Badger Brush: How Much Is Too Much . Knot & Loft?

I'm perfectly fine with my Edwin Jagger Super badger, but I'm looking to add a new badger to the rotation.

As I'm contemplating the various options out there ... it makes me wonder what is the optimal loft and knot setup for B&Bers?

It seems many go for either a 24 or 26 knot. We don't see too many going as far as a 32. Why? Is 32 just over the top and too much? Similarly, I see a lot of folks going for the 31 or 32 loft, but not many are mentioning a 38. Again, why? Too floppy?

Is it just a matter of cost or is there something more to it?

That's a can of worms right there. There is no consensus or ideal knot diameter or loft. The lofts you mention don't exist in a medium to large diameter knot. Generally, I think most of us look for a 2 to 1 loft/diameter ratio. A 26mm knot would usually be from 50-52mm maybe 54. Above that, I think it can get a bit floppy. 32mm is a MONSTER diameter, but if you find one, you should be looking at around 60mm loft.
I have 20+ brushes, ranging from around 19mm (Simpson Special) to 26 or 28mm (M&F Stubby). I like them all and use most of them regularly.
If you really like your EJ, there's no real reason, other than want, to get another. But don't let that stop you from diving into the rabbit hole

I'll just say that my Kent BK8 at 26x57 is the largest brush I'll ever have. I love it, but it tends to get lather all over everywhere (eyes, ears, nose) if you're not a bit careful.

Totally depends on what you want.

I face lather hard soaps and prefer smaller brushes. To me this is generally 22-24 (roughly) knots with <50 mm lofts, roughly 2 mm loft per mm of knot. But this my preference. YMMV for sure!

Very helpful guys.

I pretty much exclusively face lather and my sense is I sort of lucked out with the Edwin Jagger being "good enough". It lacks backbone for me, but the knot size is about right at 23mm. I think the fan, as opposed to bulb, shape works nicely for face lathering as well.

The 32mm knot was something I saw for the Savile Row. My thought was it could be over the top and too much for face lathering. Especially given the water retention of such a badger. It could make for a real mess. It comes in at a loft/knot ratio of 72mm/32mm or 2.25. Bulb shape. Especially given the water retention of such a badger. It could make for a real mess. But maybe that's why it's in a bulb shape instead of a fan? To keep it under control. I have no idea and could not find any reviews for it.

I think I'll look to a nice silvertip in a fan shape with a ratio around >50mm/24mm for my next brush.

Thanks for the feedback.

1 thing to keep in mind is what grade of hair your using

2 band badger sweet spot for me is right around a hair under 2:1. Something like 26mm by 49-50 is a really nice fan knot for me.

With a silvertip I would want a 26 mm to be in the 47-48 range. Silvertip hair has less rigity to it and therefore can get a bit floppy in the 2:1 or greater range.

Of course YMMV and also those are in regards to fans. Bulbs need a bit more loft for me or else they can become pointy or too scrubby due to the more centralized focus of the knot.

Good luck!

It's really personal preference. My personal preference is for a lofty brush. I haven't found one yet that is too lofty. What may be my favorite brush is a 30mm X 69 mm Super Silvertip and it is a pure pleasure to shave with. I like it better that the 30mm X 60mm or my 30mm X 65mm.

The larger the diameter the more the loft needed. My 38mm X 58mm Silvertip is just too short for the diameter. It takes getting used to, and at first gave the sensation of lathering with a fuzzy tennis ball.

Now my 9mm X 23 mm goat hair brush I just haven't figured any practical purpose for except for bragging rights of my collection includes both a bigger and a smaller brush than most everyone else.

Use whatever works for you. For me, that is usually a lofty brush.

Hey ChipNWedge. Good questions. I'm a face latherer and prefer fan knots over bulbs. I also like my knot diameter to be 24mm or under. Lofts for me are best kept around 50mm or under. If you have a few $$$ to spend, I can highly recommend Elite Razor or Shavemac. I took the plunge to see if the price was worth it and I believe it was. Stirling has a nice 24mm x 50mm fan that is under $40. Great brush for the money, although I wish the loft was around 48mm. Stirling also has some great synthetics. I love mine. I have the 22mm x 51mm and the 24mm X 51mm. I was skeptical of synthetics until I bought these. Great performers for under $15. Good luck and have fun.

Thanks for the additional feedback guys. Tremendous help!