Thread: Small vs Large

Im just wondering if brushes with smaller bristle loads perform as well as brushes with larger bristle loads....is there a big difference in performance?

check out this article too.

It's mostly for your personal preference which one suits you better. Big or small. Bigger needs more water than small one but loads more lather than small. Small are a little scrubbier due to smaller loft size. This could be an advantage if you like to scrub your face.
In my experience with a smaller is more easier to learn to handle water:soap ratio. Good example of cheap good quality small brush is tweezerman.

Having tried a few I dont really feel theres any difference in lathering ability between smaller and larger knots. They both make the same quality of lather, though the bigger brushes will obviously hold more of it...! I didnt notice a particular difference in time taken to make lather either.

I find that the bigger brushes tend to have a more mop-like feeling, which I'm not so keen on, and they tend to make lathering your top lip a bit more soapy...! You can get lather on your lips and up your nose..! :-)

I have a medium sized best badger and I really like it. The bristles are stiff enough to make good lather and the head on it is big enough to do my face well, without being a paintbrush. And I can get my top lip nicely lathered without soap up my nose.

There are ways of fanning out the larger brushes to get spots like your top lip though, so its possible to get by with either. I just happen to prefer the slightly smaller knots is all.

Try a few and see what you think!

I thought I really liked Big as in up to 30mm knots, but have really settled into the 26mm knot as my go to. I have that size in Simpson, Rooney and Plisson, but still find the grade of brush just as important as the size knot. I like a stiffer brush that is soft on the face that can be used for both soaps and creams.

Have fun,

Lynn

Originally Posted by Lynn

I thought I really liked Big as in up to 30mm knots, but have really settled into the 26mm knot as my go to. I have that size in Simpson, Rooney and Plisson, but still find the grade of brush just as important as the size knot. I like a stiffer brush that is soft on the face that can be used for both soaps and creams.

Have fun,

Lynn

My sentiments exactly! I settled on a 24mm knot (Plisson 16)

I have some big and some small and like them all but tend to pick up the 23mm knot most often. I like a scrubby... prickly feel to a brush most but I've learned to like a soft brush too. I guess I tend to go soap puck = smaller brush while cream or super lather = big brush.

I would suggest you start off with a brush in the 20 - 24mm knot range. These will work for both bowl & face lathering with cream or soap.

You could spend anywhere from $10.00 to 400.00

What is your budget and do you have a preference for bowl or face lathering? Do you exclusively use creams or soaps??

From there you will tell if you need to get a 30mm cake snorter.

thanks for all the replies....I just bought a vulfix #2233 from classicshaving and was kinda surprised with how small it is. Im on the fence with whether or not to send it back for the 2236. Im sure it will lather nicely it just needs to be able to make enough of it...

It's really just personal preference. I perfer a small 18mm brush. It gives me much more control over where the lather goes. Onto my beard instead of up my nose, in my mouth and in my ears.