Brush recommendations...

After nearly two decades and quite a few brushes, I've whittled my "collection" down to two, but am still wanting to find others that may address some of the idiosyncrasies I have with these.

So, short of me driving the ~2 hours up to Pasteur's and fondling whatever brush selection they have that I might do some day, I'm relying on you folks to give me some experiential advice.

Omega Pro 10049 26mm knot x 59mm loft - I've had this for many years. It's decently soft after all the use, it eats up soap and is occasionally used by my wife. I seldom use it myself anymore because it uses more soap than I need for my shaves. I sometimes press it into service to use with triple milled/hard soaps like MdC.

Razorock Bruce Plissoft 24mm knot x 57mm loft - makes plenty of lather for my 2-3 pass shaves, comfortable on my face, no irritation, but clanks around in my soap containers when trying to get at the soap ring and could probably stand to go with a slightly smaller knot, maybe 22mm.

I'm looking for a brush that:

• costs less than $30 (before shipping)
  
• 24mm or less knot diameter - I've found a larger diameter brush just wastes soap. I typically only do 2-3 passes and still have a bunch of soap that goes down the drain even with a 4-5 second loading.
  
• Synthetic fibers
  
• Handle that won't bruise finger tips when trying to scour soap out of the container or during bowl lathering (I use a Timeless that has tall walls)
  
• Open to bulb or fan shape - I typically swirl the lather on my face for the first pass and then paint on lather for subsequent passes
  
• Backbone somewhere between that of boar and mid-range badger. I want to be able to easily load soft and hard soaps, but would consider dedicated brushes for each type of soap consistency. I don't use shave creams since I don't know of any that compete with the top tier artisan soaps I use (Grooming Dept., Arianna & Evans, Barrister & Mann, Ethos).
  

Will state that the new Semogue synthetic brush fibre is amazing

After nearly two decades and quite a few brushes, I've whittled my "collection" down to two, but am still wanting to find others that may address some of the idiosyncrasies I have with these.

So, short of me driving the ~2 hours up to Pasteur's and fondling whatever brush selection they have that I might do some day, I'm relying on you folks to give me some experiential advice.

Omega Pro 10049 26mm knot x 59mm loft - I've had this for many years. It's decently soft after all the use, it eats up soap and is occasionally used by my wife. I seldom use it myself anymore because it uses more soap than I need for my shaves. I sometimes press it into service to use with triple milled/hard soaps like MdC.

Razorock Bruce Plissoft 24mm knot x 57mm loft - makes plenty of lather for my 2-3 pass shaves, comfortable on my face, no irritation, but clanks around in my soap containers when trying to get at the soap ring and could probably stand to go with a slightly smaller knot, maybe 22mm.

I'm looking for a brush that:

• costs less than $30 (before shipping)
  
• 24mm or less knot diameter - I've found a larger diameter brush just wastes soap. I typically only do 2-3 passes and still have a bunch of soap that goes down the drain even with a 4-5 second loading.
  
• Synthetic fibers
  
• Handle that won't bruise finger tips when trying to scour soap out of the container or during bowl lathering (I use a Timeless that has tall walls)
  
• Open to bulb or fan shape - I typically swirl the lather on my face for the first pass and then paint on lather for subsequent passes
  
• Backbone somewhere between that of boar and mid-range badger. I want to be able to easily load soft and hard soaps, but would consider dedicated brushes for each type of soap consistency. I don't use shave creams since I don't know of any that compete with the top tier artisan soaps I use (Grooming Dept., Arianna & Evans, Barrister & Mann, Ethos).
  

Razorock 400 Noir. One of my favorite brushes. Great 24mm knot, longer handle so you don't bang your fingers while loading.

for $6.46 shipped, I decided to give a Yaqi 22mm Surf synthetic brush a try. I'm still open to checking out others and am awaiting APS's response.

for $6.46 shipped, I decided to give a Yaqi 22mm Surf synthetic brush a try. I'm still open to checking out others and am awaiting APS's response.

May I ask why you are exclusively interested in a synthetic?

I tend to favor the synthetics since I've found them to perform well for me and don't require any break-in.

I tend to favor the synthetics since I've found them to perform well for me and don't require any break-in.

If you will indulge me I am a bit curious (I promise I will not try to persuade you to do or try anything).

Are you a face latherer or a bowl latherer?

I know from your OP that you sometimes use triple milled soaps. Do you frequently use cremes from a tube?

Thanks in advance.

I am a bowl latherer and I do not use any cremes.

I am a bowl latherer and I do not use any cremes.

Got it, thanks.

Sorry for hijacking your thread steelwindmachine, but I got a similar question:

On the upper line, the only two synthetic knots I actually enjoy, a 26mm Frank Shaving G4 and a 24mm Shavemac synth.
On the bottom, those I still keep but don’t get much love: a couple of Yaqi Tuxedo, a 1st gen Oumo G5, a Motherlode and a G5 gen 3 handtied by Alessandro from V&C (he doesn’t work with synths but since he’s a friend and he lost a bet, I was able “to force” him).
Beside these, I’ve also tried without success Omega S-Brush and Silversynth fibers, Simpson Sovereign and Platinum, Plissoft, Muhle STF...

It’s frustrating because I exactly know what I’m looking for, but apparently can’t find anyone able to satisfy my wishes: medium-low fiber rigidity, high (>54mm) free loft, no glue bump, medium density.
Do you guys have any suggestion, please?
Thx