okay folks, this may be something that was asked before, but I'm looking to get a good comparison and maybe a recommendation for a badger brush (specifically a silvertip or a TGN Finest) vs a white horse knot. I'm restoring an old Certifyd (#5) with a crusty boar knot. I'm not a huge fan of larger boar knots (I have an Omega Pro, I don't need another!). My thought with the horse knot is that it would resemble the look of boar but have different qualities. Here's the brush in question: Seeing as I've never used a horse knot before, I want to knot the merits of them and if there's any reason to pick a horse over a badger (aside from aesthetics)
There are two threads on this very topic. http://theshaveden.com/forums/index.php?threads/Horse-Hair-Brush.44473/ http://theshaveden.com/forums/index.php?threads/Any-Vie-Long-horse-hair-brush-users?.43692/
You lost me with, "a recommendation for a badger brush (specifically a silvertip or a TGN Finest) with a white horse knot" Do you want a badger knot or a horse knot?
I'd go with the badger. I have a horse hair brush, but it is unimpressive in its performance. I have a silver tip and a high mountain badger that I put in handles I made, and they both are great.
Being as I have never used or own a Horse Hair Brush, I can not comment to compare either a Badger or Horsehair brush, I do own several other brushes,that are Badger, Silver Tip and Boar. I would go with a Silver Tip Knot. But then again what I like @Jayaruh might not like and or @swarden43 or @theFAT98 might completely hate. YMMV
I have a Vie Long Lord Randall white, it is a 24mm knot with 55mm loft. It has very soft tips with the backbone of your Omega pro. I really like horse, it's the missing link between boar and badger.
I tried a horse knot today (borrowed from a friend) and aside from the smell, I enjoyed it. It was slightly less scritchy than my black badger, softer than my boars but not as soft as my silvertips or HMW knots. I've got 2 vintage I'll be restoring over the next few weeks and I may drop a horse knot in the smaller one (ever ready 100) and stick to a silvertip (or TGN Finest 2 Band) in my Certifyd
It depends. Horses run quicker and badgers are better diggers. All kidding aside: I'd go with the horsie. It's between boar and badger as far as my experience with shaving brushes go (I have all three varieties). Each has its merits and I like them all, but the looks of a horse brush are closer to a boar brush as opposed to a badger brush (in my view). What about synthetic?
I've got a couple synthetics (a 24 mm from Larry at WD and a Plisson) and I like them, but I don't find myself reaching for them much. I love this handle I'm restoring enough that I want a knot I'll love and synthetics don't do as much for me as badgers tend to. I had never tried a horse knot up until this morning. I liked it, but not enough to put one in this handle (that may be my favorite of my vintage handles thus far). I'll drop one into my Ever Ready 100 handle to have one in the rotation! The only issue I run into there is widening the hole in the ER100 for a 21mm knot vs the 20mm that's currently in it, but that's a different thread!
My vote would be the bestshave #6 horse(?) hair brush. Although there is debate about whether they are horse or boar, IMO they are a very nice knot. Mine has been my daily user for about 3 years now, it's the only brush I use, it easily makes a very nice lather, it was inexpensive to buy and when you destroy the handle to get at the knot it's no great loss.
Omega and Proraso Boars beat the TGN boar which beats my other 3 turkish Boars which they beat the bestshave.net #6 Boar My 2 (real) Horse hair brushes didn't work so i would put a Black Badger from FS or a Silvertip from TGN.
Did your rubber set have a membrane under the knot? Mine has a this brown membrane where the 2 parts of the handle come together. I'm trying to decide if I should cut it out or leave it... I'm afraid if I don't fill the whole handle and leave the bottom section hollow, it'll be way too top heavy
