Anything that can go wrong will happen while I'm shaving...

I wouldn't write off badgers Paul.  Better to try different tactics.  I have moved from floppy to stiffer badgers over time, and based on occasional vendor comments, I think that is a common trend.  Fortunately, you don't have to use a single brush in this day and age, and softer badgers can have advantages.  I use my softer brushes with creams and croaps.  I have at times (but not recently) gripped the the knot part-way up the loft, which effectively stiffens some of the bristles.  I imagine this was easier to do back in grandpa's day, when knot diameters and handles may often have been smaller, but in this day and age, I view it as a last resort while traveling or a ticket to be punched.  

BTW, I saw MaineYooper's call-out yesterday, and I am sorry to take so long to respond.  I also haven't read through the whole thread because we have a lot cooking here.  The main thing is a new computer arrived (after a two month wait), and I need to clean some crap out of the old Kernel and move my home folder before upgrading.  Notwithstanding the fact that backups are our friend, it is edging closer to white-knuckle time here at Casa HighSpeed.  BTW there is a rumor going around that we own our computers.  Don't believe it; the other way round makes more sense.

Hey Mike. Thanks for the info. I'm definitely not giving up yet. Yesterday evening found me grumpy, but I quickly rebounded and decided to fight-on. Lol. I've been doing break-in lathers, despite being told they don't work. I also gave it a wash with conditioner to hopefully bring some life to the hairs. Also, I think I may have over soaked it, despite my violent squeeze and shake effort. I'm going to try to soak it in shallower water next time ... If the "stem area" stays dry, it might work better?

All fun, albeit maddening, experiments. Lol.

Good luck Paul!  Sounds like you're doing the right things.

A Case of the Grumpies! 



I contract these cases quite often!   

So I used the Silvertip this evening. It was ok, but not great.

It was soft... pillow soft. However, despite loading and loading and loading, I couldn't get enough lather out of it. I got 1 good pass and a thin weak lather for the second. For the final pass, I had to reload again.

This is what I feared and why I asked if Badgers needed a break-in. I know Boars 'eat less lather' after you break them in. If this is the best it'll get, I don't know how this is going to work. My gut reaction is  badgers are crap. I can build 6 passes worth in no time with a synth. I can't muster 2 good passes from a badger.

Just not worth using. Sheesh.

Hey Paul. I'm happy to chime in and give my opinion on badger knots. Maybe some of it will help, but please understand this is just my "opinion" and based off my own experiences. As we know, different folks like different things.

In the crazy world of Badger knots, I'd recommend a high-quality, 2-band. And my blunt opinion is; you get what you pay for. Early on in my wetshaving journey, I tried buying cheap/budget badgers and I was left disappointed in all of them. A good starting point and easy to obtain 2-band badger is the Maggards "SHD" knot. Cost is $55 for a 26mm. Either the bulb or the fan is solid. The Fan splays out more, while the bulb shape stays a little more focused. For the same price you can get a Viking Odin Beard knot, which I personally like a little better than the Maggards.

Depending on your preference, you may want a more "gel-tipped" knot. These have been treated to have softer tips. You can order one from AP Shaveco or Oumo. Some people like the gelly feel, others do not. Gel-tipped knots do take a bit more effort/time to whip up lather. The advantage is the tips are ultra soft and gooey.

3-band knots with a high loft are floppy and won't lather too well with harder soaps. Like Mike said, they work well with creams. A 2-band has good backbone and will work awesome with any soap. I soak mine for about 5 to 10 minutes in warm (not hot) water prior to shaving.

I don't think "break-in" is the right word, but I do feel like most badger knots do change just slightly after the first handful of uses. It not a huge or dramatic change like with a boar knot. To me its more like it "opens-up/splays" a bit more and obviously gets cleaner/un-funky. I also think its a good idea to use a quality shampoo on a badger knot when you first get it.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want an even more un-filtered opinion

This evening I went light and did a comfortable, albeit not too close shave. I had been pushing the Astra (6 shaves?) And I think that may be the cause of irritation, nicks, and possibly an ingrown hair? So tonight I did 4 light passes, no buffing or chasing for cleanup. It is what it is until I heal.

However, the shave was a joy. I used the Overlander, my go-to razor. I loaded it with my smoothest blade: Personna Comfort Coated. The soap is a favorite scent of mine: Savannah Sunrise. Finally, I used a brush I got from a giveaway on Matthew Lawrence's youtube channel: The PAA Green Ray.

It is a very nice brush, with good splay yet just enough backbone to not be a flop (pun intended). The look has always appealed to me, and I'm happy to have been able to try one. I can see why Sylvester has been trying to steal yours Eric.

The obligatory picture is below. Time to go find some dinner. Happy Friday DFS!

A very nice shave, indeed! Yup, you and Sylvester are getting me ready to use mine again. Sylvester let me have it back for a while!

I must try those blades. I really like the platinum chrome version.

Hope you have a successful hunt for dinner, Paul!

This evening I went back to the Silvertip again. Not great and I decided mid-shave to switch to a synth. Life's too short to mess around with stuff that just isn't doing it for me.

Sad part is, on top of the shaveforge I've been using, I also have a Yaqi Silvertip enroute still. Ooh well, I'll probably wait until it arrives and sell them both together.

Other than the Silvertip situation, the shave was good. Used AA Shaving 'The Hunt'. Great soap, nice scent.

Unless Shave Forge sourced their silvertip from Yaqi, you may be pleasantly surprised! But I am a glass half full guy, if I am not burying my head in the sand!

Unless Shave Forge sourced their silvertip from Yaqi, you may be pleasantly surprised! But I am a glass half full guy, if I am not burying my head in the sand!

I don't know where they source from, but the SF is fine feeling. The problem remains building a lather. It's probably a standout bowl latherer, but I rarely do that. I could just go back to the puck and reload. But it's annoying when my synths will load 4-5 passes without issue, work effortlessly, and feel fantastic. Maybe I'm simply doing something wrong?

Whatever the issue is, I think I'm ready to try to stick with what works. I need to stop wanting to try something else. Have another goodie. Own more and more for the sake of having stuff. As it is, I have a hard time picking what brush to use. The choices are quite plentiful, and all work great.

Unless Shave Forge sourced their silvertip from Yaqi, you may be pleasantly surprised! But I am a glass half full guy, if I am not burying my head in the sand!

I don't know where they source from, but the SF is fine feeling. The problem remains building a lather. It's probably a standout bowl latherer, but I rarely do that. I could just go back to the puck and reload. But it's annoying when my synths will load 4-5 passes without issue, work effortlessly, and feel fantastic. Maybe I'm simply doing something wrong?

Whatever the issue is, I think I'm ready to try to stick with what works. I need to stop wanting to try something else. Have another goodie. Own more and more for the sake of having stuff. As it is, I have a hard time picking what brush to use. The choices are quite plentiful, and all work great.

I think I understand. It sounds like what I described as my stuff owning me, and the effort going into choosing what to use was overcoming the joy of using. Or at least that is how I am taking what you wrote. I like what you wrote, "to try to stick with what works. I need to stop wanting to try something else. Have another goodie. Own more and more for the sake of having stuff." That is some serious reflection on your part, kudos. Seriously. Enjoy what we have, quit being only consumers. As Mike has posted, "Love people, not things." (I think I got it right?)

Have a good day Paul! Appreciate you and your thoughts!