My bizzare TGN "finest" brush.the best mistake ever?

[nav]

I was at my parents place today and thought I would use a brush I made about 3 years ago. I got the vintage handle from ebay and put a TGN 20mm finest badger knot into it. I didn't use it much and it has been sitting there for quite a while.

Since then, I have had several TGN finest knot brushes. The stems are quite black and the tips are light and very soft on the face. So soft that I actually sold them off as they were too soft for my liking. I prefer the Simpson best grade which are scrubby without being prickly.

I used my TGN finest today and was surprised to notice the tips are not as light in colour as the other TGN finest knots I have had. The tips also didn't feel as soft and I got a bit of a scrub on my face. I know it's a TGN finest because the brush was kept in the envelope the knot arrived in. I just wonder how it is so different from the usual finest knots from TGN. Who knows, maybe it's a TGN best badger and if so, it's the best mistake that could have happened to me!

All in all, it was really one of my most enjoyable lathering experiences ever and the brush has instantly become my favourite badger brush. The handle is a vintage "faux horn" and looks fantastic.

I am very happy to have found this gem, which will never sit around collecting dust again.

 

[deruitem]

Interesting that you bring this up. The first brush I ever made was a TGN 20mm Finest. The hair is lighter in color at the base and the tips are darker than the new knots. It also feels a bit more scrubby.

 

[Fatboy]

Pics or it didn't happen...

 

[nav]

Interesting that you bring this up. The first brush I ever made was a TGN 20mm Finest. The hair is lighter in color at the base and the tips are darker than the new knots. It also feels a bit more scrubby.

Looks like there may have been a change in the finest grade knots. The tips are definitely darker than the current finest. I find the darker knot has a better face feel and lathers much nicer and quicker (for whatever reason).

 

[djh]

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[nav]

Pics or it didn't happen...

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Sorry gents. I am spending 22hrs a day at the hospital with my SWMBO so the pic will have to wait until we return home.

Maybe Deruitem can post pics and i'll post mine whenever I go back home.

 

[celestino]

Pictures are mandatory!

 

[Greg1911]

I've thrown together quite a few brushes with TGN XH Finest knots and there is definitely variation. I think this is more true if you space out the purchases of the knots.

I have some that are a wee bit scrubby (which I like) and I've even got one I swear has the "gel-like" Rooney Heritage 2 band hair. I've had the Rooney as you can see below.

The one on the left feels like the same hair as the brush below on the right.

The TGN's tips are quite white. Don't let the lighting differences throw you.

 

[nav]

Better late than never...

Here are pics of my TGN "finest two band". The tips are darker than the current knots and the base is also light in colour.
It is the only badger brush I have kept after having experienced ~25 badger brushes. The handle is vintage where I removed the knot and a friend fixed up the inside for me to glue in the knot, which just happened to be set at the untimate face lathering loft, totally unintentionally

 

[VerbaVolant]

My 22mm TGN Finest:

 

[Flashisfast]

are the current batch of finest the gel like type? I am keen as I had one that is quite scrubby bought about a year ago which I dislike.

 

[nav]

are the current batch of finest the gel like type? I am keen as I had one that is quite scrubby bought about a year ago which I dislike.

All the TGN finest ive used since the one shown above have been the "gel" type. They are extremely soft at the tips and a little denser too. Most people would like it as it is really a luxury knot. For me personally, I didn't like it as it was too soft and I didn't get any scrub what-so-ever.

 

[Mad Man]

TGN Finest knots are incredible value IMHO. My 24mm knot, set at 48mm is a crazy-good face latherer with sooooooft tips and good backbone.

 

[franz]

Greg, where did this handle come from (on the left)? It's a stunner

I've thrown together quite a few brushes with TGN XH Finest knots and there is definitely variation. I think this is more true if you space out the purchases of the knots.

 

[Greg1911]

Greg, where did this handle come from (on the left)? It's a stunner

That is the handle from a 13 dollar Vulfix VS5 boar brush. A truly terrible boar brush.

Buy one, drill out the knot, lose the decal, sand down the molding lines (it is cast, not turned) and polish it up and you're good to go

 

[franz]

That is the handle from a 13 dollar Vulfix VS5 boar brush. A truly terrible boar brush.

Buy one, drill out the knot, lose the decal, sand down the molding lines (it is cast, not turned) and polish it up and you're good to go

Well done sir.