SMF

TRBeck wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 12:06 pm Gary, I notice the SilkSmoke gets more use for you than the Synbad restore/reknot you did a few months back. Do you mind giving a little info on whether you prefer the Silksmoke and why? I am enjoying my Synbad but do like the look of the Silksmoke knot.

See the attached photos. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Tim, I've used both brushes recently, and here are my observations. The knot measurements (as mounted in these two handles) of the SynBad are 61mm tall and 30mm at the base of the fibers at the top of the glue plug. The SilkSmoke is 56mm tall and also 30mm at the top of the glue plug.

Both brushes are amply packed to the point of maintaining an adequate amount of backbone which is common in most quality badger and boar brushes. I have owned and used several other synthetic brushes in which backbone is slim or none.

In a subjective sense, the SynBad is as soft as a cloud when stroking the cheek when dry. The SilkSmoke is also soft, but minutely less than the SynBad. On the other hand, my SilkSmoke has no sensation of scritch if the dry brush is pressed and stroked against the dry cheek, while my SynBad has a minimal or even negligible scritch when the dry brush is pressed and stroked against the dry cheek. The SynBad fibers appear to be somewhat finer and more thoroughly packed than the SilkSmoke. (This is my brush and my cheek, and I'm doing the stroking, so perhaps others may certainly disagree.) Furthermore, the crown of the SilkSmoke has been physically trimmed/shaped in a configuration that just seems more subjectively attractive to me.

Both brushes are virtuoso at manufacturing thick and rich lather with competent soaps. I am attaching photos that show the visual differences between the two brushes. SilkSmoke is gray and SynBad is brown.

If I may be granted a follow-up, over the intervening 3 years, I've learned that the badger brushes create the best lather (bar none) when used with a soap, either loaded on the face or in the bowl, as contrasted against the SilkSmoke and Zenith boar brush. However, I've lately come to the conclusion that the SynBad (synthetic badger) is better than the SilkSmoke when used with a soap - on par with the badgers. Going forward within my very small group of preferred shaving brushes, the badgers and the synthetic badger will be used with the soaps more exclusively. Creams are usually excellent with any of the brushes, boar, synthetic, or badger. I'll be enjoying the Zenith boar and the SilkSmoke more often with the creams as they work their way through the rotation.

its nice when you find a shaving product that works a sense of joy into your day.

clive

How timely!

I bought a SilkSmoke brush a very short while ago. I have about 10 shaves under my belt with it - and was just thinking about a thread to discuss my initial thoughts.

I find the brush (knot and handle it came in) very large, and very soft. The website states that the knot has been updated a bit - and is more "scritchy" - either I have an original model or it's always been a soft knot. I have doubts it would lather a hard soap right now - it seems to have no backbone at all. Also - it seems to hold more water - I can't get the same lather at this moment - no matter how hard a shake it.

This is NOT to say I don't like it - I like the handle, and I love the overall look. But I was wondering how long it would be before it bloomed a bit. Gary - how long did you fine that took?

Gary, thanks for the follow-up remarks. I have a Synbad around here that I thought to sell but never have. I should give it another go at some point, I think.

I agree that badgers do provide a certain something when lathering hard soaps. As many guys here know, I was and still am an advocate for boar brushes, but there's no denying the combination of feel, lather capacity, and tight lather that badgers provide. My mixed knots seem the best of both worlds, having the rapid loading, better lather release, and consistent water retention of boar (badgers hold more, but it seems more variable) alongside the top characteristics of badger. That said, I've used a silvertip exclusively for the last several shaves and loved every one of them.

Now to find that Synbad...

I’m thinking of a new synthetic brush and how do these compare to say the Simpson Trafalgar

Decided to try a Phoenix Accoutrements Aerolite synthetic brush, 26mm

https://phoenixartisanaccoutrements.com ... shave-tech

Edit: Drat. Emailed me back to say they are out of them