After 700+ shaves with the SilkSmoke ...
I purchased this knot in 2018, back when it was a new product. I have only a small rotation of brushes, and this knot has never been bumped from regular use. The performance of the SilkSmoke is top tier and - amazing to me - it seems to be getting better over time. The backbone and overall integrity of the knot have remained as strong as ever after at least 700 shaves, but I'm just starting to notice that the very tips of the fibers (perhaps the top 1/16 of an inch) are wearing thin and bending very slightly. This is a really good thing. This fiber-tip wearing results in an even softer cheek-scrub and (I suspect) even better lather production than when it was new. I've used (and loved) the G5A and the G5C from Andrew's lineup, but this 28mm SilkSmoke remains one of my favorites. After at least 700 shaves with this knot, I do not hesitate to offer my strongest recommendation for it.