FS Synthetic Hair Brush Travel Chrome Aluminum Case 20 mm knot by Frank Shaving

It's a decent travel brush at this price. I'm sure other travel brushes are better, but I didn't want to spend $50-$60 on a brush I would only use a few times a year. Plus I wanted a synthetic because it dries faster, which is more practical for travel. I like how small it is and how the tube doubles as the handle. Pretty clever design. It won't take much space at all in my travel bag. It's performance leaves something to be desired though. The bristles are quite stiff and it takes some time and effort to make a decent lather. A few paintbrush style strokes helped to get the lather on my face because it tended to hide inside the bristles toward the bottom. Don't judge synthetic brushes solely on this one though, because there are some very good synthetics out there. At least the tips felt soft on my face though, unlike a pure badger brush. Would I use this as a daily brush? Definitely not. Does it work for it's intended purpose? Absolutely. I'd rather use this brush for travel than my full size brush and one of those huge travel tubes. I just hope it holds together, because I've seen some other reviewers say the knot fell out. Time will tell I guess.

The density of this brush leaves something to be desired, but it's a solid travel brush. I wanted synthetic because, let's be honest, the last day that you spend in any location will more-than-likely entail tossing a still-moist brush in your bag. Synthetics dry more quickly and really don't suffer from moisture anyway.The feel of this brush is fantastic - synthetics really have come a long way. It just feels small, and the properties of synthetics mean that it'll take longer to whip up a lather. Expect your travel shaves to take a little longer; not only will you need an extra minute for your lather, but the brush is slower to apply the lather as well (relative to a 20mm badger brush.)I would suggest sticking with creams. It doesn't load soaps efficiently at all. Fortunately, this isn't really an issue for travel use - small squeeze bottles of cream are more convenient anyway.Considering its intended purpose, the only thing I'd want to change would be a larger knot size. I'd expect a 24mm knot to overcome the primary limitations rather well. Even a 22mm knot would be a nice improvement.

Great for travel as the synthetic brush dries pretty fast and the entire package (closed up) packs away nicely. Having been a super badger brush user at home, this brush does not work the same and is a lot stiffer. I found it harder to produce a good lather (it actually doesn't), and difficult (and somewhat uncomfortable) to spread lather on my face. I don't know if the bristles will ever "break in" and get any softer and, as I only travel occasionally, it may take a while before I ever find out. My gut feeling is that the bristles are what they are and seem unlikely to eventually soften up. The brush works in a bind for short travels (and packs away well), but its not the same "experience" as with a high quality brush.

Excellent product. I recommend ignoring the negative remarks about the brush coming unglued, not because those cases are not true -- but I think they are over-represented because folks who have a problem are more likely to be motivated to write a review. Besides, you are getting a type of travel brush that routinely sells for at least twice as much as this, and in the worst case you are just going to need to glue it back. Not exactly rocket science and a small risk to take for saving $25. Metal parts are smooth, well machined (no problems with cross-threading, no burrs). Synthetic bristles are soft (but not too soft) and flexible. Are they as good at holding moisture as natural bristles? Of course not, but they dry out a lot faster, and that matters when you are traveling and don't always have time to air dry your shaving brush. Overall, very happy with this purchase. UPDATE: Still like it for the money, but brush fell out recently; fixed with epoxy. No biggie. But my real complaint is the representation that metal parts are aluminum. Mine has now rusted in the threading for screw-on parts. 3 stars off for lying manufacturer.

The product is well made and dries very quickly, which is great for travel, but I am not a fan of the synthetic bristle.The synthetic bristle is very soft but curiously springy; it is not scratchy like boar, but it does not have the flexible feel of badger. As a result of the bristle's properties, I have also noticed that the lather prefers to work its way to the knot and stay there, a quick squeeze from the base to the tip will get it out onto your hand where it can be scooped off and applied to the face easily.I would order it again since it dries so fast (and this is good when you travel on-the-go), but I would also order the badger for trips that have a 2-3 days worth of overnights.

Good stuff. I've been a fan of the newer synthetic bristles. I'm able to get a really good lather without smelling like a boar or badger. Plus, as a travel brush, it's the right decision, as it can be packed wet without much downside. The product is very well put together and very sturdy. After two weeks of use, I've lost no bristles and it conveniently packs away into the handle, making it less than 1/2 of the size of my regular brush. Highly recommended. I've been very happy with my purchase.Update. I've now had this brush for 18 months. Zero bristles have fallen out. Still going strong.Update. I've now had this brush for 2 years. Still zero bristles lost. This has been worth every penny.Recommendation: I read other reviews stating it doesn't lather as well as larger or natural brushes. This is true, however learned that if I simply add a little more water than normal and lather a bit longer, I do get nearly identical results as with my natural, larger brush.