Thread: TGN vs Name brand

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I have a Old Spice brush that I replaced the old Boar knot with a 24mm overstuffed TGN Silvertip in 2008..

I am quite abusive to that brush, and the hot tap water I have has been tested at 145° F I use near every type of lathering with that brush and it is quite well used.. Honestly I just haven't had an issue... Other than the slight reddish tinge from the Iron in our well water it looks and feels like the day I built it

My exact experiance also and I have bought close to 200 TGN knots over the yrs.The brushes I make and sell can be spendy (I would have heard of any problems ) The OP asked of other sources,A google or ebay search will get you far, in your quest.
All badger hair comes from China today,all the so called high end makers use it,Some may still hand pack and tie thier own knots (this will not make them better knots) as litte as 5 yrs ago you could still buy hand tied british made knots (at a premium price) they IMO were no better or worse than TGNs best knots.
Are a huge amt of cheap, machine made knots on the market today (most people would not know the diff) real High mountain whites for 16 bux, Thats B.S.
On my users,I beat the crap out of them,I mash um, shake um.never clean them,with never an issue.
The SRD brushes are highley regarded and very well made.I would really like to know if yours had TGN knots.
Also, I do not think you can buy knots only from simpson or Thater,I may be wrong,if you have found a source,can the OP please provide a link.
You may have had some defective knots,who knows.

I think that, regardless or brand, there are just going to be an occasional dud. My TGN knots are just as good as those on the pricey name-brand brushes. That has been my experience.

Last night I went to the TGN site and found another "class" of finest badger. I don't know if it is better than the finest I had been getting or it is better. I like finest because of the backbone and like getting a vintage colorful drug store brush, drill out the knot and replacing it with a TGN knot.

If you soak the brush in very hot water it may cause a shedding problem. It happened to me with 2 brushes that were fine before I did just that. Those were a whippeddog 24mm silvertip and an Omega 1113 boar. I soaked them in a vase-like cup and I guess the enclosed steam and the hot water that went into the knot through capillary action caused the glue to soften a bit. Since then I soak my brushes in lukewarm water while in the shower and have yet to have a problem.
The above mentioned brushes are not used any more because finding a few hairs at the end of the shave does not make me very happy.

I don't have experience with the TGN silvertips. I have used 2 TGN 2-band finest knots and they are very, very good. They 26mm XH lost 3-4 hairs during the first lathers and that's it. Same for the 24mm one.
I enjoyed my TGN restores quite a bit and I thought to myself that what else can I want/need.
Well, for need, nothing. Even my FS synthetic is very good on its own right (it is!).

But what I want is a different question so over the past few months I had acquired 3 brushes at the $100 range because I wanted to know if I was missing much:
Simpson Duke 2 in best
Da Vincei 293
Kent BK8

The duke lost 5 hairs in the first lathers and stopped. It is has the shortest loft and the most backbone. It is was a bit scrubby for circular strokes at first but it changes and it does break in. The handle is too small for me and that is my main complaint. I use it if I have more than 1 day of beard growth.

The 293 I think is the best in the price range (granted I used the 33% off coupon that is good for the rest of June). The handle is the most comfortable handle I have ever used. The knot is excellent, it is "just right" amount of every aspect. It did not loose a single hair and there is a video that shows how they are made in the factory and it is clear why, the hairs are very long and they go very deep into the handle with probably a ton of glue inside, unlike 8mm glue plug in "regular" knots.

The BK8 is sold in the US for close to $200 but you can order it from the UK for around $100 and there is also a coupon to shave a couple of pound off that as well. I used it only once. It lost one hair when I first washed it. It is super soft and big. I am still evaluating it, it is just a lot of fun to use.

I started to form the opinion that the TGN is nice but the 3 above are better but I needed one more shave with it to verify that impression so I took it once more for spin.

The short answer is that I like my other brushes better period. The TGN is very good. The new ones are better, and are more pleasurable for me to use. You can get a TGN brush for about $45 with handle etc. Is it worth to pay 2X-3X ?
For me the answer is yes. Especially for the Da Vinci 293. I enjoy using it. It would serve me for years no doubt and if I had to choose one and only brush - that would be it.

Lately TGN added a few more types of knots to their offering. The HMW is intriguing. For me, I don't have the time to invest in restoring more handles. The current brushes I have for now satisfy my curiosity.

Originally Posted by ZeroCool

I've got brushes ranging from $3 horse hair up to $150 custom silvertip (knot is from TGN on the high end one). All of which "shed" slightly but never to the point they became unusable. I've used them on all the same soaps you mentioned. I face lather 100% of the time if that matters.

If you're losing the center or its becoming shorter, you may be pressing a bit hard during the loading or lathering process.

Give it a try only using the tips during the loading and lathering, feels like you're not getting any on there but trust me you will.

That is about what I was thinking too. I use MWF and never soften it first with standing water. Using a just damp Muhle Retro silvertip I lightly swirl the tips of the brush for a fair bit of time on the MWF to load it with soap, wet the tips and load a bit more before building the lather on my face. I use the same method with my other badger and boar brushes. You really don't have to lean hard on a brush to load it with soap, even MWF. I use moderate pressure when building the lather on my face too and never really mash the brush down. Long winded way of saying you may be using too much unnecessary pressure on the brush and couple that with using very hot water to soak it which may well soften the glue might lead to you brush problems.

Bob