Gel tips .. Everything I wanted to know..

[BlacknTan]

But was afraid to ask...

When I posted photos of my latest brush, the Wild West Brushworks handle with the Elite Razor/Bob Quinn knot, Rob, @Blackmass , asked if it had gel tips. Now, I've heard of this phenomena before, and seen photos, but never experienced it, until now.
When Rob asked, it set my little mind to churning, grabbed the new brush, and inspected the tips closely with a loupe .. Sure enough, some tips were starting to "hook.." Intrigued, I know, it doesn't take much to arouse my curiosity, I looked at my other brushes, particularly the other Manchurians like this knot. Some tips might be a bit bent, but nothing like this knot ... no hooked tips.
Now, after only three latherings, I've got my first "gel tipped" brush. Not as scritchy or prickly as any of my others. and a completely different feel "in hand" when still damp.
So, my questions.. I've got a fair number of brushes, but this is the first that fits the category since I first started reading of this unique attribute. Why does it happen? Is it the type of hair? Batch of hair? Possibly the treatment of the hair when new?
Why does this appear to be just showing up in recent years? Do most of you think of it as desirable, or a negative?
I do know one thing... I like my new brush alot, and a large part of that is because of this knot...

Interested to hear everyone's thoughts...

 

[Blackmass]

Calling @Nishy

 

[Quique]

I think it is due to the treatment that the hair receives for its cleaning and disinfection.

Surely this will make the duration less than another brush with a less aggressive treatment, although we have many brushes in rotation, many years will pass until the brush is damaged.

I have two brushes with gel effect (Shavemac Silvertip 2B and Romera Manchurian) and I am very happy with them, they are not better than others without gel effect, but they are different sensations and I enjoy using them all.

 

[halvor]

I have yet to see anyone actually fully *knowing* why and how the gel tip feel comes about in knots, but the explanation of (over-)bleaching the tips is reproduced everywhere. Gel tips are mentioned in connection with Rooney, M&F, Romera, some TGN, some WD, but never Simpson for some reason.

One would assume all knots from the same batch to share this trait, but that is not the case with e.g. Paladin knot batches, of which some do and some don't.

There are also reports of (seriously) hooked tips which do NOT give a gel feel. Thus, hooked tips are not a sufficient explanation (but it may be a necessary one) for gel tips.

Oh, and I like the description of "not getting the soap out". That's when you really know: When you rinse a brush with gel tips after having lathered up, the feel of the tips will be soapy and slick even when soap is fully rinsed away.

 

[halvor]

Interestingly, both of these are Elite Manchurian White knots, purchased July-17 and August-16, respectively. 2016 version is the whiter one - exposed to tougher bleaching? It has wonderful gel tips. The other one, in the green handle, I'm still waiting to see, only given two latherings.

 

[Nishy]

From what I've read/asked, gel tips are a result of over treated hair. In particular over bleached hair. Being desirable is as much YMMV as anything else in shaving.

From my experience I used to hunt down gel tipped hair as I love the soft feel and almost ice like painting feel. I believe and could be wrong, but the clumping effect of hairs (increased trapped water due to hooked tips), is down to the hooked tips, similar to when one over dyes their hair, making it more brittle, damaged and thus clumpy. However when considering the term 'damaged' it is loosely referred to with regards to my gel tipped shaving brushes, as these hairs don't break (often) or fall out more just because they have been over treated.

I stopped looking for gel tips, firstly as batch variance introduces far too many variables. Secondly Tieste's 2 year hunt for the hairs procured for the latest Semogue AF LE proved untreated hairs can be just as soft and IMO provide a more realistic brush feel. By this is mean you feel individual hairs when building and painting lather as opposed to a clumped feel, which can simulate a cloud or sponge presence. Neither are detrimental to my shaving experience but I prefer a more 'natural' brush feel.

Again speaking from experience, gel tips, perhaps as they need less of a breaking in period, tend to have a weaker backbone, especially at the tips, so unless set perfectly with regards to loft, can become a little floppy with extended use.

Aesthetically the gel tipped variants do look better IMO allowing for a stark difference between the darker base and tips. IMO your better off with gel tipped bulbs than fans, as these tend to hold their shape better than the fans, although fan shaped knots with gel tips give a fuller face feel, albeit less plush. Just as a proviso I have no scientific evidence just user experience.

 

[Nishy]

Forgot to mention if you break in a decent boar brush or even rub it lightly agianst sand paper to damage the tips so that they split they often exhibit gel tips too, so IMO it's not fixed to badgers. My Omega boar currently on tour with the starter PIF is super soft having been heavily used. Sometimes barber shops that offer wet shaves have well worn in boars that are also super soft.

What I look for over gel tips is a longer white portion of badger hair to darker base. Akin to early Rooney brushes. This is primarily what Shavemac Unique knots offered in the earlier group buy.

 

[Quique]

There are also reports of (seriously) hooked tips which do NOT give a gel feel. Thus, hooked tips are not a sufficient explanation (but it may be a necessary one) for gel tips.

Oh, and I like the description of "not getting the soap out". That's when you really know: When you rinse a brush with gel tips after having lathered up, the feel of the tips will be soapy and slick even when soap is fully rinsed away.

Thanks for that explanation @halvor. My Shavemac Silvertip 2B of 2015 has hooked tips but the feeling is different from the Romera brush.

Reading your comment, I fully understand what the feeling of effect gel is. I see that only the Romera brush has that gel effect

 

[BlacknTan]

Thank you gentlemen!

Lots of good information to chew on. I kind of thought that it might be induced by man's intervention, because I couldn't think how this would benefit an animal in the wild..
I'm interested in Halvor's findings in regard to his beautiful new disco, with a similar knot..

 

[Nishy]

Thanks for that explanation @halvor. My Shavemac Silvertip 2B of 2015 has hooked tips but the feeling is different from the Romera brush.

Reading your comment, I fully understand what the feeling of effect gel is. I see that only the Romera brush has that gel effect

View attachment 14869 View attachment 14870

Any idea of the difference in density between the Romera and Shavemac? I still think it's down to water retention (at the tips), more hooks (within reason) = greater water retention= more gel tipped feel?

 

[Quique]

Any idea of the difference in density between the Romera and Shavemac? I still think it's down to water retention (at the tips), more hooks (within reason) = greater water retention= more gel tipped feel?

Romera has more density, it's a 23,5 knot and Shavemac Silvertip 2B its a 23 knot but Romera is more dense and Romera has a hair thinner, almost like a Silvertip, so it retains more water

 

[celestino]

I have experienced quite a few gel-tip knots and most of them were very nice, but a tad too soft.This is the only one I have left in my collection, circa 2014 and an example of, arguably, the finest knots I have ever seen offered from Lee Sabini; pure luxury, extremely soft and good backbone due to the extreme density of this knot which measure 31.5 x 52-53mm.

 

[Nishy]

I have experienced quite a few gel-tip knots and most of them were very nice, but a tad too soft.This is the only one I have left in my collection, circa 2014 and an example of, arguably, the finest knots I have ever seen offered from Lee Sabini; pure luxury, extremely soft and good backbone due to the extreme density of this knot which measure 31.5 x 52-53mm.

I have an early Paladin, knot by Lee Sabini around the same time period as yours Celestino and wholeheartedly agree. It is amongst 2 of the best brushes I have ever used.

 

[celestino]

Very nice, Avnish!

 

[Dipesh]

Back in the day many years ago, the gel tips used to appear once in a while due to what would often be a 'mistake' in hair treatment. I think these days the Chinese manufacturers have caught on to this and what I have noticed is that they are using cheaper hair and over treating it to soften it and gel tip it.

I recently acquired a few brushes and they did have gel tips but were scritchy compared to over treating a good quality hair.

My personal preference has been to have a finely tapered hair and not a gel tip. I really enjoy the sensation of these hairs rather than the minimal feedback of a gel tip brush.