Thoughts on the AP Shave Co G5C synthetic...

Gargravarr

Gargravarr

Our resident snake charmer
Joined
Jun 13, 2020
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lutruwita
I've been asked probably at least a dozen times now about my impressions of the AP Shave Co G5C knot, and I think it might be about time I put them all in one place, as comprehensively as I can, so people can find them for themselves without me having to reinvent everything every time.

To start with, my impressions are solely related to the 28mm (image here) version of the knot: for a head&face shaver, bigger is better up to a point, but 30mm isn't available right now, and I'm perfectly happy with that.

So here goes.

The G5C differs from its stablemates G5A and G5B in that the former is a fan knot made from Japanese fibres which are a tad longer than the German fibres used in the other two bulb knots. All of them benefit (IMO) from being set as high in the handle as possible to create and release as much lather as possible. It's the spaces between the fibres that hold the lather, not the fibres themselves. The complete brushes I've seen from AP are set a bit lower and tighter than I believe is optimal. Setting the knot high enables the knot to work well with any technique (painting, scrubbing or mashing).

The G5C has a good amount of backbone, but soft tips. (I would expect smaller versions to have less backbone.) The fibres are wavy (to emulate natural ones) and don't have that "spring" of earlier-generation synthetics, just a progressive resistance, so they splay quite naturally. In many respects, it behaves like a very good 2-band badger, except without that scritch. (And needless to say, without requiring any soaking, prolonged drying or any other special treatment.) While the 28mm fan might be a little on the large side for some users, it copes very nicely with small pucks of milled soaps, easily producing enough lather for 3+ passes face&head with plenty left to soap up for the shower.

The downsides: these knots are the most expensive synthetics I know of, almost in the better badger price range. Also, you'll have to wait a long time for your order to arrive from Canada, no matter which mail option you choose.

For me, the downsides don't matter. The G5C is the only knot of ANY kind that I have bought a second one of.
 
Gargravarr said:
I've been asked probably at least a dozen times now about my impressions of the AP Shave Co G5C knot, and I think it might be about time I put them all in one place, as comprehensively as I can, so people can find them for themselves without me having to reinvent everything every time.

To start with, my impressions are solely related to the 28mm (image here) version of the knot: for a head&face shaver, bigger is better up to a point, but 30mm isn't available right now, and I'm perfectly happy with that.

So here goes.

The G5C differs from its stablemates G5A and G5B in that the former is a fan knot made from Japanese fibres which are a tad longer than the German fibres used in the other two bulb knots. All of them benefit (IMO) from being set as high in the handle as possible to create and release as much lather as possible. It's the spaces between the fibres that hold the lather, not the fibres themselves. The complete brushes I've seen from AP are set a bit lower and tighter than I believe is optimal. Setting the knot high enables the knot to work well with any technique (painting, scrubbing or mashing).

The G5C has a good amount of backbone, but soft tips. (I would expect smaller versions to have less backbone.) The fibres are wavy (to emulate natural ones) and don't have that "spring" of earlier-generation synthetics, just a progressive resistance, so they splay quite naturally. In many respects, it behaves like a very good 2-band badger, except without that scritch. (And needless to say, without requiring any soaking, prolonged drying or any other special treatment.) While the 28mm fan might be a little on the large side for some users, it copes very nicely with small pucks of milled soaps, easily producing enough lather for 3+ passes face&head with plenty left to soap up for the shower.

The downsides: these knots are the most expensive synthetics I know of, almost in the better badger price range. Also, you'll have to wait a long time for your order to arrive from Canada, no matter which mail option you choose.

For me, the downsides don't matter. The G5C is the only knot of ANY kind that I have bought a second one of.
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Nice Brush!
 
Nice write up and a beautiful looking brush (y) sounds like you get the best of both worlds, the advantages of synthetics with the feel of a natural brush

I have one of these babies in 26mm on its way to me which will be directly routed to @TroyTools as soon as it gets here and i'll take your advice and have it set as high as possible.. I still enjoy using my yaqi synthetics quite a lot, they certainly dont have the feel of a natural hair brush but they still lather extremely well so really looking forward to the G5C.
 
The way I understand it, the German fibres used by Muhle & Co are not available in longer sizes. That's why they have to set them at such low lofts with larger knot diameters (or with a large glue bump, or both)
 
alfredus said:
The way I understand it, the German fibres used by Muhle & Co are not available in longer sizes. That's why they have to set them at such low lofts with larger knot diameters (or with a large glue bump, or both)
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Yeah, and that glue bump gave a lot of G5 knots a bad name. Opinion of the AP G5A and G5B knots is that there are no reports of an intrusive bump, and I've certainly found that to be the case in the 28mm size.

That said, IMO the combo of longer fibres with the fan design of the G5C gives a much more luxurious performer.
 
StratMan said:
I have a Oumo EOS G5 I picked up from @Wilkshire13 that he wasnt impressed with and I am not much of a fan either. Feels fantastic on the face when dry, such super soft tips but cant exactly remember what I didnt like about it. I'll give it another go tonight and see, but from memory I think it was the lack of splay and feel when face lathering
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It's a bit springy also, probably set too low in the handle and it's a smallish knot
 
gave the oumo G5 a test run today and yep way too springy. I had to use considerable force to get it to splay and had to retain that force in order to build a lather on the face. Once a lather was reached 'painting' the brush across the face was extremely soft and comfortable. The fibres of this knot are the best I have personally used but its a shame they are set too low as this kills the brush. I'll make sure to get mine set as @Gargravarr recommends as high as possible for my incoming 24mm lansky hd and 26mm G5C.
 
StratMan said:
gave the oumo G5 a test run today and yep way too springy. I had to use considerable force to get it to splay and had to retain that force in order to build a lather on the face. Once a lather was reached 'painting' the brush across the face was extremely soft and comfortable. The fibres of this knot are the best I have personally used but its a shame they are set too low as this kills the brush. I'll make sure to get mine set as @Gargravarr recommends as high as possible for my incoming 24mm lansky hd and 26mm G5C.
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This is all too common. I sometimes wonder if some brush makers just set the knot deep under a mistaken assumption that the knot will bloom like a badger, which of course it never does. (My G5C has spread just a little, and I like that.) Or maybe they're just lazy. :unsure: I haven't found any synthetic that benefits from being set that tightly.
 
Gargravarr said:
This is all too common. I sometimes wonder if some brush makers just set the knot deep under a mistaken assumption that the knot will bloom like a badger, which of course it never does. (My G5C has spread just a little, and I like that.) Or maybe they're just lazy. :unsure: I haven't found any synthetic that benefits from being set that tightly.
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I just dont think they put any thought into it at all.. or even any hands on research/testing or they would know this.. not only brush makers, but the makers of the fibres in Germany, why on earth specifically make the knot fibres so short compared with all other knots? you would think they researched it and maybe found a shorter knot either benefits the brush or at the very least makes no difference

got some big plans for my G5C :love:
 
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