OK chaps here is my final report (tried to keep it short), I will also be providing Bernd with a short video review. This should be accessible through the Shavemac website.
Aim:
To mimic a natural badger brush. With the understanding physical limitations occur. This brush would have to express fibre tension and spring, similar to that of a 2 band (Shavemac) silvertip set at 25/48. Again with reference to above, physical limitations such as water retention will affect the overall knot feel. Balance between splay, density and flow through are critical.
Hypothesis:
Prior to used I expected this knot to fall short of my previous favourite (Chubby 2 synthetic). In hand it felt as though it had less backbone.
Previous synthetic knots I have owned/own and tested include; Tuxedo, Simpson Chubby 2, Timber Wolf, Plisson and Omega S. I have also tried three other unbranded synthetic bristle. Issues that I have experienced with respect to the above:
- Fibres too springy. Resulting in lather being flicked when lathering. Also a tendency to provide a prickly feeling on the face (very tip dependent).
- Glue bump. Splay is affected and an un-natural backbone feel occurs. At times (e.g. Tuxedo) tips flex very easily feeling completely unbalanced, against the hard backbone (glue bump) experienced at the base.
- Very little backbone- Massive splay thus little to no face feel.
- Lather running down the handle. Wether this is a result of the bristle and water adhesion or density or both. I find this a common issue with a few synthetic knots. When most synthetics require the addition of water throughout the shave, this can become a repetitive issue.
- 'Doughnutting'- drastically reduces tip feel and dense or plush backbone when on the face. Most likely to occur when using scrubbing motions.
- Too much backbone (Chubby 2 synthetic) at times I feel the backbone is too great leading to quite a heavy face feel when scrubbing. Infact scrubbing often doesn't lead to building lather with this brush, painting is more successful. Limiting the brush.
Method:
- Brush is not pre-soaked, instead wetted under a tap for approximately five seconds. Then taken directly to the puck.
- Loading with pressure on a wet puck or with very light pressure on dry cream.
- Once the top band is completely saturated with product, the brush is taken directly to the face (face lathering) or to the bowl (bowl lathering).
- Circular scrubbing motions and linear painting motions are both used to build a glossy, thick and slick lather. Throughout this period water is added to the tips of the knot.
- Lather is spread even on the face, whilst going ATG-lifting stubble, over spots that are harder to clean shave.
- On completion the brush is washed and towel dried.
Results:
The brush is impressive. In terms of backbone, splay and lather release it mimics a two band silvertip (25/50) very well. Tip feel is very natural, not a 'plastic' or 'cotton soft' feel to the bulb's tips. Instead you feel individual bristles, without any scritch or scratch. The bulb shaped knot does not doughnut when saturated nor when in use. Applying pressure provides more scrub, increasing proportionally. On reaching the base of the knot (not usually recommended) backbone is still plush, due to the lack of glue bump.
Inspecting this knot you can see it has been hand tied before being glued. Fibres have that tell tale spiralled lay towards the base of the knot as opposed to being glued 180 degrees linear. Lather does drip the handle a little. I still need to master how much water to add when face lathering, as it only occurred for this method. Lather flow is not restricted, lather does no flick or 'spray' across the room, when lathering. Strangely even when towel dried the knot retains drops of water/moisture within the knot; similar to a natural badger knot. Loading time is greatly reduced, as i have found with many synthetics. The brush even had the audacity to lose one hair on its first lather. Incredibly close to a natural badger.
Conclusion:
When lathering this knot feels very much like a natural badger set at 25/50 or 25/52. Personally for my preference, the loft would be lowered by 2mm to 25/48. Being a synthetic it doesn't retain much heat, so that lovely warm plush feel you find with excellent badgers cannot be afforded to the same level. However, despite this if blindfolded and when in use I would find it incredibly hard to differentiate this synthetic knot with the equivalent badger. A winner IMO. Looking forward to conducting the VLB group buy with this synthetic knot as an option.
Finally its been a pleasure to use this brush. It is definitely my favourite synthetic thus far. Feeling closer to a badger than any other I have tried. I am just waiting on Bernd to see if I can offer this brush as a pass around for others to experience (hopefully should be fine). I shall also be uploading a video review of the brush to be displayed on the Shavemac website in the following days. Oh yes and the handle can easily be changed so I wont comment on the handle.
