This chunky guy is quite the fatty made for guys with bigger hands, it is made from Kudu horn, some of it smooth and shiny, but we also left two 'pads' of outer horn with its natural grain, not only adding lekka grip, bit also giving a good burst of 'rustic'. The horn has some cool patterning with the distinctive bloodred streaks, something I have not seen on other horn types, quite unique.
The brush stands 108 mm tall and a body diameter of 40 to 45 mm. The brush weighs 123 grams, and is fitted with a 26 mm Oumo synthetic ST-1 Silvertip knot, mounted at a loft of 52 mm. This is a very nice face lathering synthetic that has a beautiful gentle action to it.
The ST-1 knot is touted for being new technology in terms of the water retention ability of synthetic fibres, and to be quite honest I do not see much of that on the bristles themselves. They do come across finer than other synthetics, meaning more surface area for water to sit on, and in this way bettering the water retention abilty. Also the knot is a lot less rigid than the 'conventional synthetics' the bristels seem to bond more easily to each other, 'trapping' some extra water in the process. We'll have to use and explore them some more before forming final impressions.
They are quite different than the synthetics we've used so far, and I like them a lot! it is the first synthetic knot I like enough to use myself, and we are chuffed that the technology is improving, the durability of synthetic fibres is an amazing attribute, and when these start to behave like natural hair bristels we are heading down the right road!
Are they worth the extra cash? very early to say, but at this stage I'd say yes, not quite there yet in terms of that natural feel and behaviour or animal hair, but you should have good gains in terms of the longivety of your gear and you are funding development for even better products. Pull in cousin, get one!