Hello,
A little while ago I purchased some Boti Badger knots with the idea that I would use them to set my own brushes. I noticed that there is not a great deal of information about Boti on this forum, so I thought that I would share some of my experiences.
I ordered a 19 mm High Mountain White Fan to replace an old badger knot, a 22 mm North China (NC) two band Fan , and a 24 mm Foregoer Back Silver Tip. All of these knots are designated as Ultra High Density.
If you order a brush and handle together and ask for the threaded screw option, Boti can create threads on the opening of the handle and place a screw mount on the bottom of the knot. Because I wanted to experiment with the knot loft, I did not take advantage of that possibility.
Boti’s knots are generally 65 mm in height and they recommend a loft between 53 and 55 mm. I originally set the Fan Shaped HMW knot in a Shave Forge handle and a loft of 53 mm. Because the opening of the handle was about 21.5 mm wide, the splay of the knot was massive and it had no back bone. I lowered the loft to a shade under 49 mm. The knot is extremely soft and has a tiny bit of back bone now. I like it very much. Despite the small size, it can hold enough lather for 3 passes and is quite usable for face lathering. If you are looking for a soft, dense 3 band that releases lather nicely, you won’t be disappointed with this knot. In general, I would say that its performance and softness are a step above the Yaqi 3 band Silvertips. Of course, the larger sizes of this knot are significantly more expensive than a Yaqi 3 band.
The performance of the fan shaped NC China knot is also very sensitive to the setting of the loft. I used a 22 mm Yaqi handle that I modified to a depth of about 14 mm. At a loft above 51 mm, the brush did not have sufficient back bone. At 51 mm, it does have back-bone, but the back bone is less than that of a 24 mm Yaqi Fan Shaped two band. Boti has a second type of two band knot called the Captain two band. The Captain is supposed to have more back bone than the NC two band.
My guess is that the face-feel of the NC
two band is its most distinguishing feature. I think that most people would agree that the Yaqi has more back bone, but the Yaqi brush probably achieves it tip softness through a more aggressive gelling process. While the tips of the NC 2 band are definitely processed, some of the softness comes from the type of hair that BOTI is using. This hair is supposed to be taller and softer than standard two band badger hair. It’s hard to describe the difference, but the Yaqi two bands essentially feel like a cushion where you don’t feel the individual hairs. The NC Boti is soft, but you can still feel the individual hairs on your face. At the same time the density of the NC Boti is probably higher than that of the Yaqi. Of course, the Yaqi two bands are amazing brushes that would probably hold their own against most of the two bands on the market. In trying to tease out the differences, I may be overstating my case.
The Foregoer Back UHD Silvertip is a very unique knot. The hair is very fine and the density is exceptionally high. Even in the dry state the softness of the brush is comparable to the softest synthetic brushes. If anything, maybe the tips are too soft. I set that knot at a loft of 53 mm in another Yaqi handle. Due to the density, the brush has some cushion to it. The backbone is more than that of a standard Yaqi Silvertip and a bit less than the Yaqi High Mountain White Silvertip. It’s a great for anyone that wants the ultimate softness from a natural brush.
I will end by making two points:
1. My comparisons to Yaqi brushes are meant to provide others with reference points with which I am familiar. I happen to have Yaqi 2-bands and Silvertips.
2. The folks at Boti are extremely nice and professional. They will answer all of your questions and they start to assemble the knot as soon as you place the order. They send you photos of the knot and it’s measurements at the beginning and prior to shipping.
Left to Right: 19 mm HMW Silk Fan, 22 mm NC Two Band Fan, 24 mm Foregoer Back Silvertip Bulb, 24 mm Yaqi Two Band Fan.
A little while ago I purchased some Boti Badger knots with the idea that I would use them to set my own brushes. I noticed that there is not a great deal of information about Boti on this forum, so I thought that I would share some of my experiences.
I ordered a 19 mm High Mountain White Fan to replace an old badger knot, a 22 mm North China (NC) two band Fan , and a 24 mm Foregoer Back Silver Tip. All of these knots are designated as Ultra High Density.
If you order a brush and handle together and ask for the threaded screw option, Boti can create threads on the opening of the handle and place a screw mount on the bottom of the knot. Because I wanted to experiment with the knot loft, I did not take advantage of that possibility.
Boti’s knots are generally 65 mm in height and they recommend a loft between 53 and 55 mm. I originally set the Fan Shaped HMW knot in a Shave Forge handle and a loft of 53 mm. Because the opening of the handle was about 21.5 mm wide, the splay of the knot was massive and it had no back bone. I lowered the loft to a shade under 49 mm. The knot is extremely soft and has a tiny bit of back bone now. I like it very much. Despite the small size, it can hold enough lather for 3 passes and is quite usable for face lathering. If you are looking for a soft, dense 3 band that releases lather nicely, you won’t be disappointed with this knot. In general, I would say that its performance and softness are a step above the Yaqi 3 band Silvertips. Of course, the larger sizes of this knot are significantly more expensive than a Yaqi 3 band.
The performance of the fan shaped NC China knot is also very sensitive to the setting of the loft. I used a 22 mm Yaqi handle that I modified to a depth of about 14 mm. At a loft above 51 mm, the brush did not have sufficient back bone. At 51 mm, it does have back-bone, but the back bone is less than that of a 24 mm Yaqi Fan Shaped two band. Boti has a second type of two band knot called the Captain two band. The Captain is supposed to have more back bone than the NC two band.
My guess is that the face-feel of the NC
two band is its most distinguishing feature. I think that most people would agree that the Yaqi has more back bone, but the Yaqi brush probably achieves it tip softness through a more aggressive gelling process. While the tips of the NC 2 band are definitely processed, some of the softness comes from the type of hair that BOTI is using. This hair is supposed to be taller and softer than standard two band badger hair. It’s hard to describe the difference, but the Yaqi two bands essentially feel like a cushion where you don’t feel the individual hairs. The NC Boti is soft, but you can still feel the individual hairs on your face. At the same time the density of the NC Boti is probably higher than that of the Yaqi. Of course, the Yaqi two bands are amazing brushes that would probably hold their own against most of the two bands on the market. In trying to tease out the differences, I may be overstating my case.
The Foregoer Back UHD Silvertip is a very unique knot. The hair is very fine and the density is exceptionally high. Even in the dry state the softness of the brush is comparable to the softest synthetic brushes. If anything, maybe the tips are too soft. I set that knot at a loft of 53 mm in another Yaqi handle. Due to the density, the brush has some cushion to it. The backbone is more than that of a standard Yaqi Silvertip and a bit less than the Yaqi High Mountain White Silvertip. It’s a great for anyone that wants the ultimate softness from a natural brush.
I will end by making two points:
1. My comparisons to Yaqi brushes are meant to provide others with reference points with which I am familiar. I happen to have Yaqi 2-bands and Silvertips.
2. The folks at Boti are extremely nice and professional. They will answer all of your questions and they start to assemble the knot as soon as you place the order. They send you photos of the knot and it’s measurements at the beginning and prior to shipping.
Left to Right: 19 mm HMW Silk Fan, 22 mm NC Two Band Fan, 24 mm Foregoer Back Silvertip Bulb, 24 mm Yaqi Two Band Fan.
Attachments
Last edited:
