What is your favourite brush type knot ? Badger, Synthetic or Boar ?

I have always favoured my prime/higher end badger brushes over all other brushes.

I didn't see that coming, at first you hated how the synthetics made a mess when you start face lathering.

With the recent addition of new synthetics in different lofts, knot sizes and fibre material, I'm slowly chaging to synthetics and accepting their greatness.

Since I sold all of my Badgers/Boars and only use synthetics these days I would be very interested to see your favorite synthetic brushes although I'm afraid knowing that you like big knots they won't be for me. I have Plissons and RazoRocks (tried many others but didn't like them).

Just in case you're interested I had some high end badgers (simpson/shavemac) but nowhere near as much as you (but then who does )

synthetics..they're incredibly soft, cheap and dry very fast.  I haven't used a badger or boar in probably 6+ months or longer.

Did you try/own one of the so called high end / prime badgers and if so, how would you rate these badgers up against the best synthetics you have tried so far ?

Do you face lather or bowl lather ?

My idea is that bowl latheres really don't have the same need for the top badger brushes, because they basicaly do the deep massage to the inside of the bowl to create the lather, then paint the lather on their face, where as a face lather shaver do the massage lather build up on the face and therefore there the face lather will feel more of how the brush works, when building the lather on the face, as oppose to the bowl latherer, that really gives this feel to his bowl and only paint with the brush.

My poin is, that it is my believe, that really only true face latherer will feel and urge for the higher end badgers, where a bowl lather does not go through the same feelings and sensations with a brush, becaue the lather is always 80-90-100% ready and made in the bowl.

I used to own a simpson pj2, but the hair was too scritchy for my sensitive skin so I sold it. my other top brushes were probably some LE semogue badgers I had as well as some new forest badgers.

truth to be told, I personally don't see the need in spending $100+ for a badger brush when I can get results that I like a lot from a $10 synthetic brush. if I spend some money on a brush, it'll probably be because I like the handle style more or it's a LE brush for DFS.

If I'm just going by fibers and not specific brushes I would rank Badger bristle as my top brushes followed closely by boar then horse and last place, so distant as to actually not really be in the race would be synthetics. I've tried many times but I just can't warm up to those synthetics. Maybe I'm due for an intervention because I want to like them but I can't.
Mark

In order of preference:
1) Badger
2) Synthetic
3) Mixed Boar/Badger
4) Boar

I love them all! I really enjoy the ride each brush takes me on and I love the differences each demands when lathering. The synthetics get the nod for travel but I find myself reaching equally for badger, boar, and synth. If I had to chose just one, I couldn't.

I prefer synthetics, they dry faster and the best ones provide plenty of backbone while being very soft and pleasant on the skin for face lathering.
I also use badgers and boars sometimes, and I'll admit that I have not had the patience to fully break in a boar, so I can't really compare the finished product to the synthetic, but I'm not sure if breaking in a boar is worth the effort when I have a ready made excellent experience at my fingertips.

As far as which synthetic knot... the tuxedo knot is the best one I've used. The H.I.S. is also excellent for me and both stand above the Plisson and Maggard knots, which are not bad by any means, just a bit too floppy for me.

I enjoy all of my brushes for the different experiences they provide. I think I do prefer natural hair though. If I'm in a hurry for whatever reason or traveling, I reach for the synthetics. I have not tried horse hair, but will eventually. I have a specific Vie-Long brush I've had my eye on lately.

My favorite knot type is horse. The backbone on my Vie Long is somewhere between boar and badger, and the tips are very soft. Boar has also worked very well for me, and I think the qualit boar brushes represent the best value for the money around. Synthetic sounds intriguing. Time to get a synthetic travel brush.

Hi,

I have a question about synthetic brushes. I purchased a synthetic brush, and the brush is hard/stiff at the base of the brush were the hair knot comes out of the handle. It seems to not splay very well because of that reason. Are all synthetics made in that same fashion?

Hi,

I have a question about synthetic brushes. I purchased a synthetic brush, and the brush is hard/stiff at the base of the brush were the hair knot comes out of the handle. It seems to not splay very well because of that reason. Are all synthetics made in that same fashion?

That's called the glue bump and no, they are not all the same. What brush are you talking about specifically? I have the RazoRock Monster Plissoft and it has quite a noticeable one. It adds to the backbone and as you describe, doesn't allow it to splay as easily. It's not as floppy like an authentic Plisson brush.