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

^^^^Paul Bunyan's brush! Lather your face in a cloud!

^^^^Paul Bunyan's brush! Lather your face in a cloud!

No kidding Eric. It feels like it. Both the knot and the handle.

I have a 24mm Rubberset in the works. When that arrives I'll take their picture together. It should be a funny, stark difference... as those older brushes were small, compared to today's standards.

Still, I love the aquatic colors of this guy. It makes a good display piece in my home office.

As I've been doing lately, today I added 2 drops of Stirling Frost drops to the brush for the last (ATG) pass. I'm really enjoying how that feels with the innate sensitivity of ATG shaving. For anyone reading this that doesn't know, it's simple ingredients list include: water, menthol, glycerin, and polysorbate (whatever that's for).

A quick Google search reveals that Menthol crystals are not water (nor glycerin) soluble. It is recommended to use polysorbate 20 for water application. Thus, that answers my question above.

...Because SCIENCE! (Cue Bill Nye)

Received the new AP knots this evening. Unfortunately, the 26mm Synbad fan is also HUGE at the glue bump (greater than 27mm, as it won't fit into the handle). The result is I needed to add an additional spacer to give it something to rest on.

I hope it is at least more easily splayed, unlike the last bulb knot. That last one fought to splay like no other AP knot.

I set it this evening and I'll give it a shot tomorrow. Fingers crossed...

I don't know what's going on with their knots, but I don't think they're anywhere near what they used to be. Very sad.

Received the new AP knots this evening. Unfortunately, the 26mm Synbad fan is also HUGE at the glue bump (greater than 27mm, as it won't fit into the handle). The result is I needed to add an additional spacer to give it something to rest on.

I hope it is at least more easily splayed, unlike the last bulb knot. That last one fought to splay like no other AP knot.

I set it this evening and I'll give it a shot tomorrow. Fingers crossed...

I don't know what's going on with their knots, but I don't think they're anywhere near what they used to be. Very sad.

Reach out to them. I know you may not feel it's worth it but Without feedback they don't know and you guys are such great supporters for sure.

Received the new AP knots this evening. Unfortunately, the 26mm Synbad fan is also HUGE at the glue bump (greater than 27mm, as it won't fit into the handle). The result is I needed to add an additional spacer to give it something to rest on.

I hope it is at least more easily splayed, unlike the last bulb knot. That last one fought to splay like no other AP knot.

I set it this evening and I'll give it a shot tomorrow. Fingers crossed...

I don't know what's going on with their knots, but I don't think they're anywhere near what they used to be. Very sad.

Reach out to them. I know you may not feel it's worth it but Without feedback they don't know and you guys are such great supporters for sure.

It's kind of already done.

When I ordered this knot to replace the last one I mentioned the problem. Andrew knew what is going on. I was sure he'd check to make sure there wasn't an issue... unless he doesn't have a caliper or something. I don't know.

It is what it is. I did add in a 24 cashmere knot to the order. I need to measure that one, to see if I'm going to have an issue. Hopefully not. Maybe it's only an issue with the manufacturer he buys the Synbad from? I don't know.

Edit: 24.4 at the base, 24.5 at the glue bump. As long as a 24mm handle is drilled for 24.5 or greater, it'll fit just fine. Whew.

Received the new AP knots this evening. Unfortunately, the 26mm Synbad fan is also HUGE at the glue bump (greater than 27mm, as it won't fit into the handle). The result is I needed to add an additional spacer to give it something to rest on.

I hope it is at least more easily splayed, unlike the last bulb knot. That last one fought to splay like no other AP knot.

I set it this evening and I'll give it a shot tomorrow. Fingers crossed...

I don't know what's going on with their knots, but I don't think they're anywhere near what they used to be. Very sad.

Reach out to them. I know you may not feel it's worth it but Without feedback they don't know and you guys are such great supporters for sure.

It's kind of already done.

When I ordered this knot to replace the last one I mentioned the problem. Andrew knew what is going on. I was sure he'd check to make sure there wasn't an issue... unless he doesn't have a caliper or something. I don't know.

It is what it is. I did add in a 24 cashmere knot to the order. I need to measure that one, to see if I'm going to have an issue. Hopefully not. Maybe it's only an issue with the  manufacturer he buys the Synbad from? I don't know.

Edit: 24.4 at the base, 24.5 at the glue bump. As long as a 24mm handle is drilled for 24.5 or greater, it'll fit just fine. Whew.

Well that's disappointing....

Reach out to them. I know you may not feel it's worth it but Without feedback they don't know and you guys are such great supporters for sure.

It's kind of already done.

When I ordered this knot to replace the last one I mentioned the problem. Andrew knew what is going on. I was sure he'd check to make sure there wasn't an issue... unless he doesn't have a caliper or something. I don't know.

It is what it is. I did add in a 24 cashmere knot to the order. I need to measure that one, to see if I'm going to have an issue. Hopefully not. Maybe it's only an issue with the  manufacturer he buys the Synbad from? I don't know.

Edit: 24.4 at the base, 24.5 at the glue bump. As long as a 24mm handle is drilled for 24.5 or greater, it'll fit just fine. Whew.

Well that's disappointing....

Well... It definitely is. However, not all is lost. I added the extra spacer and set it. We'll see. Maybe it works fine. It'll get a test run tomorrow. Maybe it just had to sit really high up. Not the end of the world if it stays glued and is functional.

I'm going to be positive and say I may still be 'okay'. To be continued? Lol.

I have had the same sort of problem(s) with APShaveCo.  I got a knot for which the diameter at the base was about 2mm greater than advertised, and I did not have a handle to use with it.  I did reach out to Andrew, and he took care of me in first class style.  On a separate note, I have gotten G5A and G5B knots with very high glue bumps.  (I don't have the specifics at hand; sorry.)  Having done business with Andrew for years, and been very satisfied throughout, I somewhat sadly eased away from APShaveCo for the time being.  There seems to be a thriving handle business still in play, and I do hope that either things get squared away with the knots - or that or that Paul's and my experiences turn out to be rare exceptions to the norm.

I have had the same sort of problem(s) with APShaveCo.  I got a knot for which the diameter at the base was about 2mm greater than advertised, and I did not have a handle to use with it.  I did reach out to Andrew, and he took care of me in first class style.  On a separate note, I have gotten G5A and G5B knots with very high glue bumps.  (I don't have the specifics at hand; sorry.)  Having done business with Andrew for years, and been very satisfied throughout, I somewhat sadly eased away from APShaveCo for the time being.  There seems to be a thriving handle business still in play, and I do hope that either things get squared away with the knots - or that or that Paul's and my experiences turn out to be rare exceptions to the norm.

Sorry to hear that Mike. Eric posted much earlier that he also had a Synbad that basically wasn't what it used to be. I believe it was like mine, stiffer and hard to splay? Nonetheless, it's appearing to be a new normal, and not a one off situation. Ugh.

The 26 Synbad fan has set. I gave it a few dry passes to see how it feels. It does not have the splay of a fan... not of a Synbad, either. I began to inspect it closer and I think it may be the glue bump. I need to compare it next to an older Synbad I have (got 4, including this one, in my rotation). Nonetheless, I think it may be time to order a different knot and move on.

I like the original properties of the Synbad: super soft, easily splays. I'm thinking of either trying the motherlode (Boti or Oumo both make one). Additionally, I have had good luck on Phoenix Artisan knots. I may try one of theirs.

Anyone have any other suggestions for a soft, easily splaying synthetic knot from other vendors? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Have a good day folks!