This handle is a wonderful replication of the Merit 99-5 by Neil over at Heritage Collection. It features a black & yellow blue color combination and brings back a legendary vintage handle to the modern era.
- Handle Height: 82mm
- Loft: Approx 54mm
Summary
• Synthetic that LOOKS like Pure Badger, but FEELS perfectly soft with natural-feeling backbone
• Those are NOT upside hairs—it’s a blend of a few fibers from Thailand
• Sourced from my UK supplier
• Feels in-between G5C and G5A
• Longer than typical short G5 hair, which allows you to customize loft more
Notes
Evidently it’s difficult to follow-up the release of the G5C, which has been my #1 best seller and won an award for best knot of the year a few years back. There haven’t been many fibers I’ve tried since that could contend with it.
Enter the Pure Bliss. What first caught my eye was the natural look—this thing really looks essentially indistinguishable from Pure Badger. However, that’s where the comparison to Pure Badger ends. This knot has wonderfully soft tips. Combine that with solid, natural-feeling backbone and outstanding water retention (I do recommend using much less water than you usually do though - this knot doesn’t need much to get going!) and I feel as though I’ve got something that’s worthy of it’s position alongside the G5A, G5B, G5C lineup.
This knot was sourced with the help of my UK supplier, procuring fibers from Thailand then blending and hand-tying them into a wonderfully balanced knot in his company-owned factory in China. The thicker black fibers contrast the thinner white fibers, which not only adds visual appeal, but also balances the firmness of the backbone.
I truly feel that this is a special addition to my synthetic lineup and I hope you feel the same when you give it a try!
Please note that it can take several shaves to break in the knot. It opens up a bit after this and becomes less firm.