The Grooming Co.’s synthetic, with Strop Shoppe Russian Tea and the very fine Baili BR171

I had this brush in the give-away pile. It is a Plissoft synthetic, and those I like in general, but the knot is quite dense and resilient rather than fluffy and soft, so you get the feeling that the knot is poking at your face. Still, with a little pressure the knot splays enough to apply lather nicely, and if this were your only brush you may not even notice it—and I’m certain that some actually prefer this sort of brush feel.

The lather was excellent—and a moment of recognition for Strop Shoppe and regret at their absence—with a spice fragrance.

I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the superb performance of a Baili BR171: for $6 you get much the same performance as from the $146 Above the Tie R1, though of course the materials and manufacturing method differ considerably between the two razors.

Three passes, perfect smoothness, no problems, and a splash of the Speick EDT. A good way to start the work week.