Questions Re: Turn N Shave Shoat Knots

[dmshaver]

I've been in my happy place for at least a year now. My happy place is in the boar brush rabbit hole! I'm getting ready to start harvesting knots & putting them into custom handles. The Shoat knot from TurnNShave really has my attention. I love working with Milton at TnS, he's the type of business owner I like dealing with. He's more interested in guiding the customer to what he actually needs, not what will make TnS the most money. I've purchased numerous synthetic knots, & a couple of badger knots from TnS thru the years. Well, now I'm wanting to give him some of my money for his shoat knots.

But first I have some questions.

My questions are concerning the 26mm fan shoat knot. I may get untreated & 1/2 treated knots.

1) How dense is the knot? Compared to the Connaught Omega Premium Jade brush, how dense is the TnS shoat knot? How dense is it compared to the Semogue Owners Club?
2) What loft are people setting the 26mm fan shoat knot? What are your results of setting it at those lofts (Floppy, too stiff, good backbone)? I prefer a 55mm or lower loft in my brushes, except when using an unbleached boar.
3) Are the bristles similar in thickness to Omega Pro Pro, or SOC, or Zenith? In other words, how fine are the bristles?

I'm thinking of getting a couple of the shoat knots & a couple of Zenith unbleached boars & set them all in custom handles to compare. I may also set a Pro Pro in there, as well. The Zenith & ProPro I will want to set an extra 5mm & 10mm deeper than they're set in the stock handle.

Any information & advice is welcome. Thank you, gentlemen!

 

[never-stop-learning]

No experience with Milton's Shoat knots.

Watching this with interest.

 

[oscar11]

I have one that I put in a homemade handle. It's an interesting knot. Initially I thought it was a slimy messy p.o.s. Eventually the slimyness went away and I was left with an incredibly soft brush. I set my loft at 52mm and I'm satisfied. I'd say it fairly comparable to the knots you mentioned. Longevity might be a concern. The bristles tips in the dry state are brittle and when drying the brush post shave I usually end up with numerous pieces of bristle on the towel. The knot has a distinctive feel to it and I enjoy it.

 

[dmshaver]

I have one that I put in a homemade handle. It's an interesting knot. Initially I thought it was a slimy messy p.o.s. Eventually the slimyness went away and I was left with an incredibly soft brush. I set my loft at 52mm and I'm satisfied. I'd say it fairly comparable to the knots you mentioned. Longevity might be a concern. The bristles tips in the dry state are brittle and when drying the brush post shave I usually end up with numerous pieces of bristle on the towel. The knot has a distinctive feel to it and I enjoy it.

Thank you. Is yours the half-gelled knot or full-gelled?

 

[merovirginian]

If you have not already seen it, here's a thread I started a bit ago:

Turn n Shave Shoat Knot

I wanted to share my early experiences with this knot in case others may find it useful. I will be updating this from time to time as the knot breaks in. For this first post, though, it will be my first week with the knot. Off we go (from my notes). I wanted to put a boar knot in a custom...

www.badgerandblade.com

I got the half-gelled knot. The hairs are thicker than my Zenith but are also incredibly soft on the face (I face lather). My half-gelled might be a bit of a shedder; I still get a hair or two per shave. It can happen with any knot. I am currently interested in the non-gelled version just for a comparison, and because I am a fan of the knot.

To your questions.
(1). I don't have these brushes so cannot compare. In the beginning, the tips felt a little floppy, but in a comfortable way. After well over a year, I think this is unfair. With Zenith, the hairs dry straight and hard. When soft, the Zenith knot splays well and are super soft. The shoat never gets that dry or hard feel, perhaps due to the larger diameter of the hairs. In terms of the softness on the face, they are great.

When I face lather, the brush splays easily and releases lather just as well as any brush I have (I have a wonderful badger Shavemac and also a Declaration Grooming knot--different feel of course between boar and badger).

(2). Milton recommended a 15mm depth so that is what I have.
(3). See 1 above.

Overall, I am torn. I tell myself I like the Zenith better. But I use the Turn N Shave weekly, and the Zenith monthly. So, what do I really like better?

In the end, I can simply (and highly) recommend the knot. I would buy it again and be happy. When it comes to putting a boar in a custom handle, I don't know of any better boar knot to use.

 

[merovirginian]

I'm thinking of getting a couple of the shoat knots & a couple of Zenith unbleached boars & set them all in custom handles to compare.

With the Zenith, are you buying the knots separately somewhere? Or are you perhaps just taking the knots out of the handle and resetting them in a custom? I'm curious about this as well.

 

[dmshaver]

With the Zenith, are you buying the knots separately somewhere? Or are you perhaps just taking the knots out of the handle and resetting them in a custom? I'm curious about this as well.

I'm buying the brushes & taking the knots out of the handle. And thank you for the link to your other thread.

 

[Gabor]

I love working with Milton at TnS, he's the type of business owner I like dealing with. He's more interested in guiding the customer to what he actually needs, not what will make TnS the most money.

sorry for being unable to answer your question but I am glad that those kind of business owners are still exist. Kudos.

 

[oscar11]

1/2 gelled. I measured my loft this morning, it's at 50mm. Sorry, I quoted the loft from memory.

 

[MaineYooper]

I have my eyes on these as well! I am absolutely pleased with my SOC boar, and want to try more. Anyone have any thoughts on TGN boar knots, compared to TnS?

 

[dmshaver]

1/2 gelled. I measured my loft this morning, it's at 50mm. Sorry, I quoted the loft from memory.

Thank you, your input & experiences are appreciated.

I have my eyes on these as well! I am absolutely pleased with my SOC boar, and want to try more. Anyone have any thoughts on TGN boar knots, compared to TnS?

Well now I have to look into the TGN knots, also. Yes, anyone with feedback on TGN compared to TnS, compared to SOC, Torga C5, Connaught Premium Jade, or Zenith unbleached knots, please chime in.

 

[Shave Souffle]

I'm buying the brushes & taking the knots out of the handle. And thank you for the link to your other thread.

What’s your method of removing the knots from Zenith handles? I may go this route as well but never done this before

 

[dmshaver]

What’s your method of removing the knots from Zenith handles? I may go this route as well but never done this before

I haven't removed a knot, yet. But here's the thread I will follow when I am ready:

Mining a Zenith knot