Question on Synthetic vs Boar ease of lathering

TSEvangelist I actually watched your videos on the Plisson and the Plisson alternatives, and for me the lack of backbone offered by the original Plisson would offer the most unique experience compared to what I have. I also figured that it would be a good entry point for synthetics since it is rather iconic. I don't know (yet) that backbone is something that I'd seek in a synthetic. The Plisson seems like a great starting point for this hair type for someone who is completely untamiliar with synthetics .

TSEvangelist I actually watched your videos on the Plisson and the Plisson alternatives, and for me the lack of backbone offered by the original Plisson would offer the most unique experience compared to what I have. I also figured that it would be a good entry point for synthetics since it is rather iconic. I don't know (yet) that backbone is something that I'd seek in a synthetic. The Plisson seems like a great starting point for this hair type for someone who is completely untamiliar with synthetics .

As long as you don't mind what some call 'floppiness', you'll be just fine.


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TSEvangelist I actually watched your videos on the Plisson and the Plisson alternatives, and for me the lack of backbone offered by the original Plisson would offer the most unique experience compared to what I have. I also figured that it would be a good entry point for synthetics since it is rather iconic. I don't know (yet) that backbone is something that I'd seek in a synthetic. The Plisson seems like a great starting point for this hair type for someone who is completely untamiliar with synthetics .

As long as you don't mind what some call 'floppiness', you'll be just fine.  


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What's really funny about "floppiness" is that sometimes I want a bit more backbone yet at other times I am just in the mood for a softer "floppy" feel in the brush, probably more when using a cream.  For me, my brushes help to add a bit of diversity to my shaves, just as my razors do.  Obviously, this is a YMMV thing but I really do enjoy both.

TSEvangelist I actually watched your videos on the Plisson and the Plisson alternatives, and for me the lack of backbone offered by the original Plisson would offer the most unique experience compared to what I have. I also figured that it would be a good entry point for synthetics since it is rather iconic. I don't know (yet) that backbone is something that I'd seek in a synthetic. The Plisson seems like a great starting point for this hair type for someone who is completely untamiliar with synthetics .

As long as you don't mind what some call 'floppiness', you'll be just fine.  


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What's really funny about "floppiness" is that sometimes I want a bit more backbone yet at other times I am just in the mood for a softer "floppy" feel in the brush, probably more when using a cream.  For me, my brushes help to add a bit of diversity to my shaves, just as my razors do.  Obviously, this is a YMMV thing but I really do enjoy both.

I completely understand. I find the more densely packed plisson-type knots to offer something comparable to backbone, but not exactly scrub.


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I feel like the odd duck, who never really like synthetics.  I get so much more out of my boars, especially when it comes to the "thirsty" soaps like Mikes, B&M, Stirling, etc.  Because the synthetic doesn't "hold" water very well it's pretty sloppy and messy and needs a fair amount of correcting back and forth to get right.  I've also had very limited luck with using synthetics on my favorite performer, MW.

Maybe it's a learning curve issue, but the only clear thing that draws me to the synthetics is drying time, for travel purposes.

You are not an odd duck as I, also, don't enjoy synthetics, in the slightest, except for camping because of their ease of drying as you have stated.
Personally, I just don't enjoy the feel of the fibres and I, actually, find them to be 'prickly' throughout my shaves, something I have never experienced with natural hair. Granted, I have experienced 'scritch', but I find this quite different than the 'prickly' feel of synthetic fibres.
Of course, YMMV.

I have owned and tested 175-200 brushes total, majority of them high end badger brushes, 15-20 boars and 20-25 synthetics.

Ever since I skipped the whole idea of counting while loading or going for the very popular 'almond' sized amount on the brush, that you still see some YouTube shavers do, and just loaded the living life out of the soap/cream, until soap/cream is covering 40-50% of the entire brush, I have never had problems lathering anything in my den.

Do synthetics load easier than natural hair brushes - YES
Do synthetics need less product to build the lather - YES

But since I'm not on budget, and have soaps/cream in my den to several lifetimes of shaving, I superlather for most of my shaves to actually use more product, and I always overload my brush, so I have no reason to choose a synthetic brush over a natural hair for the above two statements.

Only reason I prefer a synthetic is for travelling, because it dries faster and even high end synthetics cost far less than even my cheapest badger brushes.

I do like the new style denser Plisson fibre synthetics, when I have sensitive skin issues and some of my badgers are too much for face lathering for 3 passes.
Other than that, I always prefer badger and even boar over synthetics.

But I find that synthetics have come a long way in their evolution, and they definitely now has a place in my den.

Currently I own these 4 synthetics:

Stirling KONG
CrownKing Suave 26 mm
CrownKing Suave 24 mm
Chubby 2 (on its way to me)

I like that I feel I can work the lather a little better into my skin with a badger, than I can with a synthetic.
Synthetics for me still is more like painting the lather on.
Real high quality high end badgers can work the lather better into the skin in a different way, when I face lather, because of their backbone and their whole design.
Same with a broken in boar, but boars are just on a cheaper level, than high end badgers are.

The face feel and the way the lather is created on my face when face lathering with a Simpson Chubby 3 Manchurian or a softer Thäter 4125/3 28 mm 2-band Silvertip is just not something a synthetics have been close to reproducing for me. It may still come in the future, but presently even the best synthetics are not even close.

Do they still work for me, hell yes. Enjoy my synthetics, but they play 3.rd division compared to a prime badger, also when it comes to creating the best thickest youghurt like lather.

YMMV

I, actually, find them to be 'prickly' throughout my shaves, something I have never experienced with natural hair. Granted, I have experienced 'scritch', but I find this quite different than the 'prickly' feel of synthetic fibres.

This is something I've found as well, the tips might be soft as anything when I'm lightly brushing them on my fingertips, but in use they feel a lot more prickly. I've narrowed the cause down to using paintbrush strokes when the brush isn't splayed enough, it's like standing a plastic ruler on its end and pressing down, it bends but it's really pushing up rather than giving way. The best solution I've come up with is splaying a lot more than I'd do with a badger, and using only circular strokes.

This is something I've found as well, the tips might be soft as anything when I'm lightly brushing them on my fingertips, but in use they feel a lot more prickly.  I've narrowed the cause down to using paintbrush strokes when the brush isn't splayed enough, it's like standing a plastic ruler on its end and pressing down, it bends but it's really pushing up rather than giving way.  The best solution I've come up with is splaying a lot more than I'd do with a badger, and using only circular strokes.

Thank you for your reply, but I wasn't looking for a solution as I don't use synthetics, any longer, except when I go camping.

With regards to badger brushes, I have never had any issues with them. I adore them and use them, daily. However, I use both circular and paint-brush strokes, but I don't, overly, splay the knot as most of mine are 26mm +, so there isn't any need.

This is something I've found as well, the tips might be soft as anything when I'm lightly brushing them on my fingertips, but in use they feel a lot more prickly.  I've narrowed the cause down to using paintbrush strokes when the brush isn't splayed enough, it's like standing a plastic ruler on its end and pressing down, it bends but it's really pushing up rather than giving way.  The best solution I've come up with is splaying a lot more than I'd do with a badger, and using only circular strokes.

Thank you for your reply, but I wasn't looking for a solution as I don't use synthetics, any longer, except when I go camping.  

With regards to badger brushes, I have never had any issues with them. I adore them and use them, daily. However, I use both circular and paint-brush strokes, but I don't, overly, splay the knot as most of mine are 26mm +, so there isn't any need.  

Agreed Celestino---Thats exactly why I enjoy brushes 26mm+

Excellent, Barry and the only drawback is their price!