New brush choice, knot density question

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boogeyman

Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
The time has come for a new brush.
I'm looking at a synthetic brush this time around.

I have a question about knot density.

All things being equal, if one uses a 28mm knot and the other 32mm how would that affect the brush?
Is it likely to be stiffer with the smaller knot?
 
boogeyman said:
All things being equal, if one uses a 28mm knot and the other 32mm how would that affect the brush?
Is it likely to be stiffer with the smaller knot?
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Nothing is equal with synthetic knots, as so much depends on the fibres. The same knot, set at the same depth in a proportionally sized hole will usually be stiffer in a larger knot, since there are more fibres to resist deformation. So it comes down to preference:
Do you like a big/small knot?
Does your lathering technique involve mashing, scrubbing or painting, or all three?
What kind of soaps do you prefer? (Creams, croaps, milled)
How stiff do you like your brush to be? And some, eg. Tuxedo are quite springy.
How much are you prepared to spend? (AP Shave Co G5C and G5A are outstanding knots, but expensive.)

Some knots are very dense (Synbad, SilkSmoke) but they don't necessarily hold much lather. It's the spaces between the fibres that hold the lather. FWIW, I'm giving some thought to a DSCosmetic G7 in a 30mm for a replacement in one of my brushes.
 
boogeyman said:
So I should buy both? LOL
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Of course. :p But I like bigger knots on the whole. I have a Boss 30mm that is OK, but possibly to be replaced. I have a Snow Leopard 30mm that is gigantic and lovely to lather with, but isn't ideal for small pucks of milled soaps. (That doesn't stop me using it anyway, of course.) I have 28mm AP G5C and G5A that I really like, and they do anything, especially the G5C fan.

I've thrown out a 26mm Tuxedo, a 30mm AP SynBad, a 28mm fan/flattop hybrid AP SilkSmoke and a 28mm AP G5B. Actually, I still have the latter, if anyone wants it... :unsure:
 
I use creams, hand or face lather.

Currently I use 2 brushes and shave every 2-3 days: Omega 599 Silvertip (it has a small handle but a good backbone and very soft tips). My other brush is a Edwin Jagger Super Badger which is a good size handle but a bit on the floppy side.

I'm leaning towards getting a Simpsons Trafalgar 3 as my first synthetic brush. It seems affordable and gets lots of love in reviews.
 
Gargravarr said:
Of course. :p But I like bigger knots on the whole. I have a Boss 30mm that is OK, but possibly to be replaced. I have a Snow Leopard 30mm that is gigantic and lovely to lather with, but isn't ideal for small pucks of milled soaps. (That doesn't stop me using it anyway, of course.) I have 28mm AP G5C and G5A that I really like, and they do anything, especially the G5C fan.

I've thrown out a 26mm Tuxedo, a 30mm AP SynBad, a 28mm fan/flattop hybrid AP SilkSmoke and a 28mm AP G5B. Actually, I still have the latter, if anyone wants it... :unsure:
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Havent managed to get a razorock hulk yet?😁
 
MrPeanut said:
Havent managed to get a razorock hulk yet?😁
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I forgot about Razorock, I also threw out an RR plissoft (not a Hulk though) - or rather, I gave it to my wife to use for gesso washes for her paintings. Actually, the Plissoft is still quite a good performer, but is a better contender as a first brush, ie. one to be improved on. Not one that anyone would particularly aspire to.
 
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boogeyman said:
I use creams, hand or face lather.

Currently I use 2 brushes and shave every 2-3 days: Omega 599 Silvertip (it has a small handle but a good backbone and very soft tips). My other brush is a Edwin Jagger Super Badger which is a good size handle but a bit on the floppy side.

I'm leaning towards getting a Simpsons Trafalgar 3 as my first synthetic brush. It seems affordable and gets lots of love in reviews.
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As an owner of a Simpsons T3 its a good option but be mindful that the overall size is on the smaller size. The thing is tiny when compared with budget offerings from Asia but does a great job face/bowl lathering of soft or harder soaps so well worth a try if you find a good price!

Of all the synthetics I've tried/owned the newer generation knots perform the best with not much difference between the Sovereign Fiber, Omega Evo or Yaqi G4 as they all look and feel so similar with varying price points but I'd try a Simpsons or Yaqi G4 as the Evo is overpriced with poor QC and large glue bump!

I own a few early gen knots and enjoy my 30mm Tuxedo's as super soft yet still lather great but next gen knots have evolved to not only look like natural fibers (badgers) but feel and perform as such and despite owning an Oumo G5 28mm knot I'd be inclined to follow @Gargravarr in his recommendation of trying an AP Shave Co G5C as the fan shape allows for better splay as the G4-G5 knots tends to be bulb shaped and packed full of dense fibers to mimic a badger, which can be problematic if the knot isn't set at a decent loft.
 
I'm very happy with my Yaqi 30mm barber pole tuxedo and 26mm rainbow brown brushes. But they are very different. The 30mm has more backbone / less splay but is such a large knot that the splay is unnecessary. Even when I use a shave stick, there is always more lather than I know what to do with, which is nice.

The rainbow has less backbone and more splay / loft with a softer fibre. A lighter touch is called for where the tuxedo is more of a masher if you want it to be for a quick lather. I like to mix up my technique a bit so enjoy both equally. For me, the combination of fibre, loft, knot size, density and personal preference has to come together with synths for a real "sweet spot". Get any one of those significantly wrong and it can quickly become an overlooked brush. Get them all right and you have a real keeper due to the other advantages of synths - quick dry, no soak, low maintenance, don't have to be precious with it etc etc.

So a bit of trial and error is unavoidable IMO. I like the Yaqis because they are good quality and the trial / error process doesn't cost too much - another advantage of synths. Getting it wrong on a high quality badger can be expensive, although resale is also high, so there's that.
 
Razor Burn said:
As an owner of a Simpsons T3 its a good option but be mindful that the overall size is on the smaller size. The thing is tiny when compared with budget offerings from Asia but does a great job face/bowl lathering of soft or harder soaps so well worth a try if you find a good price!

Of all the synthetics I've tried/owned the newer generation knots perform the best with not much difference between the Sovereign Fiber, Omega Evo or Yaqi G4 as they all look and feel so similar with varying price points but I'd try a Simpsons or Yaqi G4 as the Evo is overpriced with poor QC and large glue bump!

I own a few early gen knots and enjoy my 30mm Tuxedo's as super soft yet still lather great but next gen knots have evolved to not only look like natural fibers (badgers) but feel and perform as such and despite owning an Oumo G5 28mm knot I'd be inclined to follow @Gargravarr in his recommendation of trying an AP Shave Co G5C as the fan shape allows for better splay as the G4-G5 knots tends to be bulb shaped and packed full of dense fibers to mimic a badger, which can be problematic if the knot isn't set at a decent loft.
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The evo looks great but it's just too costly for me.

So you're suggesting get the fan shaped synthetics since they won't naturally splay out? Makes sense, Geofatboy did a comparison of badger vs sysnth which showed the difference.

Hmmm too many choices out there!
 
RazorPlay said:
The rainbow has less backbone and more splay / loft with a softer fibre. A lighter touch is called for where the tuxedo is more of a masher if you want it to be for a quick lather.
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Yep. I also have a rainbow pony. It's a great all-rounder, and I now use it as my travel brush. It'll do everything you want with no trouble or maintenance, but don't expect it to be interesting.
boogeyman said:
So you're suggesting get the fan shaped synthetics since they won't naturally splay out?
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The AP G5C fan splays beautifully, pretty much like a real 2-band badger but without the downsides.
 
boogeyman said:
The evo looks great but it's just too costly for me.

So you're suggesting get the fan shaped synthetics since they won't naturally splay out? Makes sense, Geofatboy did a comparison of badger vs sysnth which showed the difference.

Hmmm too many choices out there!
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If I had my time again I'd have skipped the Evo as its way too expensive for poor QC as my knot came lopsided and it still does a decent job but my cheaper brushes do just as good a job at a fraction of the $$$.

I've yet to try the G5C myself but have plans to grab one for my next brush as all reviews indicate that the fan shape splays better than standard G5 bulb shaped knots that are super dense and lower loft so if you don't set them correctly they can feel compact and frankly suck at creating lather.

Personally I prefer fans myself as they feel nicer and look more aesthetically appealing not to mention splay great when face lathering but then again I equally enjoy a bulb so it really comes down to personal preference but in the G5's case I tend to lean on @Gargravarr with his recommendation for the G5C so if you can afford a knot then well worth a try and why not (pardon the pun) save up and get a @TroyTools handle to match as his production is bang for buck better than the knockoff's from overseas!?

The synthetics have evolved these last few years as the likes of Yaqi and Oumo now produce many popular knots and frankly for the price points you'd do well grabbing a Pony or larger Tuxedo/Snow Leopard as super soft yet decent backbone but then again the newer gen 4-5 knots from Japan and Germany are getting close to mimicking badger hair in both feel and looks yet still miles behind in water retention and can be pricey so YMMV.

At around $60 AUD the T3 is a safe bet but if it was me I'd keep my powder dry and wait to see what's on offer for this years P&C Charity Auction as judging by the last few years you'll be able to bid for that extra special brush and also helping a valuable cause with the Cancer Council of Australia! (y)
 
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