matter to me, it's probably fine anyway.

That's what I'm looking for and I can't find a Plission that would give me that. I've heard of a Muile Synth v2 that has a 60mm loft and I'd jump at that if I could find it because 60mm is perfect for me.

 

[rand77]

I received mine from the local L'Occitane shop in Canada, it was a fair bit pricier at $58 CAD ($51 USD).

I only have two shaves with it, but first impressions are quite good. The brush is very soft and splays easily (less backbone than Muhle STF v2). I'm a full time face latherer and I found this brush is extremely comfortable.

 

[mWags]

Just placed an order w/free shipping too. Can't wait to try this brush out. The only other brush I've used is a VDH badger brush.

 

[targa88]

Ahhh the world of "IMHO", it can often be very confusing to others.

I'm debating a Plission with a Muile but can't for the life of me figure out which one to get. The $30 brush doesn't apply here in Ireland but I can get one from a store for close to the equivalent of $50ish (Irish L'OC website wants €70 not including shipping lolnope).

#1 At least a 54mm loft.
#2 Backbone.
#3 No wooden handles.
#4 The rest doesn't matter to me, it's probably fine anyway.

That's what I'm looking for and I can't find a Plission that would give me that. I've heard of a Muile Synth v2 that has a 60mm loft and I'd jump at that if I could find it because 60mm is perfect for me.

Plisson & Muhle are VERY different brushes.
Based on personal experience
The Plisson is the softest brush I have ever used. Excellent splay, decent backbone and fantastic flow through
IIRC the knot is 22x55.
That being said the wooden handle was a matter of debate.
First one was defective out of the box and was cracked. Time to find another handle. Which I have done (a couple of different versions actually = because the knot is that good). Plisson replaced the defective brush.

The Muhle is completely different:
23x56 or 25x62 are the options I have used.
Settled on the 25mm knot which I then put in a different handle.
The tips are very soft, the knot splays well but is more "springy" than the Plisson. More backbone and good flow through.


Both brushed produce copious amounts of lather even with the hardest soaps.
STF brushes have supplanted all my badger and boar hair brushes.

In the final analysis= Plisson wins by a hair (pun intended).

 

[Anigai]

Now still so far from reading your very welcome review I'm still in favor of the Muile so far but I've been unable to decide between a black fibre brush and a STF brush.

23mm would probably be my highest limit on the knot itself but then again I lack a lot of experience with brushes. I don't want something too big, I'd sooner have something smaller.

If the plisson was 22x60 I'd break the restraint and buy it tomorrow lol

 

[Tibby]

Received a Plisson today and loved my first go around with it. I recommend this to any newcomers to wet shaving. I face lathered some croap with no issues to speak of. I'm sure it will work well with hard soaps also.

 

[imatabor]

I have uses a WD badger and an Omega boar. For $30 plus a free shipping code I got from here I couldn't resist. Shaved with it today. I face lather and was worried that it was too soft. I had nothing to worry about. This thing felt great and whipped up a nice lather. The only thing that was odd was that I had to keep dipping the tips in water. I'm guessing that the synthetic doesn't absorb water so it must be fed water along the way.

 

[Anigai]

I have uses a WD badger and an Omega boar. For $30 plus a free shipping code I got from here I couldn't resist. Shaved with it today. I face lather and was worried that it was too soft. I had nothing to worry about. This thing felt great and whipped up a nice lather. The only thing that was odd was that I had to keep dipping the tips in water. I'm guessing that the synthetic doesn't absorb water so it must be fed water along the way.

You guess correctly. I bowl lather 95% of the time.
I fill it with hot water for a warm lather,
Load whatever brush I'm using be it my cheapo synthetic or my B&B SF Boar,
Pour most of the water out of the bowl and estimate how much I think I'll need and leave it in there,
Most of the time I estimate right and if I don't I try to fall on the add more water side rather than have too much.
Then I just whip it up.

 

[Musikmann]

Just placed an order w/free shipping too. Can't wait to try this brush out. The only other brush I've used is a VDH badger brush.

The VDH badger was the first brush I used and it's still in the rotation. I also have the L'Occitane but haven't tried it yet. I'm a fan of my other synthetics so it will be fun comparing it with the others.

 

[Starkicker]

I just got a GTC brush, I know it's not the Plisson, but the fibres are great. I was expecting it to be different that the Muhle V2 STF, but it's quite similar - feeling on the face I mean. I can see where the denseness plays a role, it's feels heavier and more solid when face lathering.

In summary, those of you who are wondering if it feels much different that the Muhle STF V2 fibers, it's very similar.

 

[mWags]

@Musikmann, I'd like to hear your thoughts vs. other synthetics you have. The L'Occitane synthetic seemed like a good value purchase for my second brush.

Off topic, what part of WV do you hail from? I work in Huntington.

 

[sixpointone]

I am strongly considering one of these, and if I end up liking it as much as I think I will I might have a custom handle added to it.

 

[Sploosh]

First test lathers done today with my Plisson.
this is my third brush, and my first synthetic.
I had the time to do some thorough testing
between brushes. Firstly, what I'm comparing
it to:

E. Jagger best badger
Plisson synth
Omega boar
If bloody photo bucket were cooperating,
id show you the control. So I'll just tell
you; for the soap, it was Catie's Bubbles
Spanish Holiday, and the bowl was an
infamous salsa bowl.

The Plisson had more "backbone" than I
suspected. Lathered just as well as the
badger, and had incrEdible face feel.
No scritchiness that I got from the other
two brushes. I had to dial in the water
ratio, but I have to do that with the others
as well.
I then took the Plisson on a magical mystery
tour with other soaps in the arsenal. The
results? Fantastic! It chewed into E. Jagger
Sandalwood with nary a thought, and even
held up against the puck of D.R. Harris Windsor
in fine fashion without losing one strand.
i believe I may have a new favourite brush!
I did notice the handle is made of Oak based
on the grain, but has a significant overcoat,
so I'm not worried about cracking any time
soon. As I'm a woodworker, I can certainly
recoat it if and when the time comes.

If you are on the fence with this brush,
don't hesitate to add this one to the rotation!

 

[watchtheflames]

Great brush. Used it for the first time last night. It felt wonderful on the face. I used Razorock OneX and it lathered easily enough in my scuttle. I loaded for about 20 or 30 seconds. I got just enough for 3 passes and boy was it creamy and slick. I really have a good test this morning and test lathered with Williams. I just soaked the Williams puck for about 2 minutes and lathered it up. It had tons of lather, so no issues with hard soaps. This could easily replace my 1305.