This is the place to ask beginner and simple questions. Some examples include:
- Soap, scent, or gear recommendations
- Favorite scents, bases, etc
- Where to buy certain items
- Identification of a razor you just bought
- Troubleshooting shaving issues such as cuts, poor lather, and technique
Please note these are examples and any questions for the sub should be posted here.
Does anyone find synthetic knots get worse over time? I’ve now had a couple go from super soft to quite soft but slightly scratchy like the very tips of the fibres break off leaving a subtly harsh contact surface. They still lather fine, just less pleasant to use.
Do you clean them from time to time? Normally, fibres breaking is a sign that something is wrong.
I mostly just rinse them out but now and then use something stronger (sal suds, roughly equivalent to a concentrated dish soap but I prefer the scent).
The fibres aren’t breaking in a way I can visually see, I’m just speculating that my perception of synths getting scratchier over time is perhaps due to the very tip breaking off. I prefer smaller brushes, my 22mm Yaqi Tuxedo with a short loft was my first synth but at some point (3ish years?) became unpleasant so I upgraded to a 23mm Muhle STF which, after two years, is starting to feel a bit scratchier. I have a larger Yaqi Tuxedo that I use very rarely and it’s noticeably softer so I was wondering if this is maybe just how synths are?
…or maybe I’m just imagining it on the STF, the larger brush is just a bit softer and I must have scrubbed the poor little Tuxedo to an early death by not being sufficiently gentle with it?
I clean mine from time to time with a diluted vinegar solution. Afterwards, I have the impression that the brushes become considerably softer. Especially if you have hard water, you may want to try this.
I haven’t noticed any deterioration in my synths.
I’ve only been wetshaving for 3 years, so my oldest synth is 3 years old and doesn’t get used all the time. Still, with all my synthetic brushes I haven’t noticed any change over time.
Do you bowl lather?
Thanks for the feedback. I face lather most of the time.
I have just a simple Maggard synthetic brush and I don’t think it’s even the slightest bit scratchy. But I don’t have a newer synthetic brush to compare it to so it’s possible that if what you say is true then I just haven’t realized changing slightly over the years.
