What size knot for my M&F L7?

[ChiefBroom]

Wow, thanks so much for this write up and the links. They definitely helped out a ton! This may be a dumb question butby using a 25mm knot does that mean the larger handle is used? Or the smaller like those with a 24mm knot.

I will definitely be going with a medium density hybrid bulb with a 50mm loft.

Once again, thanks again for all of your help!

Sorry, I mistyped my L7's knot diameter. It's 24mm. My point was I slightly prefer the 25mm knots in the Chief handle, but it was proportionally scaled from 58mm tall to 60mm in order to match up better with a 25mm knot.

I really don't think you'll go wrong with a 24mm x 50mm. I personally don't care much for knots under 49.5-50mm. I don't like flop, but shorter than that generally translates into too much backbone for my taste.Of course, as in almost all things related to shaving, YMMV.

 

[ajw1297]

Thanks for the quick response. I think I will go with a 25/50 hybrid bulb. I couldn't get the chief so might as well get as close to it as I can!

 

[ChiefBroom]

Thanks for the quick response. I think I will go with a 25/50 hybrid bulb. I couldn't get the chief so might as well get as close to it as I can!

If you'd rather have a Chief handle than the L7, I think Lee would probably make one for you, although maybe not in faux tortoise for a while. I really like my faux-bone handled prototypes. But he probably has L7s already made and it might be a longer wait for a Chief right now.

Also, I don't think 25mm is a standard-sized M&F knot. I kinda had to twist his arm for it. I'd definitely want 25mm or at least 24.5mm in the 60mm Chief handle.

 

[ajw1297]

If you'd rather have a Chief handle than the L7, I think Lee would probably make one for you, although maybe not in faux tortoise for a while. I really like my faux-bone handled prototypes. But he probably has L7s already made and it might be a longer wait for a Chief right now.

Also, I don't think 25mm is a standard-sized M&F knot. I kinda had to twist his arm for it. I'd definitely want 25mm or at least 24.5mm in the 60mm Chief handle.

Well I really like the L7 and would love go get a Chief down the road in tortoise and I think it would be worth waiting for. I would like the 60mm handle as I have a little larger hands. Maybe the 26 would be my best choice?

 

[ChiefBroom]

Well I really like the L7 and would love go get a Chief down the road in tortoise and I think it would be worth waiting for. I would like the 60mm handle as I have a little larger hands. Maybe the 26 would be my best choice?

Wouldn't hurt to ask if he could put a 25mm knot in the larger L7 handle. It's not like 1mm makes a huge difference, but it can make a noticeable difference. Other factors are also important, however. E.g., how deep the knot it set.

 

[targa88]

24x50mm. Blonde badger..one of my favourites

 

[ChiefBroom]

Nice!

 

[ajw1297]

24x50mm. Blonde badger..one of my favourites

Beautiful!

I'm going to ask Lee if he can stick a 25mm in there, if not, I will be going with the 24mm. I feel as though that is the most liked and proportionally will look the best, while getting all around performance. Just need to hear back from Lee, he said he would reach out to me after his holiday!

 

[ajw1297]

Wouldn't hurt to ask if he could put a 25mm knot in the larger L7 handle. It's not like 1mm makes a huge difference, but it can make a noticeable difference. Other factors are also important, however. E.g., how deep the knot it set.

Do you have any recommendations for how deep to have the knot set on a 24mm or 25mm? I'd like to have a 50mm loft.

 

[Stiglitz]

24x50mm. Blonde badger..one of my favourites

I wish you would put that beauty on BST!

 

[ChiefBroom]

Do you have any recommendations for how deep to have the knot set on a 24mm or 25mm? I'd like to have a 50mm loft.

I don't have a fast answer for you. I have two prototypes set to different depths that were close enough I wouldn't have expected it to make a noticeable difference, but it (or something) did. They both work fine, but one splays a bit more. I'll see if I can find out what their approximate, respective depths are.

 

[ajw1297]

I don't have a fast answer for you. I have two prototypes set to different depths that were close enough I wouldn't have expected it to make a noticeable difference, but it (or something) did. They both work fine, but one splays a bit more. I'll see if I can find out what their approximate, respective depths are.

If you could that would be awesome, if not I would completely understand, you've already gone above and beyond helping me out and I really appreciate it.

 

[CanonSterVa]

24x50mm

Beautiful
Easily could become a favorite of mine as well.

 

[ajw1297]

Ordered! I ended getting a 24.5mm/50mm. I will post pictures when I receive it! Thank you all for all of your help.

 

[brucered]

Ordered! I ended getting a 24.5mm/50mm. I will post pictures when I receive it! Thank you all for all of your help.

come on now..you gotta give us more details then that

Handle shape, handle material, knot (2 band?), knot shape?

 

[CanuckShaver]

If you don't mind me asking, for this brush, what's the difference between the 3-band and 2-band blonde badger?

 

[ajw1297]

come on now..you gotta give us more details then that

Handle shape, handle material, knot (2 band?), knot shape?

Ha my bad! It's a 58mm standard L7 handle in faux ivory, 24.5/50 two band blonde hybrid bulb!

 

[ChiefBroom]

If you don't mind me asking, for this brush, what's the difference between the 3-band and 2-band blonde badger?

Beyond appearance, 3-band hair is typically softer, and knots made of 3-band hair are often more dense, whereas 2-band hair is springier, which allows a knot made of 2-band hair to have more backbone than a knot of the same density and loft made of 3-band hair. As a result, 3-band knots are usually softer and more luxurious feeling as compared to 2-band knots, which due to their characteristically greater backbone are generally scrubbier (and sometimes scritchy).

Those are the stereotypes. IMO, however, brushes fall along a continuum. There are 3-band knots that have characteristics overlapping with those associated with 2-band knots and vice versa.

Although I have both and enjoy variety, I lean toward 2-bands. I prefer relatively soft tips with no scritch, but I don't like floppy knots, and the backbone afforded by 2-band hair often allows a knot to possess decent backbone while at the same time not being so dense it hogs lather. That's the sweet spot for me. Mileage widely varies.

 

[CanuckShaver]

Apart from appearance, 3-band hair is typically softer and knots made of 3-band hair often more dense, whereas 2-band hair is springier, which allows a knot made of 2-band hair to have more backbone than a knot of the same density and loft made of 3-band hair. As a result, 3-band knots are usually softer and ,more luxurious feeling as compared to 2-band knots, which characteristically have more backbone and so are scrubbier (and sometimes scritchy).

IMO, however, brushes fall along a continuum. There are 3-band knots that have characteristics overlapping with those associated with 2-band knots and vice versa.

Although I have both and enjoy variety, I lean toward softer 2-bands. I prefer relatively soft tips with no scritch, but I don't like floppy knots, and the backbone afforded by 2-band hair often allows a knot to possess decent backbone while at the same time not being so dense it hogs lather. That's the sweet spot for me. Mileage widely varies.

Thank you, this is very informative.

 

[ChiefBroom]

Thank you, this is very informative.

It can be very confusing at first.

And then it can get even more confusing.

Most of the labels aren't standardized at all. "Finest" for example has virtually not meaning apart from a particular maker's designation within its own product line. The same holds for "Manchurian".

I tend to use terms along the lines of Simpson's designations. So when someone refers to Best grade hair, that's my frame of reference. I think Best is usually closer to 3-band than two band, but it's usually not as soft as 3-band Silvertip (referring again to Simpson's grading nomenclature). But I've found some Simpson Best knots to be almost as soft as 3-band Super Silvertip while at the same time having backbone close that what I'd expect from 2-band. E.g., I have a Simpson 58 with a Best knot that I'd say falls between Simpson's typical 3-band and 2-band Super Silvertip grades.

Something to remember is that there are not 2-band badgers and 3-band badgers. And no two badgers are exactly the same.

Every brush is unique.