B14 Declaration Grooming knot

[John_Doe]

Anybody have good feedback regarding the B14 knot? I’m on the waitlist for a Wolf Whiskers handle and am thinking of pairing it with a B14 knot. Many users say that the DG knots are the end all be all for badger brushes, but is there a lot of variability amongst the various Declaration Grooming batches? Or are they all really top notch?

Also, Ive had Paladin, Morris and Forndran, Shavemac two band silvertip, and various Simpsons brushes. Are the DG really a notch above?

Best
Krishna

 

[merovirginian]

I just ordered a Declaration Grooming B14 knot to put in a new handle. I have a B11 and it's fantastic. There's a review of B14 by House of Mammoth I think on another site. I do have a Shavemac two-band but none of the others you mention.

Is the DG a notch above the Shavemac? Well, let's start by looking at just knot cost: Shavemac is about US $140 for a 26mm silver tip two-band, and DG is about $160 for a 26mm, give or take on options/size/etc. These prices are based on the knot (not any full brush), and just on my memory to boot.

Do I think the DG knot is worth $20 more? I really do, but this is 100% a subjective opinion. My B11 is much denser and both soft while having some scritch. My Shavemac is *just* soft and lovely. My DG has performance and personality. My Shavemac has performance and consistency. When I use my Shavemac knot, I love it! The only thing I might want to explore is a bit more density (guess what, Shavemac has an option for that). When I use my DG, it's just different, but not objectively better. Both retain water, heat, and deliver lather wonderfully.

Now, if you happen to get a DG brush and handle that costs US$400+, is that better than a US$150+ shavemac? If cost is a real consideration, I don't think so. Others may and will certainly disagree. But I have to admit I have a bias towards custom handles (picking colors, shapes, materials, etc.) and lack the patience to hunt down/wait for drops.

Overall, if you want a whole brush made by either either DG or Shavemac? Go for Shavemac (for the OP, be happy with your Shavemac!). Just a knot and you have a handle ready (like you do, @John_Doe )? Go for Declaration Grooming and find out for yourself. For most people, I think Shavemac gives you every premium thing you would ever want. If you want to chase a +#% subjective increase in feel with a +$$$ objective increase in cost, go for it.

With that said, I strongly recommend getting on the Dogwood Handcrafts waitlist to get a custom handle and then get a DG knot when your name is up (this is what I have done). They both know each other very well (and have collaborated closely in the past), and you can get a price reduction on the DG knot because of this. Just my two cents.