Do you have only small brushes or only large brushes in your rotation? Do any of you have both? Any reason for your preference?
What size brush-types do you have?
- Thread starter Teddyboy
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I will kick off the replies. I'm sure we will see everything from "I have one brush that does it for me" to "I have 10-15 (etc.) brushes of all sorts of sizes and types in my rotation". I currently have 7 brushes (5 boars, 2 badgers) ranging from a small Omega turn-back travel brush (only used for travel and not in rotation) to a Semogue 1800 (22mm knot width, 51mm loft, 108mm hgt.). I would say these are all small to medium size brushes. Medium size brushes work fine for me (I guess I have a medium-sized face!) So far, I haven't been attracted to a large brush but that could change on a whim!
These brushes are not always in my rotation. I typically will have 2-3 in rotation. I like to alternate days on boars so they dry. Not necessary but I'm following a common philosophy. I break that rule occasionally. Right now, I am alternating between my 1800 and my newest brush, the B&B Essential (Omega) Brush. I have a small Rudy Vey badger and a Tweezerman and although they work great on any soap and cream, I reserve the badgers for creams and soft soaps... Just because. I like the variety, trying new things, breaking in a new brush, and feeding my SBAD.
These brushes are not always in my rotation. I typically will have 2-3 in rotation. I like to alternate days on boars so they dry. Not necessary but I'm following a common philosophy. I break that rule occasionally. Right now, I am alternating between my 1800 and my newest brush, the B&B Essential (Omega) Brush. I have a small Rudy Vey badger and a Tweezerman and although they work great on any soap and cream, I reserve the badgers for creams and soft soaps... Just because. I like the variety, trying new things, breaking in a new brush, and feeding my SBAD.
I have both (referring to handle size). Generally I face lather with small ones and bowl lather with large ones and sometimes vice versa.
From 14mm knot (Wee Scot) to 30mm knots (Rooney 3XL).
Lots of choices available to me every day (which is why it takes so long to decide what to use)
Lots of choices available to me every day (which is why it takes so long to decide what to use)
Just three here: a 23 mm silvertip, a 23 mm super, a 19 mm super (travel but in rotation for smaller pucks)... and have just ordered a 21 mm silvertip... and thinking of a 26mm.
SBAD is watching out there...
SBAD is watching out there...
One large brush.
It works for me.
Tried smaller brushes. Had more than one brush. Didn't care for small brushes or multiple brushes.
My primary brush is a large 28 mm. The "every so often" brush is 24 mm. So count me in as a large brush lover.
Everything from a 16 mm Wee Scot upward to 26 mm.
Tend to like my badgers a bit bigger, say 23-25 mm, than the boars which are 21-23 mm.
Tend to like my badgers a bit bigger, say 23-25 mm, than the boars which are 21-23 mm.
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Thanks. I'm a smallish to medium brush type of guy. I recently bought a 26mm Thater 2-band fan that bloomed into something the size of a portobello mushroom. It feels sooo nice, and works well, except that it is a bit floppy for 2-band. I'm a bit surprised at that. I'm trying to make up my mind as to whether or not to BST it.
Thanks for your answers.
Thanks for your answers.
For daily use I tend to prefer medium-sized knots, 24-25mm, that are not super densely packed, because I find they load quicker than large, densely packed knots...moderate density allowing them to release the lather more efficiently. Also, as a face latherer I prefer 2-band badger to insure that the medium density does not result in a floppy knot. I do have a 30mm M&F with old Rooney Finest that I also love using. Mine is not as densely packed as I understand Rooney's own Finest brushes to be, and that works perfectly for me...good backbone, great flow through, and from what I've read about others' experiences with Rooney Finest mine also has unusually comfortable, soft tips. It's size makes it my "luxury" brush for shaves when I want to feel pampered. So, I would say that the right combination of backbone, tips and flow through might be more important to me than knot size.
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I have two that I use on a regular basis: a basic VDH boar (my first brush) and an aluminum-handled Rubberset #400 with its original bristles. I use the former most of the time, especially when I travel. The latter is for those, "What the hell; let's do something different" days.
I also have an old Ever Ready butterscotch that could use reknotting and a small no-name metal-handled brush that REALLY needs reknotting. I think the latter will become a significant part of the rotation (especially for travel), once I get some badger hair glued in.
I also have an old Ever Ready butterscotch that could use reknotting and a small no-name metal-handled brush that REALLY needs reknotting. I think the latter will become a significant part of the rotation (especially for travel), once I get some badger hair glued in.
I guess you could say I have all of the above. I have a Chubby 1, Chubby2 and Chubby 3 in rotation. I also have a Rooney 3/2 and a Thater SRD two band bulb, in addition to a Simpson Eagle. I guess that makes me like turlte, in that it takes me a minute or two in the morning to select the day's brush.
Most of my brushes are big 30~35mm, but I have a couple smaller ones in my closet.
Though I have a couple small brushes (14-18mm), and a couple large brushes, the overwhelming majority fall in the 20-23 mm range. 24 just feels too big.
My preferences are in the 23-25 mm range. I don't like bigger than 26 mm and smaller than 22 mm knots.
I'm a equal opportunity shaver,my smallest is the Mixed Midget which I think is a 20mm all the way up to a Thater 28mm which is really a 30mm.I'd like to get a Rudy Vey 18mm flattop and probably will sometime this month.I'm also thinking about a Wee Scott in the future.I have 10 brushes in my rotation and I like them all for different reasons.I really enjoy the larger brushes as I headshave,but there's something to be said for a small brush and it's pinpoint precision.
I find the 22mm - 26mm range to be the sweet spot for me. The smallest two I own are a 18mm and a 20mm - those are pretty much travel brushes because of their size.
I have a new shavemac D01 three band on the way and that should complete my 7 brush rotation. I keep revisiting the Saville Row 3824 and 3722 brushes - so that 7 day magic number may fall in the future.
I have a new shavemac D01 three band on the way and that should complete my 7 brush rotation. I keep revisiting the Saville Row 3824 and 3722 brushes - so that 7 day magic number may fall in the future.
