I went through a period of disliking Thater. I had a shedding brush, only to be replaced with another shedding brush. The response I got from Thater to was not the kind of customer service you would expect. To be fair, I was kind of a jackass in my email to them, and they replied in kind. Not really acceptable service, but understandable. But I digress.
I can't stay mad at them. Not when they produce such wonderful brushes (when they don't shed). I've been thinking about the 2-band for quite some time, and got to try it out several weeks ago in fan shape. I wanted more backbone, so I got the bulb shape 4215-3 from Royal Shave with the brush money from my recent BST thread (it's Sabbatical-neutral!
). The official measurements are 28mm knot, 55mm loft. I get 29mm/53-54mm...great! Yes, it could be lower. At 50-52 it would be scary good. But this brush gets high marks from me as it is.
Those with a passing familiarity with my SBAD know I love soft-tips. The Thater 3-band is universally acknowledged as soft-tipped, and the 2-band is no less so to my skin. Yes, different feel, but I could rub this knot on my face all day and not get brush burn. Interestingly, the bulb 2-band is not as bulb-shaped as the 3-band. Comparing it to the Plexi 4 and its cousin the 4215-2 (still available on the BST
), both getting a lot of extra backbone from the very bulby shape, the 2-band has about the same backbone. It almost appears as if Thater was going for the same "feel" when they designed their 2-bands.
The density is good, but not impressive. The hair is a similar kind of thin, soft-tipped 2-band hair like Blonde Badger. M&F is packed tighter, giving those brushes greater backbone. The hairs themselves feel stiffer, too. Indecently, M&F consistently sets the bar for every other brush I get--I just have to say it again, these are the best brushes in the world in my opinion.
Notice the bloom in the Thater 2-band compared to the Blonde Badger. (Tips are dry many hours after the shave, but inner knot is still damp)
2-band in the middle
The octagonal shape is great. I liked it in both of my other Thaters. I think it's just the most practical for me, and I like the cream color very much, especially with the black roots and cream tips of the hair. The new logo? I have no problem with it. I'm glad I have the old one, too, just for fun.
And today was also my first shave with a straight! (Thanks, Mike)
I can't stay mad at them. Not when they produce such wonderful brushes (when they don't shed). I've been thinking about the 2-band for quite some time, and got to try it out several weeks ago in fan shape. I wanted more backbone, so I got the bulb shape 4215-3 from Royal Shave with the brush money from my recent BST thread (it's Sabbatical-neutral!
). The official measurements are 28mm knot, 55mm loft. I get 29mm/53-54mm...great! Yes, it could be lower. At 50-52 it would be scary good. But this brush gets high marks from me as it is.Those with a passing familiarity with my SBAD know I love soft-tips. The Thater 3-band is universally acknowledged as soft-tipped, and the 2-band is no less so to my skin. Yes, different feel, but I could rub this knot on my face all day and not get brush burn. Interestingly, the bulb 2-band is not as bulb-shaped as the 3-band. Comparing it to the Plexi 4 and its cousin the 4215-2 (still available on the BST
), both getting a lot of extra backbone from the very bulby shape, the 2-band has about the same backbone. It almost appears as if Thater was going for the same "feel" when they designed their 2-bands.The density is good, but not impressive. The hair is a similar kind of thin, soft-tipped 2-band hair like Blonde Badger. M&F is packed tighter, giving those brushes greater backbone. The hairs themselves feel stiffer, too. Indecently, M&F consistently sets the bar for every other brush I get--I just have to say it again, these are the best brushes in the world in my opinion.
Notice the bloom in the Thater 2-band compared to the Blonde Badger. (Tips are dry many hours after the shave, but inner knot is still damp)
2-band in the middle
The octagonal shape is great. I liked it in both of my other Thaters. I think it's just the most practical for me, and I like the cream color very much, especially with the black roots and cream tips of the hair. The new logo? I have no problem with it. I'm glad I have the old one, too, just for fun.
- Perfectly soft tips
- Heritage (since 1913)
- German craftsmanship
- Handmade
And today was also my first shave with a straight! (Thanks, Mike)
So soft, it's gonna kiss your face like your high school girlfriend.
