need help deciding on synthetic knot

nav1

Active Member from afar
2018 Sabbatical Fail
Joined
Aug 23, 2012
I have been using a Maggard synth for a little while now and I actually really like it.
My other synth experiences have been with the Muhle STF, which I really didn't like at all as it was too springy, didn't splay and when forced to splay, it flung lather out the sides of the knot! The Loccitane Plisson synth was just too floppy and I sold it off.

Here are the characteristics of the Maggard synth that I have really enjoyed...

- It's a hybrid bulb/fan knot. I don't like bulb knots. Fan is also OK but my preferred is a hybrid

- The bottom half of the knot is very dense and (perhaps due to the glue bump) makes a great foundation for the top half. I can get the top of the knot to splay without lather going everywhere. So, it's super soft but not floppy due to the dense and solid bottom half.

- I prefer the 24mm knot size and the tips of the Maggard are very plush and comfortable.

So, I am considering the Tuxedo knot and the Cashmere knot. I am worried that the Tuxedo is too much bulb shape for me. I feat the Cashmere knot is too floppy and just too soft and may not be enjoyable to feel "nothing" on the face while face lathering.

So, given my preferences and my concerns relating to the Tuxedo and Cashmere, which knot is likely to suit me better and why?
 
@nav1 get yourself this brush is not too floppy, and know you like a 24mm knot but this brush is FANTASTIC!!
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@SpeedyPC
A few people have suggested the Stirling synth...but paying 200% more than the brush in postage is just not something I am willing to do, otherwise I would have gone for this brush for sure.
 
I haven't personally used one yet, but based on what I've read and seen online it sounds like maybe the game changer might be a good option for you?

Another one I haven't tried, but is described as a bit of a hybrid between bulb and fan is the ubersoft 2. So that might be worth looking at.

As far as the tuxedo goes, I have a wolf whiskers with a black wolf 25mm fan knot, which I think has pretty much been confirmed to be the same fibres as the tuxedo, just a different knot configuration, and I absolutely love it. The tips are amazingly soft, it splays great and has just enough backbone for my taste. I don't think you can just buy the knot from anywhere though and wolf whiskers has a waiting list. You might be able to get it in a custom handle from envy shaves, I don't remember if he has the 25mm fan as an option or just the 24mm bulb. They also might be a bit less dense than the tuxedos (on a reddit thread the guy who is APShaveCo said that he believed the fibres on the knots were the same, but he couldn't speak to density. He had his knots made as dense as possible, I'm not sure if Peter has done the same).

One caveat, I had a maggards 24mm synthetic and I didn't like it at all. I found it scritchy and generally unpleasant to use, so bear that in mind.
 
@thisISjoel
I was looking at the Tuxedo 24mm and it looks like a hybrid (close to the Maggard knot) so I think I may be happy with this one.

https://www.etsy.com/in-en/listing/...&ga_search_query=tuxedo knot&ref=sr_gallery_1

The Maggard brush you didn't like is the one I am using now...I traded you some GSB blades for it :D
I used it a couple of times and hated it! I was thinking synth brushes just aren't for me.
Now, nearly a year later, I tried it again after clearing my mind from years of boar brush habit.
So, I shook out all the water from the brush, dipped just the tips in water and loaded up the soap. I face lathered, dipping the tips in water as I went along and ended up with the most luscious lather ever, which didn't dry out in the brush because synth fibres don't absorb the water out of the lather.

So yeah, I fell in love with the synth and now I'm using the Maggard daily. I don't find it scritchy at all, it's pillow soft for me. I also like that I don't need to splay it much for it to generate lather within the knot. I love this characteristic.

From what I've read, the Tuxedo will be close to this but the Cashmere got me a bit confused however, the more I assess it, the more I am leaning towards the Tuxedo.
 
@thisISjoel
I was looking at the Tuxedo 24mm and it looks like a hybrid (close to the Maggard knot) so I think I may be happy with this one.

https://www.etsy.com/in-en/listing/452188318/24mm-tuxedo-extra-dense-synthetic?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=tuxedo knot&ref=sr_gallery_1

The Maggard brush you didn't like is the one I am using now...I traded you some GSB blades for it :D
I used it a couple of times and hated it! I was thinking synth brushes just aren't for me.
Now, nearly a year later, I tried it again after clearing my mind from years of boar brush habit.
So, I shook out all the water from the brush, dipped just the tips in water and loaded up the soap. I face lathered, dipping the tips in water as I went along and ended up with the most luscious lather ever, which didn't dry out in the brush because synth fibres don't absorb the water out of the lather.

So yeah, I fell in love with the synth and now I'm using the Maggard daily. I don't find it scritchy at all, it's pillow soft for me. I also like that I don't need to splay it much for it to generate lather within the knot. I love this characteristic.

From what I've read, the Tuxedo will be close to this but the Cashmere got me a bit confused however, the more I assess it, the more I am leaning towards the Tuxedo.

Hahaha! I completely forgot that was you :) well, I'm glad you're enjoying it.
 
@nav1 if you want I'll get a few soaps and split the postage with you.

Thanks mate, I appreciate that.
I'm living overseas at the moment so my family would have to ship it to me here, which would defeat any savings.
 
FWIW, I just bought the 24mm APShaveCo tuxedo knot and one of his handles last week. After using it only once so far, I'm in love. A bit more backbone than the Maggard synthetic, splays very well and the tips are soft as expected.

Crappy phone photos next to my Maggard 22mm synthetic - https://imgur.com/a/ePf7i
 
That tuxedo brush looks awesome!!

I've got a RR Bruce plissoft on the way as the custom brush is on hold for now.

I would have jumped on the tuxedo brush but shipping to India is not tracked so I'll grab one next time I'm in Sydney.
 
The game changer is superb, the tuxedo/black wolf is even better!

The tuxedo is like the softest silky pillow on your face but had heaps of backbone!

Both have great flow through!

@Tony Forsyth makes superb brushes with the tuxedo knot!

I would recommend having a tuxedo or game changer set at 53-55mm for they are the benchmark in my opinion!
 
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