Muhle/EJ Synthetic Fibre Bloom Diameter

I am interested in purchased a Muhle or EJ synthetic Fibre V2 brush. I am debating between the Large (23mm) or XL (25mm). Could any of you measure your Bloom Diameter for either of these sizes? Mostly I use boar brushes and their blooms are fairly narrow compared to synthetics which is why I am having difficulty deciding if the XL is too large. I mostly bowl lather using hard soaps. mm preferred. Thanks.

eric

glassmtn, I hope this information is still relevant.

My Mühle 35 K 252 Silvertip Fibre XL knot measures about 49–50 mm at its widest, after having used it and letting it dry. Since it’s a synthetic, there really isn’t a notable difference in the bloom, whether the brush is dry or wet. The only time it’s different is if it has been stored in its cardboard tube for a time.

I really enjoy the brush a lot, it’s definitely among my favorites, and the Silvertip Fibres are unlike any other bristles I have used. They seem to have the perfect balance of softness with just a bit of scrub. The only thing I would worry about with the Mühle XL is that the loft is quite high, so it may or may not work as well as a boar in attacking hard soaps. I don’t have experience with the L size, though I’d be curious to try one. The loft on that one may be better for hard soaps, perhaps. (I’ve never had any issues with the XL, but I use mainly soft soaps and creams.)

The Edwin Jagger brushes seem to have a slightly lower loft, if I recall correctly. They are also a little more affordable than the Mühle equivalents. I hope this is of some help! I truly am a fan of the Silvertip Fibre, and hope to add an L to my collection at some point, just to be able to compare with the XL.

glassmtn, I hope this information is still relevant.

My Mühle 35 K 252 Silvertip Fibre XL knot measures about 49–50 mm at its widest, after having used it and letting it dry. Since it’s a synthetic, there really isn’t a notable difference in the bloom, whether the brush is dry or wet. The only time it’s different is if it has been stored in its cardboard tube for a time.

I really enjoy the brush a lot, it’s definitely among my favorites, and the Silvertip Fibres are unlike any other bristles I have used. They seem to have the perfect balance of softness with just a bit of scrub. The only thing I would worry about with the Mühle XL is that the loft is quite high, so it may or may not work as well as a boar in attacking hard soaps. I don’t have experience with the L size, though I’d be curious to try one. The loft on that one may be better for hard soaps, perhaps. (I’ve never had any issues with the XL, but I use mainly soft soaps and creams.)

The Edwin Jagger brushes seem to have a slightly lower loft, if I recall correctly. They are also a little more affordable than the Mühle equivalents. I hope this is of some help! I truly am a fan of the Silvertip Fibre, and hope to add an L to my collection at some point, just to be able to compare with the XL.

Thanks for the information.  I went ahead and bought the Edwin Jagger XL Silvertip Fibre a couple weeks ago.  This is my first synthetic brush and it has taken me awhile to make  good lather with it.  But I think I am on the right path now.  It does a great job with L'Occitane Cade which I believe is a triple milled soap.  I have also built good lather with Haslinger and Tabac.  In the future I may look to add a Large or Medium sized EJ Silvertip Fibre.  

Thanks again for your response.

eric.

Eric, glad to hear that you are on your way to good lathers with the Edwin Jagger STF. Like with all new products, there can be a bit of a learning curve. I’d recommend squeezing most of the water out of the brush before touching the soap, and then adding back a few drops at a time when loading and lathering. Otherwise the knot may decide to release all its water in one fell swoop.

If you are getting a good lather with Cade and Tabac, then there is nothing to worry about — those soaps are probably some of the hardest, and thus a bit more challenging for a synthetic than the boars you are used to. I hope you continue to enjoy the EJ Silvertip Fibre more and more! I’m also interested in eventually getting an L or M to see how its characteristics compare with the XL.