SilkSmoke?

[Deleted member 1881]

Glad you like the brush, I was unimpressed with Silksmoke to be honest, too soft and too much splay, the very fine fibres also feel unatural/plastic IMO. Also just to clarify I like lots of backbone with soft tips, but wouldn't endorse squashing or flattening a knot on the face, meant to ruin a brush. In other words light pressure, massage feel and clumpy fibres that feel natural = A*
Only a few badgers provide this face feel and a couple of well broken boars. YMMV.

In this post Nishy you describe the Tuxedo! How come didn't you like it? I own 2 tuxedos from Yaqi and both are excellent performers. I also have a Timberwolf 26mm knot. I like it a bit better TBH from Tuxedo.

I don't know, maybe it is my low standards, but they have feather soft tips with powerful backbone and suck up soap like there is no tomorrow.

 

[Nishy]

In this post Nishy you describe the Tuxedo! How come didn't you like it? I own 2 tuxedos from Yaqi and both are excellent performers. I also have a Timberwolf 26mm knot. I like it a bit better TBH from Tuxedo.

I don't know, maybe it is my low standards, but they have feather soft tips with powerful backbone and suck up soap like there is no tomorrow.

It's the issue with the glue bump. I can't replicate or order a brush with exact glue bumps. I like the Tuxedo brushes I own but all have different glue bumps and this affects the knot, not letting the user appreciate its true nature.

 

[Deleted member 1881]

It's the issue with the glue bump. I can't replicate or order a brush with exact glue bumps. I like the Tuxedo brushes I own but all have different glue bumps and this affects the knot, not letting the user appreciate its true nature.

I wish I could give you my 2 Tuxedos too see. The perfect glue bump. For me of course!

You might liked them.

 

[HMan]

Glad you like the brush, I was unimpressed with Silksmoke to be honest, too soft and too much splay, the very fine fibres also feel unatural/plastic IMO. Also just to clarify I like lots of backbone with soft tips, but wouldn't endorse squashing or flattening a knot on the face, meant to ruin a brush. In other words light pressure, massage feel and clumpy fibres that feel natural = A*
Only a few badgers provide this face feel and a couple of well broken boars. YMMV.

I'm not sure if you mean SilkSmoke or SynBad, the SynBad is pretty easy to splay, but I sure don't find the SilkSmaoke that way, especially the 28mm version. Neither feel 'natural' the SilkSmoke is almost spongy, but it's soft with great backbone IME.

I think we like the same type of badger, in my collection of 1, that exactly describes it and why I love it. I must have gotten lucky.

 

[Nishy]

I'm not sure if you mean SilkSmoke or SynBad, the SynBad is pretty easy to splay, but I sure don't find the SilkSmaoke that way, especially the 28mm version. Neither feel 'natural' the SilkSmoke is almost spongy, but it's soft with great backbone IME.

I think we like the same type of badger, in my collection of 1, that exactly describes it and why I love it. I must have gotten lucky.

I have tried both, didn't really enjoy either. Very springy thin fibres, that seem to bunch as opposed to clump and naturally splay. Again just working of members opinions but it appears AP Shave Co had been making brushes with higher lofts than its previous offerings?

 

[Nishy]

I wish I could give you my 2 Tuxedos too see. The perfect glue bump. For me of course!

You might liked them.

You never know. To be honest I wasn't worried about the glue bump when the Tuxedo brushes cost less than £10 delivered. But synthetics are now coming in much higher and that should reflect in the quality of workmanship.

 

[HMan]

I have tried both, didn't really enjoy either. Very springy thin fibres, that seem to bunch as opposed to clump and naturally splay. Again just working of members opinions but it appears AP Shave Co had been making brushes with higher lofts than its previous offerings?

You might be searching for a unicorn Nishy. I don't think there is a synth in existence that's going to be that close to natural.

I just got my first quality badger on a trip home to the states. After reading all the recent posts that synths are better, it took one use to tell me otherwise. It immediately felt like a shave brush was supposed to feel IMO.

Synths can be easier to lather with and use, but the feel isn't the same or better for me. But it's a compromise I can accept. Especially taking price and availability into account.

Still, I'm also sticking with APShaveCo, because the price is there, the handles are good, and I can't see paying 3x more for a different color handle and the same fibers.

 

[Nishy]

You might be searching for a unicorn Nishy. I don't think there is a synth in existence that's going to be that close to natural.

I just got my first quality badger on a trip home to the states. After reading all the recent posts that synths are better, it took one use to tell me otherwise. It immediately felt like a shave brush was supposed to feel IMO.

Synths can be easier to lather with and use, but the feel isn't the same or better for me. But it's a compromise I can accept. Especially taking price and availability into account.

Still, I'm also sticking with APShaveCo, because the price is there, the handles are good, and I can't see paying 3x more for a different color handle and the same fibers.

I think you are right, before buying a few synthetics I did question my sanity, having spent years collecting and enjoying high end badger brushes. I can't deny however, enjoying a few synthetics; Epsilon in particular.

 

[GoReds]

I have tried a couple of Yaqi and one of them is my prefered one. Sometimes I think to get a backup as it is very good to me. But there are so many new synthetic brushes that make me think looking for another model.

I had high hopes in the Shavemac new offer,, but I am waiting for a second release, if ever.

 

[Deleted member 1881]

I have tried a couple of Yaqi and one of them is my prefered one. Sometimes I think to get a backup as it is very good to me. But there are so many new synthetic brushes that make me think looking for another model.

I had high hopes in the Shavemac new offer,, but I am waiting for a second release, if ever.

So which is the Yaqi you prefer? Do you mean you like the knot only or the handle, or both of them?

 

[GoReds]

So which is the Yaqi you prefer? Do you mean you like the knot only or the handle, or both of them?

I prefer the Yaqi 26mm rainbow brush and the 28mm cashmere brush. I like the knots more than the handles actually. Yaqi makes heavy handles and not that ergonomic to me.

 

[Deleted member 1881]

I prefer the Yaqi 26mm rainbow brush and the 28mm cashmere brush. I like the knots more than the handles actually. Yaqi makes heavy handles and not that ergonomic to me.

It's true. The most ergonomic handles so far for me are the 26mm Timberwolf knot blue handle, the 24mm Sagrada Familia although I would like it a bit bigger and the handle of Moka 2band Badger 26mm knot although it is quite heavy and when fully covered with soap gets even heavier. But fits in the hand like a glove.

 

[Mr Bigmem]

28mm silksmoke set at 57mm which gives me some extra scrub and backbone. My last 28mm was set at 60mm and the extra 3mm makes so much of a difference. If you want more splay i'd go with 60mm loft on a 28mm