I have been wanting one of these for a very long time. My Brush Stable is roughly half Paladin Brushes and half Synthetics. I love both, but do find that I reach for my synthetics more often. I don't know why, but I find that my soaps lather easier and/or better with synthetics, and in general the synthetics feel softer on my face.
I had talked with Ken about the possibility of making synthetic knot brushes years ago, but at the time he did not feel that folks would pay premium prices for a synthetic brush. I totally disagree, as I know the premium I'm paying for a paladin is not specifically for the Knot, but more so the build quality and care that goes into the handle. I was super excited to see that Ken finally took a chance on synthetics, and I believe that many folks think the way I do about them.
Unfortunately, this particular synthetic knot has missed the mark for me. Many users, so far, have commented that these knots have a lot of backbone. I was really worried about that, since so many people commented about it, it must be drastically different than what most people are used to using. For my tastes, it does have way too much backbone... far more than any of my badgers. It lacks the ability to splay out on my face the way I need it to, to effectively face lather comfortably. The amount of backbone this knot has reminds me of the synthetics that were coming out 5-6 years ago. The reason I like the synthetics of today, is that they closely replicate the feel and performance of a badger, but this one (for me) does not. I hate being negative about it, but I gotta be honest in my review. I really wanted to love this brush. If you like a lot of backbone, it may be just right for you.
As a point of reference, the Tuxedo and Timberwolf synthetic knots are perfect for me. I have many brushes with those knots. I'm guessing that Ken chose this knot partly because it looks very similar to a badger knot, and therefore would not look obviously like a synthetic to take away from the overall aesthetics that he wants to maintain with his brushes. I can appreciate that, if that's the case, but I also know it's a synthetic and don't mind it looking like one.
I do hope that Ken continues to explore synthetic options for his brush line, as I do think there is a definite market for them. I would just like to see a softer knot in future brushes.
