Why choose a smaller knot?

[K.T.]

What benefit or difference in face feel does a smaller knot offer - let's say a 20mm knot, or even a 21mm?

I've discovered my preference tends to bigger knots. Right now I'm using a 24mm Finest at a 50mm loft and love the full feel on my face. I also have brushes with 23mm and 22mm knots, also set at 50mm. As the knots go down in size I find I enjoy them less.

Am I missing something regarding smaller knots? I face lather and am thinking a 50mm loft may be too big for the smaller knots. Have I overshot the sweet spot? As it is, I'm at a loss to see what smaller knots have to offer over larger knots.

Any hints or thoughts?

 

[huntmol]

Smaller knots are better for travel, easier to face lather, use less product, dry faster, and feel smaller (more lather control) on the face.

There was a time when I loved small knots, but now I am really loving 24mm+ knots

 

[djh]

I have brushes with knot sizes between 14mm (Wee Scot) and 27mm (Chubby2). I use all of them and of course, they are all perform differently. During the week, I am normally in somewhat of a hurry and have a quick 2-pass shave (or 1-pass with the straight)- this means that I don't need huge amounts of lather and a smaller brush is more efficient. In order to get the best performance out of a large brush, you need to feed it plenty of product and it doesn't make much sense to me to be washing a handful of lovely lather down the sink each morning.
As far as loft heights are concerned; you are correct in thinking that a smaller brush needs to be made with a shorter loft (all else being equal) in order to feel similar on the face to its larger brethren. The individual hairs in the knot support each other and obviously with less hair in a smaller brush, the hair needs to be shorter so that it does not become too floppy.

 

[Loric]

What benefit or difference in face feel does a smaller knot offer - let's say a 20mm knot, or even a 21mm?

I've discovered my preference tends to bigger knots. Right now I'm using a 24mm Finest at a 50mm loft and love the full feel on my face. I also have brushes with 23mm and 22mm knots, also set at 50mm. As the knots go down in size I find I enjoy them less.

Am I missing something regarding smaller knots? I face lather and am thinking a 50mm loft may be too big for the smaller knots. Have I overshot the sweet spot? As it is, I'm at a loss to see what smaller knots have to offer over larger knots.

Any hints or thoughts?

Also remember that the two band Finest knots have LOTS of backbone. The hairs are thicker and therefore stand up to pressure much better than the thin three band hairs. Assuming that your smaller knots are three band, you need to compensate for this when you set them. Density also plays a factor in backbone, but as stated before loft is more important here. With less density, the hairs have more room to flop over. To simulate the backbone, you can set the knot low and tight (less room in the knot bed for the hair to flop).

As to knot size, smaller knots can give you some variety. I love bigger knots. However, the longer I shave, the more I have learned to appreciate smaller knots. I admit that I dont reach for them every day, but from time to time its nice to have something that just plane feels different.

**thanks to the previous posts who did a great job illustrating the technical differences between big and small knots so I could point out something more subjective**

 

[hometownhero]

I think this is a ymmv thing big time. I like my knots 21mm and smaller. I have an 18 up to 22 and I cant see then need of having a bigger one. I also love shorter lofts ~45mm range

 

[nEver-Ready]

Precision, control and efficiency. No lather up the nose, no lather in the ears, no lather on the chest, less lather down the drain... My sweet spot is 18-22 mm.

 

[vitaman]

Precision, control and efficiency. No lather up the nose, no lather in the ears, no lather on the chest, less lather down the drain... My sweet spot is 18-22 mm.

+1 I agree w/ Mike on this one.

 

[Thebigspendur]

Also remember that the two band Finest knots have LOTS of backbone. The hairs are thicker and therefore stand up to pressure much better than the thin three band hairs. Assuming that your smaller knots are three band, you need to compensate for this when you set them. Density also plays a factor in backbone, but as stated before loft is more important here. With less density, the hairs have more room to flop over. To simulate the backbone, you can set the knot low and tight (less room in the knot bed for the hair to flop).

As to knot size, smaller knots can give you some variety. I love bigger knots. However, the longer I shave, the more I have learned to appreciate smaller knots. I admit that I dont reach for them every day, but from time to time its nice to have something that just plane feels different.

**thanks to the previous posts who did a great job illustrating the technical differences between big and small knots so I could point out something more subjective**

I have a 30mm custom brush that is standard silvertip and its so thickly filled with hair it's massive however floppy is floppy and no matter how thick it is the additional hair makes the floppiness seem worse than in a smaller brush.

personally I'll take a medium 22-24mm brush any day of the week in the old fashioned two band.

 

[kg4ghn]

I have a goatee and face lather so I like a smaller brush to be able to swirl and build lather better without getting it all in my beard.

 

[Mink]

Precision, control and efficiency. No lather up the nose, no lather in the ears, no lather on the chest, less lather down the drain... My sweet spot is 18-22 mm.

This....18-20mm for badger, 20-22mm for boar

 

[Arnie]

precision, control and efficiency. No lather up the nose, no lather in the ears, no lather on the chest, less lather down the drain... My sweet spot is 18-22 mm.

+1

 

[Loric]

I have a 30mm custom brush that is standard silvertip and its so thickly filled with hair it's massive however floppy is floppy and no matter how thick it is the additional hair makes the floppiness seem worse than in a smaller brush.

personally I'll take a medium 22-24mm brush any day of the week in the old fashioned two band.

You are absolutely right, some brushes are floppy regardless of how densely packed they are. At a certain loft all knots would be floppy. My point was that a denser knot is less prone to this and can on average get away with a little higher loft before it is noticed. That said, a massive floppy brush is no fun

 

[JPDyson]

I go for knots that are smaller on the face because:

1. It's easier to keep the lather where I want it, particularly around facial hair
2. It requires more "scrubbing" to cover my face with lather, so I feel like I get a better prep
3. In my mind, I think I'm conserving product, though the impact is likely negligible
4. Said brushes are typically less expensive AND net the aforementioned benefits