Does anyone know if different types of knots bloom different? Obviously loft is a big factor in bloom, but if you had the same diameter and loft, would a flat knot bloom any more or less wide than a fan or bulb?
Bloom in bulb vs. fan vs. flat
- Thread starter Loric
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Different knots, makers, and lofts all blooms somewhat differently. The shorter the loft, the smaller the bloom obviously. Denser packing also plays an effect on this, in my experience causing a smaller bloom (sounds counter-intuitive, but that's how it happened for me). IME, fan shaped knots bloom wider than bulb knots, because they have longer "arms" (that'd be the outside layer of bristles/hairs) and form more of a fan/broom shape, while bulb shaped knots create more of a flared bulb, but stay tight...
The point of a bulb shaped brush is to shorten the outside hairs so that they have a shorter loft and therefore more backbone, lending support to the inner hairs.
So yes, a bulb shaped brush would bloom less.
So yes, a bulb shaped brush would bloom less.
Aye, ^this.
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Thanks for the info. The support argument makes alot of scence.
The next logical question would be, how much do the shape of fan and flat knots distort post bloom? With out the side support do they become more bulby as time goes on?
I was looking for a dedicated face lather brush to use mainly with soaps. I like the size of my 24mm bulb wanted to end up with a similar size post bulb post bloom. Righ now I think I will go with a 22mm flat with a slightly shorter loft.
The next logical question would be, how much do the shape of fan and flat knots distort post bloom? With out the side support do they become more bulby as time goes on?
I was looking for a dedicated face lather brush to use mainly with soaps. I like the size of my 24mm bulb wanted to end up with a similar size post bulb post bloom. Righ now I think I will go with a 22mm flat with a slightly shorter loft.
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I'm pretty sure that once a brush blooms, it stays that shape. I've only owned brushes for around two years, but none of them has shown any sign of post-bloom distortion.
This is a great point. I would much prefer a shorter loft fan shaped brush to a bulb shaped brush, if I had the option. I find that fan shaped works better on soaps and feels better on the face.
22mm bulb is in the sweet spot
