I don't use big brushes because the hold more leather. That may be an added benefit. The fact is that there is nothing better than a big brush and a good soap to pamper my face before and while shaving.
What’s the appeal of big brushes?
- Thread starter Proper Irish
- Start date
I sort of ended up with larger brushes by accident. @Chan Eil Whiskers directed me toward the SV brushes. I now own 3 of them and I compare any other brushes to them. They are listed as 26mm but coming out of the crown at the top of the handle, they measure 28mm or so, I think. I do know, Rudy recently reknotted one of my brushes with a 28mm ShaveMac Two-band Silvertip and it feels the same as the SV brushes by size..... My Zenith 26mm Manchurian and my reknotted 26mm ShaveMac Rudy installed in a ESC Ultimate two tone aluminum handle both feel smaller... yet enjoyable.
So for me, at the moment, 26mm is my minimum brush size. I sold all my Semogue SOC brushes because they felt too small for me at the 24mm... But that's just one man's opinion. There is enough variety in brushes for everyone to find what they enjoy the most.
So for me, at the moment, 26mm is my minimum brush size. I sold all my Semogue SOC brushes because they felt too small for me at the 24mm... But that's just one man's opinion. There is enough variety in brushes for everyone to find what they enjoy the most.
I tend to overload on purpose, to the point of having enough loaded for myself and the entire street on which I live.
Two of my favorites are both Omega brushes. A red handle #49 and black handle #10098.
Wasteful? Absolutely, but then I relish the face lathering and painting aspect of the morning ritual and gentle squeezing what remains left in the brush, and smearing it on my face for any touch ups.
Just looking at knot sizes, I learned that I love big brushes. The four boars currently in use are 27.5x57, 28x50, 26x57, and 26x60. I also checked my wee travel brush; it is a 24x55 boar. I can’t imagine going any smaller than that.
I love big, dense boar knots. They load very well, whip up phenomenal lathers, feel fantastic on my face, and are beautiful.
I love big, dense boar knots. They load very well, whip up phenomenal lathers, feel fantastic on my face, and are beautiful.
Part of me doesn't understand the appeal of brushes. That's good, because it's the part of me that saves money. I have one brush, it's small, and I expect it to last me 10 years or more. Then I'll get a new one.
It makes good lather. If I bowl lather, I want a small brush so I can spread the lather precisely. If I face lather, I want a small brush so it doesn't lather my temples, my nose, my shirt.
I've lathered with a cheap natural hair pastry brush before and it worked quite well. Takes a little longer to build a lather but paints on easily.
It makes good lather. If I bowl lather, I want a small brush so I can spread the lather precisely. If I face lather, I want a small brush so it doesn't lather my temples, my nose, my shirt.
I've lathered with a cheap natural hair pastry brush before and it worked quite well. Takes a little longer to build a lather but paints on easily.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
In my opinion it is 100% subjective.
I like very large brushes. I like various handle sizes and shapes. I have a lot of brushes. I know full well that I'd be fine with one brush and it would not have to be particularly large, but why not have and use what I enjoy?
You might like handles such as these. They're pretty small. To me they feel like knobs to hold the knot rather than handles with a knot attached (which might not make sense to anybody but me).
Mostly it's about doing what you want to as long as it works for you and suits you. There's no right and wrong to brush picking.
Happy shaves,
Jim
What is large? I’m pretty flexible and I enjoy brushes of all sizes these days. I used to consider 28mm to be my comfortable limit and anything larger seemed awkward and hard to control. But then I got into Plisson HMW silvertips and I found I preferred their size 14 (22mm with 59mm loft - which is significantly bigger than any 28mm artisan knot). And now I am quite comfortable with a 31mm Kent BK12 or a similar sized Plisson HMW size 20. I still don’t think I would enjoy a 30mm 2-Band brush, though - the stiffness and density would still feel unwieldy to me with such a large knot, and I would feel like I am having to fight it.
So I don’t really know any more what large is, but I suspect it’s not only the physical size that matters.
So I don’t really know any more what large is, but I suspect it’s not only the physical size that matters.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I'm a bit like Rudy in that my preferences sometimes change over time.
I'm also a bit like Cal in that I like to be precise in my lathering. As a 100% of the time face latherer I have no difficulties with precision when using my quite large knots.
I believe all of these brushes measure 30 mm or larger at the knot's exit from the handle.
The Omega Mighty Midget to which I added three #13 O-rings is a much smaller knot, but I like it plenty well, too.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I'm also a bit like Cal in that I like to be precise in my lathering. As a 100% of the time face latherer I have no difficulties with precision when using my quite large knots.
I believe all of these brushes measure 30 mm or larger at the knot's exit from the handle.
The Omega Mighty Midget to which I added three #13 O-rings is a much smaller knot, but I like it plenty well, too.
Happy shaves,
Jim
......
All I can say is, 1. I prefer a short chubby shaving brush and, 2. This is how I hold a brush for painting:
While this is how I hold a short, stubby brush for shaving:
.....
.....
It's two entirely different ways of gripping two entirely differently shaped brushes.
@Proper Irish found my painted mess that’s still flaking under the seal… you have this to look forward to. The bristles are a bit wonky from being stored outside a case and smushed a bit:
Soaked, lathered, towel dried (still slightly damp) next to a SOC (24mm x ??) for scale. That’s what a fully broken in Semogue knot tends to look like.
- Thread starter
- #53
2 shaves in with my Semogue and the finish is already splitting in 3 places.
I guess there’s a reason they cost $14.
Don’t know that I’ll buy another.
Though mine is in rotation, I have been using a 1305 for the better part of a year that still looks new.
I only soak the bottom half of the bristles due to the wood handle. Presuming that it's the wood swelling up
I only soak the bottom half of the bristles due to the wood handle. Presuming that it's the wood swelling up
- Thread starter
- #55
I think I’m starting to understand the larger brush thing.
Now that I have a number of wet shaves under my belt, I find myself wanting to use the large 28mm Zenith every time. That big ol knot of hair is a treat.
That said, I don’t particularly enjoy the big chonky handle. There‘s just no ergonomics to speak of.
My Simpsons T2, same story- I like the knot & fibers but I don’t enjoy the handle. It’s built like a shower knob.
Going forward, I’ll be keying in on brushes with slimmer, more ergonomic handles. Handles like the Zenith 507, the vintage slim handle shapes like Rubberset 200, C-mon, Dubl Ducks, etc.
But larger knots? I’m okay with larger knots, though I can’t see going over 28mm. 24-26mm seems like it’ll be the sweet spot for me.
Now that I have a number of wet shaves under my belt, I find myself wanting to use the large 28mm Zenith every time. That big ol knot of hair is a treat.
That said, I don’t particularly enjoy the big chonky handle. There‘s just no ergonomics to speak of.
My Simpsons T2, same story- I like the knot & fibers but I don’t enjoy the handle. It’s built like a shower knob.
Going forward, I’ll be keying in on brushes with slimmer, more ergonomic handles. Handles like the Zenith 507, the vintage slim handle shapes like Rubberset 200, C-mon, Dubl Ducks, etc.
But larger knots? I’m okay with larger knots, though I can’t see going over 28mm. 24-26mm seems like it’ll be the sweet spot for me.
I've got a 2000 CXE-whatever... comfortable handle for me, it's like a better, unbleached version of the SOC. 2-3 wet cycle break in. it's a "big" 24
I have a 24mm synthetic and I think that’s as large as I could go (maybe a 26mm). My favorite brush is a C40 I put a 20mm synthetic knot in but I also want an 18 and 22mm as well. The smaller brushes are just so handy and maneuverable and I’ve never felt like I could run out of lather. I don’t personally like larger brushes, but if you do, God bless you!
2 shaves in with my Semogue and the finish is already splitting in 3 places.
I guess there’s a reason they cost $14.
Don’t know that I’ll buy another.
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The Big Boys in my den are a 30mm Rooney Polo 2 Super Badger, and a 30mm Rudy Vey Shavmac Silvertip Badger.
The appeal? Well, sometimes you just feel like destroying some triple-milled soap and creating mountains of lather.
The appeal? Well, sometimes you just feel like destroying some triple-milled soap and creating mountains of lather.
