TGN Finest F2 - Not What I Expected

Whipped Dog Silvertip is the softest natural brush I've used although backbone was limp and it was a shedder.

TGN Finest had a lot of backbone but gel tips.

TGN Silvertip A had a bit more backbone than WD Silvertip but slightly scratchy tips.

TGN Finest F2 had more backbone than the Silvertip A but even scratchier tips.

I also tried the TGN Nylon, which had great hairs but unfortunately too much glue bump.

If I were to order another badger knot, it will likely either be a Whipped Dog Silvertip (again) or a TGN Finest (bulb). For now I'm seeing how I like the Muhle synthetics alone.

Jarick said:

Whipped Dog Silvertip is the softest natural brush I've used although backbone was limp and it was a shedder.

TGN Finest had a lot of backbone but gel tips.

TGN Silvertip A had a bit more backbone than WD Silvertip but slightly scratchy tips.

TGN Finest F2 had more backbone than the Silvertip A but even scratchier tips.

I also tried the TGN Nylon, which had great hairs but unfortunately too much glue bump.

If I were to order another badger knot, it will likely either be a Whipped Dog Silvertip (again) or a TGN Finest (bulb). For now I'm seeing how I like the Muhle synthetics alone.

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Have you tried TGN Super Silvertip ?

I have not.

Still using this brush on and off.

I will say, the performance of the brush is really good. It soaks up plenty of water and makes lather really easily.

The backbone I still think is decent. Not as good as most 2-band brushes or boar, but not as floppy as silvertip.

The tips are still a little scritchy. I don't know if they have softened or not, but when wet they are a little easier to use. But on the second or third pass applying lather, you definitely feel them on the freshly shaved skin.

From what I understand this is Manchurian badger, so it has its own quirks. From what I've read, those brushes aren't supposed to have gel tips, but are supposed to be somewhere between a pure/best badger and a silvertip in terms of backbone and feel, which describes this brush.

If the tips do actually soften over time, this could end up being a great brush.

Oh, and as for shedding, it doesn't seem to be an issue. It loses the occasional hair, but not every use. FWIW, when I ordered Finest and Silvertip A knots from TGN, the Finest literally never shed a single hair and the Silvertip lost a few hairs every now and again. This one seems to be in between the two.