Simpson CH2 Synthetic techinque advice / lathering problem

[Saberslash]

Greetings guys, I am using Simpson CH2 Synthetic for a month now and still having problems with lathering technique.. What I find very strange with this brush is that it really underperforms my other Simpson BADGER brushes..
What are problems that I have and need advices with:

1. I find it very hard to fill my brush with hard soap, as it is very very hard to splay...Do you recommend using some Tobs cream or something?
2. It won`t spay, and if I press it harder on my face lather goes down into base of a knot..Not at tips where it shoud be..

What do you advice for me to finally experience best of this brush.. Thank you in advance

 

[BigJ]

+1! I also love my Simpsons badgers. For me, Simpsons badgers set a very high bar for performance. With the denser brushes, like the Chubby, it took me awhile to learn to load enough product to get great performance. So that is my only suggestion (and it is not based on experience with Simpsons synthetics.)

I have only limited experience with synthetics so I hope that someone else can provide a better answer!

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Please try a softer soap. For example, my DR Harris lavender works very well with a synthetic. Also, start with a damp brush. Add water sparingly.

Bloom the soap for a minute, also.

Mac

 

[muzichead]

My advice would be one of two different options... You can either get rid of the brush now because, if it doesn't splay now, it never really will and you will just have buyers remorse or steam the knot out and re-set it at a higher loft as this will be the only thing that will help to make it splay easier...

As to the loading of the brush, I wet my synthetics fully including splaying them under water so the water sets deep inside the knot and not just the outside then squeeze the knot to wring it out then wring it out again. This will remove almost all water from the outside of the knot but yet will retain some inside. Now with the damp brush you should not have any problem with picking up soap onto the tips of the brush for the loading process. Too many people use too much water and any soap that your trying to load stays in the soap tub and won't cling to the brush. A very common mistake...

I use Stirling soaps which are on the harder side and using this method allows me enough lather on my brushes for 6+ passes if need be...

 

[Glaze3]

I had this exact problem a couple of years ago with this brush. At the time I was synthetic only and this was the worst brush I owned. I was told there were two versions, one with a higher loft and the one I got. Painting strokes worked a lot better, but still not good enough for me. I've thought about pulling the knot and replacing it with a Elite Manchurian, which would basically give you a nice chubby 2 for about the same price as a chubby 2 in best.

 

[paintflinger]

So, the CH2S...I've certainly maligned and sung it's praises over the past couple of years since I purchased it.

I used to complain about it being lofted too high for the springy bristles. I've since learned to appreciate the springiness of the knot and this is the brush that taught me that splaying the knot and mashing it into my face is NOT THE CORRECT WAY TO USE A BRUSH.

This goes for badgers especially, but we should be using just the tips of the brush when lathering. Why pay hundreds of dollars for a brush and then mash it into your face and essentially lathering with the sides of the hairs, not the tips.

When you start doing this, I think you'll quickly figure out 2 things:
1. Which of your brushes are really good and which are maybe not as good as you thought.
2. The CH2S is a fantastic brush, especially when lathered using the tips and paintbrush strokes rather than circles.

As soon as I started using the tips of the brush and paintbrush strokes, I understood why Simpson's chose the loft they did and that the brush really is quite good.

 

[Chango]

I just shaved this morning with my CH2 Synthetic.

Do you have the shorter or longer loft version? The earlier ones were supposed to be the most problematic.

There are a lot of negative reviews of this brush. But despite the bad press, i really like My CH2 synthetic. As stated above, the magic is in the super soft tips.

I can get the brush to splay by opening it up on my chin and then moving it around in circular motions. I like circular motions. Don't press too hard though. I don't really do circular motions to generate lather. I just like the sensation on my face. It's like a massage. Then I paint brush back and forth to build up the lather. Works for me!

It took some getting used to. But the way I look at it, it's what this Shaving experience is all about. Different brushes require different techniques. Different soaps require different techniques. Different razors require different techniques...

I don't like using this brush with soft creams. Nor do I like using ANY Synthetic with creams. The bristles don't hold water. So when you add water to build the lather I always get water and soap running down my arms and or flinging all over the sink.

Don't give up on it.

 

[Saberslash]

Is this shorter or taller loft?

 

[paintflinger]

Is this shorter or taller loft?

Regular aka taller.

 

[Cino]

I just shaved this morning with my CH2 Synthetic.

View attachment 878047

Do you have the shorter or longer loft version? The earlier ones were supposed to be the most problematic.

There are a lot of negative reviews of this brush. But despite the bad press, i really like My CH2 synthetic. As stated above, the magic is in the super soft tips.

I can get the brush to splay by opening it up on my chin and then moving it around in circular motions. I like circular motions. Don't press too hard though. I don't really do circular motions to generate lather. I just like the sensation on my face. It's like a massage. Then I paint brush back and forth to build up the lather. Works for me!

It took some getting used to. But the way I look at it, it's what this Shaving experience is all about. Different brushes require different techniques. Different soaps require different techniques. Different razors require different techniques...

I don't like using this brush with soft creams. Nor do I like using ANY Synthetic with creams. The bristles don't hold water. So when you add water to build the lather I always get water and soap running down my arms and or flinging all over the sink.

Don't give up on it.

Basically ^ this. Except that I do enjoy mashing this brush and using the sides of the bristles to create scrub. I also enjoy the massage. This brush is more difficult to splay than most but that's part of the package. That's what gives the massage.

Since I don't use synthetics often, I often make the mistake of leaving too much water in the knot; that makes for a disappointing lather and a messy bathroom, floor, mirror, sink, front yard, etc. I think that once get the technique down you will enjoy the brush.

IIRC, the long version has a loft of 54 mm and the shorter version has a loft < 52 mm.