what to 'tweak' in a brush to specifically avoid soap moving to / collecting at bottom of knot?

chef

Active Member
I've currently got an off-the-shelf Parker HHST silvertip.

Even if i just load the tips, once i lather -- whether in a bowl or on my face -- copious quantities of the built foam move to the bottom of the knot (is that exactly 'lather hogging'?). To get to it back onto my face, i need to work at it -- effectively squeezing it out of the brush.

Annoying as heck!

iIm replacing the brush -- and want to know which brush 'parameter' most effect, specifically PREVENTS, that from occurring?

Based on a lot of advice, I'm looking at a Shavemac 2-band fan. Is that the right class of knot to minimize the knot-bottom stockpiling of lather?

-chef
 

lloydrm

Forum GOD!
That is not lather hogging, in fact that is on the other end of the spectrum (low vs high density at the brim of the knot). Just by switching from st to 2band it will be different. Other than that, losd more soap. 99% of all lather related issues are solved that way. Squeeze whatever you have left in your knot at the end of the shave and use all that for a final cleaning/confort lather. Well worth it.
 

chef

Active Member
hi @lloydrm

> That is not lather hogging

ah. bass-ackwards! thx!

> Just by switching from st to 2band it will be different

That _is_ the direction I'm hoping to go. So in that case, it'll be LESS of a problem, rt?
 

Wayne

Forum Sod
I load my brush and build the lather on my face, make my first pass then squeeze everything out of the knot for the second. There simply is nothing you can do about this, you force the lather to the bottom of the knot whilst building the lather, it cannot be helped, just as long as you don't go back to the puck because you don't think you have any lather left and pick more soap up you'll have enough for 5 passes. The lather in the knot is better than the lather created for the first pass.
 

The Gentleman

Forum GOD!
I load my brush and build the lather on my face, make my first pass then squeeze everything out of the knot for the second. There simply is nothing you can do about this, you force the lather to the bottom of the knot whilst building the lather, it cannot be helped, just as long as you don't go back to the puck because you don't think you have any lather left and pick more soap up you'll have enough for 5 passes. The lather in the knot is better than the lather created for the first pass.
This:okay:
 

Nishy

Forum GOD!
Staff member
Knot loft IMO is the major factor affecting lather retention towards the base of the knot. Of course loft needs to be balanced to provide ample backbone. A little trick I use if a brush holds lather, just tie a rubber band around the base of the knot, or to keep it simple just squeeze the lather out of the knot when needed.
 

chef

Active Member
@Nishy

> Knot loft IMO is the major factor affecting lather retention towards the base of the knot.

In which direction, then ... higher loft/ratio, GREATER retention? or the other way around?

Iiuc, 'tightening' the knot's bottom with the rubber band would have the same effect as -- lowering the loft?
 

lloydrm

Forum GOD!
hi @lloydrm

> That is not lather hogging

ah. bass-ackwards! thx!

> Just by switching from st to 2band it will be different

That _is_ the direction I'm hoping to go. So in that case, it'll be LESS of a problem, rt?
St splays a lot more and than 2band ime. Then loft but it goes both ways: too much and you push lather towrds the knot, too little and you get a lather hog (getting lather out the knot requires active work).
 
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chef

Active Member
@lloydrm

too much this, too litte that! ;-)

I'm gonna guess (hope?) that the default loft/ratios set/offered by many knot craftsmen are somewhat optimized -- based both on their experience, and feedback from the community
 

lloydrm

Forum GOD!
Yeah, its a good place to begin, but if you are like me you will end up getting a custom handle and a knot, and using silicon glue plus thin cuts out of a wine cork to find my ideal loft.
You might want to check out Nishy’s variable loft brush project. Pretty cool.
 

chef

Active Member
@lloydrm

> if you are like me ...

Heh, not by a long shot I suspect ... this'll be my 1st custom brush. Trying to keep it simple/straightforward -- still, doing as much homework as is reasonably possible upfront never hurts.

> You might want to check out Nishy’s variable loft brush project.

Yep, saw it. More 'tweak' than I want :) Not totally convinced of the wisdom of moving parts in a brush, at least for my tastes. Time will tell of course -- It'll be interesting to watch its evolution!

In either case, current top contenders for my knots are SM 2-band & M&F Finest. The devil, apparently, is in the details -- understanding how they're similar/different, *AND* understanding what parameters change what features. It's pretty clear that "millimeters matter" ... sometimes, it seems, a lot!
 
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