Brush diameter. It refers specifically to the size of the base of the shaving brush knot, which directly represents the size of a brush and the number of bristles, which are the core parameters of the brush. It can be known by measuring the size of the joint between the bristles and the handle. Except for the famous Wee Scot, the common brush diameter range is 21-30mm, and very few brush sections can reach 18mm or 32mm. 28 and 30 can be regarded as typical large brushes, while 21 and 22 are typical small brushes.
Brush length. Refers to the length of the bristles. There is no uniform standard. Some use the length from the base of the bristles to the tip of the bristles, some use the length of the bristles extending out of the handle, and also use the vertical distance from the connection of the bristles handle to the top of the bristles. The third type is mostly used for general brand brushes, and the first type is more common for shaving brush repair and artisan brushes.
The shape of the bristles. Divided into bulb, fan shape, flat head, mixed. The market is mainly dominated by hybrids and light bulbs. Some people prefer the fan shape. The flat head basically only exists in DIY.
Handle material. Generally, resin, wood, horny (horn, usually added with animal species), and metal are common. Generally speaking, resin is mainly promoted. The cost of keratin is high and it is difficult to avoid deformation when exposed to water, and it is flashy; wood is generally painted and waterproof, but it cannot be completely isolated. It still has the phenomenon of deformation and cracking due to alternating moisture and drying, and the cost of high-quality wood is extremely high; metal is easy to slip after soaping And part of the handle of metal resin combination is not aluminum, and the handle is too heavy to affect the weight balance of the brush.
Craftsmanship. Mainly divided into manual and mechanism. The mechanism cannot achieve the required density of shaving brushes, so handmade is the basic technology necessary in the field of shaving brushes, and it is not a very high-end way.
Brush material. It is mainly divided into badger hair, pig bristles, horse hair, and synthetic fibers. As a shaving brush, this is naturally the most important difference, and it is also the basis and fundamental of shaving brush classification.
Resilience or resilience. Refers to the ability of the bristles to recover their original straight and straight shape after a short period of force; or the ability to resist the force and remain straight and straight. If you think about these two concepts carefully, there is actually a difference, but they are generally collectively referred to as backbone, and the stronger the brush is the better.
Softness/scratch degree. It is not an objective technical parameter, but it is also a common factor when commenting on brushes, that is, literally, the softness of the brush and whether it shaves. In the case of not affecting other performance, soft is naturally good.
Water storage. Refers to the brush in the process of use, easy to retain water in the brush, or very little water. Brushes with different bristles have different performance in this performance. Badger hair is the one with strong water storage, while the bristles are the one with less water storage. There is no saying that this performance is strong or weak. The degree of personalization is very strong. It is better to be able to match your shaving habits.
Density. Literally, it refers to how tight the bristles are, or it can also be understood as whether the bristles are dense enough. Generally, dense is better, but too dense may cause the brush shape to become loose. Brushes with lower density will be described as loose, which is a typical negative description. The density mainly depends on the making of the brush, and has little to do with the bristles themselves.
The general evaluation of a shaving brush is a comprehensive evaluation from the above 4 dimensions.
Post time: Jul-12-2021