REVIEW: Frank Shaving G5/G7 synthetic brushes.

Nav

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Here's my review of the newly launched G5/G7 series synthetic brushes from Frank Shaving.

The black knot in brown handle is the G5 and the G7 is in the blue handle.
The modernised beehive handle design is not only very ergonomic but looks absolutely fantastic! FS have really designed a wonderfully unique handle!

Disclaimer: I'm going by the assumption that the G5 black knot is commonly referred to as G5B and the G7 is referred to as G5C.

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The G5 is the "new and improved" boss knot. It retains the backbone and light scrub of the boss knot, which is what the boss knot is renowned for.

The G5 has a antimicrobial coating, which make it ideal for travelling, where the brush might reside in a dopp kit/travel tube.

It also improves on the splay of the boss knot.
The boss knot always felt fairly stiff to me, even though it was less dense than the G5.

The knot is 26mm with a loft of 54mm.
The glue bump is small so the splay is good, whilst maintaining decent backbone.

The face feel gives a slight scrubby feeling but not scratchy. It's comfortable but one can feel the scrubbing action whilst swirling the brush around.

The G7 has a remarkable likeness to a two band badger (2BB). This matches the reviews I've read regarding the G5C knot.

This bulb knot has all the characteristics of a 2BB! The splay is extraordinarily similar. The way it envelopes the contours of the face, like a natural hair brush.

The splay is very natural and the knot opens up on response to pressure applied. With minimal pressure, it still retains its shape and doesn't feel like a "stick" or "wet noodle".

The backbone is less than the G5(B), but fairly inline with a well broken in 2BB.
Density is similar to a 2BB but not as much as an SHD badger knot.

The tips also have a slight texture that gives it a face feel of a 2BB. It's not at all scratchy but does give a bit of a scrub.

It's quite impressive to see how far synthetic fibres have come. Not necessarily just in comparison to badger brushes, but even when comparing to previous generations of synthetic fibres.

The one exception to this for me is the FS Pur-tech (which is the same fibre as Muhle silvertip fibre). This to me remains the pinnacle of synthetic brushes!


These new brushes from FS can be found on the FS store:


 

chazt

Forum !
I must try a G5 knot at some point. The G4 in my den is quite good. Very badger-like. If the G5 is a definite step up, then, wow!
 

slapo

It's... alive!
Thanks for the review. :)

I was ogling those brushes again just yesterday. I had ogled them before, but having recently bought a dscosmetic G7 brush as well as a G5C APShave brush, my curiosity was renewed.
The dscosmetic G7 brush really feels like a slightly tweaked Frank Shaving G4 knot, although I've also been using it with a new soap, so I do need to try both brushes with the same soap.

I haven't used the G5C brush yet, but the fibres feel quite different from just about any other synthetic I've tried. They actually feel a little like a cheap Vie Long horse hair brush I used to have, but a fair bit softer.

Maybe I should do a couple of practice lathers. There's a soap I'm willing to sacrifice for those. 😏
 
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Nav

Forum GOD!
Thanks for the review. :)

I was ogling those brushes again just yesterday. I had ogled them before, but having recently bought a dscosmetic G7 brush as well as a G5C APShave brush, my curiosity was renewed.
The dscosmetic G7 brush really feels like a slightly tweaked Frank Shaving G4 knot, although I've also been using it with a new soap, so I do need to try both brushes with the same soap.

I haven't used the G5C brush yet, but the fibres feel quite different from just about any other synthetic I've tried. They actually feel a little like a cheap Vie Long horse hair brush I used to have, but a fair bit softer.

Maybe I should do a couple of practice lathers. There's a soap I'm willing to sacrifice for those. 😏
So the G5C fibres have a different feel to the G7?
I was under the assumption these two are the same, just different names.

Ds cosmetic and FS both have released G7.
Which I thought was a different name to the apshaveco G5C.
 

slapo

It's... alive!
So the G5C fibres have a different feel to the G7?
I was under the assumption these two are the same, just different names.

Ds cosmetic and FS both have released G7.
Which I thought was a different name to the apshaveco G5C.
I don't know whether dscosmetic and FS G7 are the same.
I have just groped the fibres of the G7 and G5C side by side again, they are quite close, much more so than it seemed to me before.
I think that perhaps a lot of the difference I haven't considered before is that the G5C I have is a fan, but the dscosmetic G7 is a very round bulb, more so than the FS G4, so perhaps some of the perceived difference stems from that, even though it might not seem like it at first.
When I lathered the three with the same soap, they behaved pretty similarly, with the G4 holding a bit less lather maybe.
 
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Nav

Forum GOD!
I don't know whether dscosmetic and FS G7 are the same.
I have just groped the fibres of the G7 and G5C side by side again, they are quite close, much more so than it seemed to me before.
I think that perhaps a lot of the difference I haven't considered before is that the G5C I have is a fan, but the dscosmetic G7 is a very round bulb, more so than the FS G4, so perhaps some of the perceived difference stems from that, even though it might not seem like it at first.
When I lathered the three with the same soap, they behaved pretty similarly, with the G4 holding a bit less lather maybe.
Ok, I appreciate the comparison.
It seems the G7 is indeed the same fibre as the G5C, but with a bulb knot rather than fan.

I'll try to source a G5C knot also, to compare to the G7.
 

adrian ivanovici

Forum GOD!
Ok, I appreciate the comparison.
It seems the G7 is indeed the same fibre as the G5C, but with a bulb knot rather than fan.

I'll try to source a G5C knot also, to compare to the G7.
Y'all talking about this G7?
Nothing special to me. Performed just like the tuxedo, it has a little scrubbing compared to the fluffy tuxedo. Other then that it is only more appealing to the eye.
The elasticity of the synthetic fiber is still there, whipping back in shape. Not even close to a badger feel.
Don't get me wrong...it will outperform any badger in lathering, but the feel is just not the same you get from a good old badger boy.

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Nav

Forum GOD!
Y'all talking about this G7?
Nothing special to me. Performed just like the tuxedo, it has a little scrubbing compared to the fluffy tuxedo. Other then that it is only more appealing to the eye.
The elasticity of the synthetic fiber is still there, whipping back in shape. Not even close to a badger feel.
Don't get me wrong...it will outperform any badger in lathering, but the feel is just not the same you get from a good old badger boy.

View attachment 119669
How large is the glue bump?
From your description, it sounds like the glue bump may be large.

Also, your G7 has darker tips than my one.
Which brand is this brush?
 

adrian ivanovici

Forum GOD!
How large is the glue bump?
From your description, it sounds like the glue bump may be large.

Also, your G7 has darker tips than my one.
Which brand is this brush?
Dscosmetic. I can insert the comb right above the end of the white hair from the handle.
 

Nav

Forum GOD!
Dscosmetic. I can insert the comb right above the end of the white hair from the handle.
I believe DS use a different fibre but still call it G7.
I asked FS about this and they told me DS is not using the same G7 fibre as FS.

From your photo, I can definitely say the fibres look nothing like the FS G7 fibres.
 
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