Seeking Golden Nib knot recommendation

[markewallace]

I'm wanting to order a good badger to replace my Tweezerman. With all of the kudos that TGN gets here, I figure I'll turn towards them. Seems like good stuff at the right price.

What would y'all recommend to suit this:

• Bowl lather with creams maybe 40% of the time
• The remaining is face lathering with med/hard pucks or Arko/Derby stick
• My Tweezerman soaps up from my pucks *reasonably* well, but not very well. I feel like I need something rougher to cut into the soap more. This may also be partially a technique issue. I'm not very good with soaps.
• I like the skritch that I get from the Tweezerman. I don't want anything that would generally be considered soft/mild. I have plenty of horse and boar brushes for that.
• Size-wise, something like the Tweezerman would be okay. I don't know what its specs are though.

Tony already recommended either a 22 or 24mm Finest bulb shaped knot. That may be right, but I thought I'd seek thoughts here as well.

I think I would also order a handle from him and have him do the assembly. Appreciate any thoughts y'all might have there as well, especially with regards to setting the loft.

P.S. At Tony's prices, price isn't really a factor for me. Getting the right size, loft, and feel (leaning more towards rough than soft) is much more important.

P.P.S. I am by no means hard-n-stuck on going with TGN. Any other recommendations in roughly the same price ballpark as TGN would be more than welcome.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[branford]

You might also want to consider a Whipped Dog silvertip or pure badger brush. Larry, the proprietor, is great to deal with and his brushes are inexpensive and high quality. Email or call him with any questions.

If you go with a WD, I would recommend a 22 or 24mm silvertip, drilled-down for a loft of 45-48mm for a 22mm knot or 48-50mm for a 24mm knot.

My Whipped Dog Brush (22mm knot / 50mm loft)

 

[acissa]

Definitely 24 MM TGN finest. I had RV put one on a custom handle for me - one of my favorite brushes and knots.

 

[Rufus]

I find the Simpsons Colonel X2L to be an outstanding all round brush. At the price it's an unbeatable value for a brush of this calibre.

 

[shaverjoe]

Given all of your concerns for the brush in regards to use, face feel, scritch, etc- I too would recommend a 22-24mm TGN Finest XH bulb knot set at a loft of 47-48mm. I have a number of these knots I use personally and to be honest, I prefer the face feel of them over my Simpsons in Best. For the money, I'm not sure there is a better knot to be had.

Another knot to consider is the Super badger knot, though I find it to be a bit less dense than the Finest XH.

You can't go wrong with the TGN Finest knot, IMO, unless you are just looking for something pillowy soft, which you are not. Otherwise, the TGN Finest knot is simply a workhorse.

Good luck and enjoy whatever you end up choosing.

 

[shaverjoe]

These are my current TGN Finest XH bulb knots in use, set at slightly different lofts. Simply a great knot.

 

[markewallace]

Good thoughts so far. Thank you.

Being the lazy bum that I am, I'd really like to go through just one source for my brush. Does going through Rudy for the completed brush but TGN for the knot mean that you have to first buy the knot and then ship it to him? Or does he buy the knot himself and then assemble it all?

I have emailed Larry @ WD with my requirements and asked for his feedback as well.

On the X2L recommendation : I have read lots of great things about that brush, but I think I have it stuck in my head to have a brush built for me.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[otto76]

The TGN 24mm Finest Badger Knot Fan XH is my favorite badger knot so far, pretty easily.
Their finest knot is awesome and I enjoy the feel of the fan shape a little more than the bulbs I've tried.

 

[Scott0079]

The TGN 24mm Finest Badger Knot Fan XH is my favorite badger knot so far, pretty easily.
Their finest knot is awesome and I enjoy the feel of the fan shape a little more than the bulbs I've tried.

This!

 

[acissa]

Good thoughts so far. Thank you.

Being the lazy bum that I am, I'd really like to go through just one source for my brush. Does going through Rudy for the completed brush but TGN for the knot mean that you have to first buy the knot and then ship it to him? Or does he buy the knot himself and then assemble it all?

I have emailed Larry @ WD with my requirements and asked for his feedback as well.

On the X2L recommendation : I have read lots of great things about that brush, but I think I have it stuck in my head to have a brush built for me.

Thanks,

Mark

Rudy will set the TGN knot you desire in the handle you desire. One stop shop. He has TGN knots in stock. Reach out to him, he is easy to work with.

 

[patten1969]

24mm finest 2-band. I love it. I just glued it into a handle I had, worked like a charm. Use marine epoxy.

 

[markewallace]

Rudy and I have started talking about a possible brush design. I have a message out to Larry as well and hope to hear back from him soon. Tony hasn't replied to my messages lately.


- Mark

 

[markewallace]

Anyone have a good site that they can point me towards showing pics of different styles of handles?

P.S. No reply from either Tony lately or ever from Larry @ WD.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Galhatz]

For face lathering my recommendation is 22mm bulb shaped knot. I have a 24mm fan finest and is splays too much and is "all over the place". I also tried a 26mm finest bulb and it was huge but still more "focused" than the fan.
A whipped dog silvertip, set at low enough loft is no slouch either, i have a 24mm set at 45mm and it has awesome backbone while very soft tips. If i had to do that once again, i'd go with 22mm set at 48mm.
Or bettee yet: ask for the handle driiled deep without the knot glued in so you could experiment and find the loft that fits your taste best. I'd get a second handle to experiment with a 2-band finest knot as these are very different from silvertip.

 

[Haggises]

I hVe a TGN 24mm silvertip and an 18mm finest.
I prefer the finest and will eventually get a 24mm version.
good luck!

 

[drTpain]

I see a lot of people recommending the 24 why not the 26?

 

[BigWill]

I have a 24 black badger knot set into a Rubberset #4 handle. The black badger does a much better job at getting QCS soap on the brush than my 28 Grade 1 knot. The 24 is a great knot. Good backbone and nice scritch.

 

[Galhatz]

I hVe a TGN 24mm silvertip and an 18mm finest.
I prefer the finest and will eventually get a 24mm version.
good luck!

Bigger is not necessarily better, especially for face lathering. Big brushes are good for working out the lather in a bowl and then applying it in painting like motions. If you start using circular motions, it splays and you get a huge area that the brush covers.
The 26mm finest in bulb is actually not that bad in that regard, as it is very dense and the backbone stiffness prevents it from splaying too much. To be honest though, for face lathering, I think a 22mm brush would be ideal in bulb shape. It gives you more control on where the lather goes and with a bit of splay it feels very nice. IMHO anyway.

 

[Doryferon]

I have knots from all the TGN categories
I suggest 24mm Black Badger and Silvertips
Alternative the Pure Badger
NO Boar or Super Badger.

I have 2 Black Badgers from the Whipped Dog,absolutely NO !