Bulb vs Fan: How to tell?

[StephenS]

Is there an easy way to tell between bulb vs fan when ordering online? I've come across quite a few brushes when browsing through that have multiple pictures that show the same brush that looks more fan shaped or more bulb shaped. On classicshaving.com, for example, some of the Rooney brushes have the pictures of three different handle colors at the bottom and with those brushes 2 will look like bulb and 1 will look like a fan.

Any help or guidance will be greatly appreciated!

 

[StephenS]

Also, why are there such drastic measurement differences between Vintage blades and classic shaving on some of the rooney brushes? The 2/1 on Vintage, 48 loft/22 knot is exactly where I want to be... but classic says 44/20. Which one is correct?

 

[mftoms59]

Bulbs will be shaped like an incandescent Bulb, a Fan will have a gentle curve along the top, like the crown of a road. You could also run across a Flat-Top, self explanatory - it looks like a Fan without the gentle curve, and a hybrid Fan which will have more of an arch to the curve than a standard Fan. I hope that didn't confuse you too much, The Bulb and Flat-Top are the easiest to identify.

 

[StephenS]

I understand the difference, I'm just coming across pictures that show the same brush that seems to have both. Can the same brush have variations? If so, do you just request the vendor send you one that is more bulb than fan?

 

[mftoms59]

Also, why are there such drastic measurement differences between Vintage blades and classic shaving on some of the rooney brushes? The 2/1 on Vintage, 48 loft/22 knot is exactly where I want to be... but classic says 44/20. Which one is correct?

I'm guessing these are two Vendor sites? Just a guess, they could be Factory Specs on one site and maybe actually measured by the other. You could e-mail them and ask for an actual measurement for clarification.

 

[mftoms59]

I understand the difference, I'm just coming across pictures that show the same brush that seems to have both. Can the same brush have variations? If so, do you just request the vendor send you one that is more bulb than fan?

That would be the best way, more than likely they'll do their best to help you get the brush you want.

 

[StephenS]

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/2053630/2179670.htm

If you look at that, the center brush is considerably more bulb than the two on either side. Are there brushes that are specifically supposed to be bulb shaped/fan shaped. Or are each handmade brush going to have a unique shape that you'll have to either dig through at a store or request a certain build online?

 

[mftoms59]

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/2053630/2179670.htm

If you look at that, the center brush is considerably more bulb than the two on either side. Are there brushes that are specifically supposed to be bulb shaped/fan shaped. Or are each handmade brush going to have a unique shape that you'll have to either dig through at a store or request a certain build online?

The three brushes at the bottom are only for displaying the different handle choices, I think the actual knot would be the one shown at the top, a Bulb.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Here are three handmade Shavemac knots side by side:
Bulb - Fan - Flattop

 

[njpaddy]

Also, why are there such drastic measurement differences between Vintage blades and classic shaving on some of the rooney brushes? The 2/1 on Vintage, 48 loft/22 knot is exactly where I want to be... but classic says 44/20. Which one is correct?

Could be the vendors requested the different specs. I don't have a 2/1, but here's a picture of the 22mm knots on my Rooney 1/1 and 3/1, both from Vintage Blades. The 1/1 with a 44mm loft was bought this year. The 3/1 was bought about 3 years ago. The 3/1's loft was listed as 48mm, but it's probably closer to 46mm.

 

[CHSeifert]

1. Some vendors may order them in different shaped knots by demand.
2. Some brush manufacturer are not that precise when they make the brushes, so knots will vary depending on who made it at the factory that particular day and what temper he/she was in.
3. It also depends on the batch of badger hairs the OEM can get. Some years the badger hair will be stiffer and thicker, other years the hair available to the OEM is softer and thinner - thus the knot shape will tend to differ a bit based on that fact.

If you want full control over the knot shape - order a custom Shavemac and make sure you specifically tell them that it needs to be a fan, bulb or flat shaped knot and that you care MUCH about how the knot shape looks.