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TGN Knots

Gents - I'm considering having a custom brush made - what are your views regarding the TGN black badger and finest knots.

I'm looking for a soap/face-lathering brush and prefer smaller knots.

I'm especially interested in hearing from folks who have both types of knots or have a good reference for comparing either of these knots to other brushes.

Thanks guys!
 
I've never used a Black badger (as I've heard they are more prickly, and I don't like that), but I've used the three types of Finest (Finest, Fan, and Extra stuffed)

For a face lathering smaller brush, I would suggest either the extra stuffed, or the fan, whichever shape of knot you prefer. I have used 20mm knots set at 46-48mm, and I have a 24mm set at 52-53mm (but this one is a little high for me).

I just finished a restoration last night, a 20mm Finest Extra stuffed set at a 48-ish mm loft. Should be great.

This is one knot that TGN has from 16mm to 26mm. What do you consider small?

Both have very soft tips and are very comfortable to use. They also are very effective at digging into a soap. No problems with backbone.

Hope that helps.
 
I can't speak much for the finest or black. However, I have a Penworks ST and I find it's similar to simpson's best. Those brushes sure do bloom though.
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+1 on the finest. I have several of the TGN finest (20mm, 22mm, 24mm, 26mm) and fine face latherers all. I do have a 20mm black badger but have yet to set it and use it. I am surprised at how soft it feels dry, but the proof will be when wet and on the face,,,, just not there yet.
 
I set a TGN Black Badger 24mm Knot in a Canadian Mohawk 3-338 Red/White Handle with a 50mm loft since I mostly Bowl Lather. The Brush has plenty of Backbone and the tips are scrubby but not very prickly. The knot is a bit larger than I usually use, 17-21mm, but the handle's opening was very wide and I felt a 22mm would be lost in the handle, no regrets on the larger knot, I would definitely buy another TGN Black Badger.

The first photo is with the original knot which looked nice but the hairs were falling out in bunches after each use, the second is the TGN Black Badger
 
I set a TGN Black Badger 24mm Knot in a Canadian Mohawk 3-338 Red/White Handle with a 50mm loft since I mostly Bowl Lather. The Brush has plenty of Backbone and the tips are scrubby but not very prickly. The knot is a bit larger than I usually use, 17-21mm, but the handle's opening was very wide and I felt a 22mm would be lost in the handle, no regrets on the larger knot, I would definitely buy another TGN Black Badger.

The first photo is with the original knot which looked nice but the hairs were falling out in bunches after each use, the second is the TGN Black Badger

Nice restore - are the tips of the black badger trimmed or natural?

Also, what would you compare it to in terms of scrubbiness on the face?
 
Nice restore - are the tips of the black badger trimmed or natural?

Also, what would you compare it to in terms of scrubbiness on the face?

After checking the TGN site, I don't know if they are trimmed, from the lack of prickliness I'd guess they're natural, a quick e-mail to TGN could answer that question, they are fast with a response, great Customer Service.

I have sensitive skin, if I face lather more than three days in a row I'd get rashes/ dryness on my neck & cheeks. I've face lathered two days running with the Black Badger with NO CONSEQUENCES and this Brush can scrub very well, and the tips are fairly soft.

I can't offer a comparison to other Brushes, I'm not a big face latherer, but it isn't for the timid.
 
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As an addiitonal note, I was told via e-mail that all of the finest knots are extra stuffed even though "some say it, some don’t". Apparently he used to stock regular density knots but upgraded all of them to extra hair about 6 months ago.

FYI,
CZ
 
Just this weekend I did a resoration of an old ER100T handle with a 22mm Black Badger TGN knot. I set it a little bit lower than i usually do, and really like the stiffness for face lathering. Only used it once so far, but happy with it.

3 brushes down, 4 more to go in the next week!
 
I face lather for all shaves. I made the mistake of buying and installing a TGN black badger into a pristine Ever-Ready handle. I found the knot to be very scratchy and not at all what I expected. It looks great in the beige/blue handle, but I believe that I would have been better off to spend the extra money for the TGN Finest 22mm FS knot. For me they combine the very best qualities in an affordable knot without having to spend money for a silvertip. I tried bowl lathering with the black badger and when I went to apply the lather to my face I still found the knot scratchy. Maybe I just got a bad one, but I would recomend using a Finest only, which will work superbly for bowl or face lathering. If you go with a TGN Finest 22mm FS and set the knot to 46-48mm you will end up with a brush that come close to the more expensive Rooney 3/1 or Simpson's X2L "Eshan" silvertip.
 
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I can't speak much for the finest or black. However, I have a Penworks ST and I find it's similar to simpson's best. Those brushes sure do bloom though.



Not to be rude, but to save others a LOT of disappointment... TGN Silvertip is nothing... at all... like simpsons Best.



Black badger is prickly/scratchy. If you're used to cheap knots, you might not notice it. If you're used to Kent Silvertips, you're prolly gonna hate it.

Finest is by far their best hair. Go with that.
 
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I have both and like neither really. Both too scratchy for me. The Black is scratchier than the Finest. My finest is 18mm, I may try a larger more dense one and have another opinion. That's what I'll be ordering for my next redo.

TGN's best knot IMO is the 24mm Short Loft Silvertip. Soft, Firm, Dense all in one without being scratchy. Good in soap or cream.
 
I ordered the 24 silver short on bobs recco, but i gotta say, some of you and your whimpering about this brush or that brush, you make it seem like we lather with cactus or something. A TGN bristle beats some canned goo hand smeared anyday. Nancyboys....
I happen to like the black badger.. Wankers
 
The TGN Finest with Xtr Hair is the closest to a Simpson Best of the TGN's I've tried. Not as good, but close. The Silver Tip was not bad either.
 
Hell, I'm tickled pink with the TGN pure I used to restore an old Ever-Ready. It started a tad prickly but has become soft and one heckuva great brush. Someone posted that they were worthless but it's been the best $10.76 I've spent!
 
I have a question for those who have used various TGN knots. Which of the super or silvertips knots will have the most backbone and not be floppy with a short loft of 45mm to 48mm. I already have a couple of the finest extra stuffed set with lofts of 48mm and 45mm and would like to try a different hair grade from TGN.

See post #16.
 
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