Recommend me a Golden Knot!

[DM.Aelis]

Alright gents,

I'm looking to upgrade from my Omega Boar brush. Not really justified in doing so because it is already such a great brush; but I'd like to PIF to a friend who could do well with getting into wetshaving, and I'd love an excuse to get in on a nice badger brush. But I'm afraid I'm not very knowledgeable about badger.

Inspired by the "$20 challenge" I've decided I'm going to make my own brush, by using a knot from The Golden Nib inset in a pneumatic socket or other handle of my liking.

Here's what I want:

1) I'm a straight user almost 100% of the time now, and I love my DR Harris soap/soaps in general. So I want a brush that does well with soaps.

2) I'm a bowl latherer, but I like a brush that exfoliates and really "brushes" my face and beard. So maybe I'm a closeted face latherer. I dunno. All I know is I don't want a flobby "painter" kind of brush.

3) It should be from any knot in the selection of the Golden Nib, to be my daily brush/weapon of choice!

I think the GN will have something for me; however, if you think I'm missing out on another option (preferably in the <$50 range) that I would be very pleased with, suggest away! Your advice is appreciated and welcome!

 

[mdunn]

26mm finest - sounds perfect for you. Its got good backbone to lather from hard soaps, but it still feels great on the face

 

[Rudy Vey]

Definitely get a finest knot, you will be not disappointed!

 

[heirkb]

Finest with extra hair. Set it at a short loft of 45-50mm.
One tip. With the finest, if you get a 22mm knot and want to set it at a short loft, the hole in your handle should be about 27mm. This is because the knot gets much wider after the 22mm plug, and you can only compress it so much. It's good though, because if you set it at a short loft with such a large hole, it packs the hairs a little more closely together, making it feel like a much denser brush (if you like that, which I do)

 

[Spivey]

I have a 24mm Finest with extra hair loaded into a RubberSet handle. It has proved to be wonderful. I only use soaps. Anthony is great to work with.

 

[Barbarian]

I have a 22mm finest badger and it is great. I am a soap user as well. Highly recommended.

 

[fidjit]

20mm extra finest, 48mm loft !

Primarily using Tabac, MWF and Col Conks.

Works nicely. Soft yet dense with more than enough backbone.

Coming of a Men-u ( Omega ) Boar.

Badger has practically the same loft and bloom as the boar ( which is the exact effect I was after )

 

[gollum83]

Definitely get one of the finest knots with extra hair. I have a 22mm finest with extra hair that I set into an old Every-Ready brush. Even with the loft set at 60mm it has a good backbone to it.

 

[carbonsteel928]

26mm finest - sounds perfect for you. Its got good backbone to lather from hard soaps, but it still feels great on the face

+1 on this suggestion

 

[DM.Aelis]

You guys are great

Thanks for your help!

 

[brothers]

I have a 22mm finest badger and it is great. I am a soap user as well. Highly recommended.

Exactly what I would have said. I have only two brushes, the 22mm finest from Tony at Golden Nib, in a vintage Made Rite handle, and a BK4. Highly recommended.

 

[Seraphim]

I vote UK super silvertip. Set it with 45mm loft for a 20mm knot, or whatever size you prefer.

Soft as can be. My most most used brush

 

[TravelingMan82]

Do these knots shed much?

 

[Rudy Vey]

Do these knots shed much?

I have used the following knots from TGN in my personal brushes:
24 mm Silvertip
18 mm Grade A Silvertip
UK Super Badger
22 mm Finest
24 mm Finest

The only brush that shed initially hair was the 24 mm Silvertip (an overstuffed knot), it lost about a total of 40-50 hairs during the first 10/12 shaves. After that, it lost maybe three in the last 9 month.
This is not much at all. One must know that a gram of badger hair is about 1000 hairs, a 24 mm knot weighs at least 20 gram if not more (you can this info on the Shavemac website). The UK Super Badger lost maybe 3-5. Once in a while a hair will break off, that's totally normal.
The other knots have not lost any hair that I remember.

 

[brothers]

I haven't used as many knots as Rudy, but my experience is that the knots I get from TGN rarely lose a hair. For a comparison, I use my Kent BK4 in a two day rotation with my TGN Finest knot and the BK4 loses one or two hairs every week, while the Finest may have lost less than half a dozen in almost a year.

 

[Sueto]

pneumatic socket is sounding awesome... just think if you don't fill that attachment end with the epoxy you could hook it back up to wrench and use it to build lather! Just squeeze the trigger and go at it on the puck then put it to your face. This might be something that needs to be done...

But the knots were the question. I have used a couple of the finest knots and am enjoying them. I haven't had them long but they have shed so far. the 26mm finest is a beast of a knot.

 

[bman40]

I have a 22mm finest badger and it is great. I am a soap user as well. Highly recommended.

+1 here - I have mine in an old Ever ready handle and I have used it exclusively for three weeks - its a great knot.

Barry

 

[spanx]

Make a look a like chubby with his 28mm silvertip.

 

[sigman]

I've tried all the badger brushes. The finest is the best one IMO. Not particularly head over heels better than silver tip, but I like it better. Oh, and the Chinese v. British knots don't make a difference, so save your money.

 

[TravelingMan82]

I ordered the 20 mm Grade A Silvertip to put in a handle Rudy made. I hope they get here soon.