Difference between Thater brushes

Is this a distinction between Thater brushes? I know the difference between fan and bulb as well as 2-band and 3-band. I understand 2-band usually has more backbone than a 3-band. There is some debate between fan and bulb. Do fan knots splay easier than bulbs?

Also someone recommended me to get a Thater 4125 but it seems like there is over 20-30 brushes in that line. When it says say 4125/2 is there a meaning for the 2 after the slash? I see it ranges from 4125/0 to 4125/6. I see there are a lot of different handles, is one better over the other? What is your favorite Thater?

**O and I'm only talking about the silvertip lines**

The /0 through /6 are sizes, but they aren't standardized across different Thäter models. The 4125/2 is 26mm, and generally a very good "basic" size. I had one in both fan and bulb, and the fan, to my face, felt softer, as it splayed much more. The bulb was scrubbier. (Although it still had very soft tips.) Three-band, in general, has less backbone, as the shafts of the hairs are thinner. However, many three-band brushes compensate for the less rigid thin hairs by packing much more into the knot. As a result, most two-band brushes are springier.

chamm said:

The /0 through /6 are sizes, but they aren't standardized across different Thäter models. The 4125/2 is 26mm, and generally a very good "basic" size. I had one in both fan and bulb, and the fan, to my face, felt softer, as it splayed much more. The bulb was scrubbier. (Although it still had very soft tips.) Three-band, in general, has less backbone, as the shafts of the hairs are thinner. However, many three-band brushes compensate for the less rigid thin hairs by packing much more into the knot. As a result, most two-band brushes are springier.

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Very well said, thanks for the info! Any other input is greatly appreciated.

26mm is usually considered a big knot, is this a good size to face lather with?

justino_14 said:

... 26mm is usually considered a big knot, is this a good size to face lather with?

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As Chamm pointed out this is a nice size to go from. I've owned a 4125/2 3 bander in bulb and it was not too big for face lathering. I have a Kent BK8 that is bigger and still works for face lathering.

When casually mentioning these measures you also need to know that different manufacturers define their knot sizes differently. Mostly they measure the knot coming out from the handle, but for example Shavemac knots are measured at the glue on the bottom of the knot. This of course means that a 25 mm D01 3 band Shavemac knot is in effect a 27 mm knot as measured coming out of the handle.

To make it even more confusing, a lot of factors beyond the measurement of the knot at the base can influence how it feels. From my experience, a Simpsons 26mm knot feels like a pretty large knot, whereas the Thäter 26mm bulb felt very much like a small knot. Some of it has to do with the shape of the knot, some of it the consistency of the hair. Even the shape of the handle can affect how large the knot feels.

I guess it all boils down to this: the size of the knot is a good starting point, but it is not the end-all measurement that defines how "large" a knot is. There really is no good substitute for looking at, feeling and using the knot. I've seen people dismiss out-of-hand wonderful knots because they were the wrong size. But I can show you, from my collection, a 28mm (at the base) Thäter two-band and a 28mm (also at the base) M&F that aren't even remotely in the same size class. Without a set of calipers, a person could easily judge the M&F to be too small, and the Thäter to be too large. They're that different.