Difference between fan and bulb badgers

Fan or bulb badger which is best and why?

My current brush look more like fans. I’m about to pull the trigger on some Thaters, economics of shipping to UK means I’ll be buying a few.
Should I buy two of each or will I by disappointed with a bulb?

My preference is fan knots due to the increased tip surface area which I prefer since I only face lather. I also prefer the feel of fans vs bulb. IMO, go fan and never look back.

I’m with Deus Vult on this. I prefer the fan, particularly on Thaters of which I have several in both shapes.  The fan just gets more contact with soap, bowl and face. You can get the contact with the bulb with enough pressure and that’s fine if you enjoy that. 

Enjoy your Thaters 

This is very subjective and you won't actually know until you try both.
If you face lather and you enjoy a brush with strong backbone, get a bulb knot. If you don't, then a fan knot would be better as it splays much more than a bulb knot.
It really depends on what you like and what you want in a brush/knot.
Good luck.

I have always preferred the bulb from both an aesthetic and performance standpoint, but that's definitely a personal preference (I prefer backbone over splay).

I'd say about 75% of the brushes I sell get fan knots installed in them, so they are certainly more popular for whatever that's worth.

I would agree that you definitely should try both.

I have about 50/50. And I like both one and the other. It all depends on what kind of soap or cream I am using at the moment. And what sensations on my face I want to get today. I really like it when they are different every time.

I own 17 brushes and all but 2 are fan shape.  They are Simpsons and older than I can remember.  A company I probably will not purchase again.  They were in stock off the shelf.  Back then just about all in stock brushes were bulb shape.  The rest of my brushes except for Thater (all fan shape) brushes the rest were all custom made which include: Wiborg, Shavemac and Morris & Forndran.  I also only face lather and I believe I get more brush on my face with a fan shape brush.

If you can try each because it is a personal thing.[/font][/size][/color][/size]

This is a very subjective matter, and there isn't a one that is better than the other. All things to shaving comes down to the subjective opinion really. Certain characteristics do work better for certain things usually, though even with this with time you will find exceptions. Bulbs are usually preferred for working with shaving soaps thanks to increased backbone to the bulb shape, and many a face latherer likes it as the bulb shape helps keep the knot compact on the face and offers a bit more backbone. Perhaps backbone isn't the best word for it entirely, it's just more compact. Fans typically splay out a bit more and allow the lather to mix better, but come at a slight cost to control. Loft size, what bristle is being used, and knot size and density can affect this too. Even with the spread I usually prefer a fan or a fan hybrid as the lather generation is a bit better, and I really can't think of any fans I have had a problem with the knot shape. Sometimes a bulb gets a bit too pointy for my preferences. You truly can get the whole range from any brush regardless of construction. I'm more likely to purchase a brush nowadays if I get to see the exact brush for sale, knot and all. At this point I have a high degree of success of knowing whether I'll like the brush or not that way.

I think it depends on personal preferences....for years I was a big fan fan..but, in the last few years the brushes I like the most, including my all time favorite, are bulbs.

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