Thread: Thoughts on brush variations and reviews

Hi all, just repsonded to a thread which really got me thinking:

We really must remember to take brush reviews with a pinch of salt.

A review is for that member's particular sample of that brush, there is no guarantee that your brush will be exactly like theirs.

For example, I've had three Rooney 3/1s and they've all been very different. First was really dense, second didn't bloom at all but wasn't as dense (but had prickly tips), third has a higher loft and really blooms and is soft and pillowy and is as soft as my Alibaba. All were "Super".

Everyone talks about the density of Rooneys but I've never found them to be that dense. My Vulfix Simpsons have been much denser. I even have a Heritage Alibaba 2, and my Duke 3 in Best is denser!

But maybe other people's Rooneys ARE dense, they really do seem to vary.

Also, from what I've read, the older Vulfix-Simpsons Duke 3 in Best used to have a longer loft than its original Somerset version, but my recent copy has a very short loft (45mm).

So, particularly if you are new, please be aware that the reviews are just guidelines, and that your specimen may not match the review sample exactly, particularly the knot size, shape, density and grade of hair.

They are handmade, natural products after all!

Regards,

John

Very valid point, but isn't that the case with almost all the products we review? I have here in front of me 5 tubs of CF Lime and Lavender. They range from almost-soap to almost-liquid. I find that strange, too, but it seems to happen.

Of course there will always be variations. With some products more than others. My newest batch of CF was really like soap were as my last was like whipped cream. I imagine each batch depends on several factors hence the variations. With brushes that would surprise me because supposedly the hair is sorted and weighed and should be pretty uniform within the same manufacturers range. I know lately there has been difficulty in getting the top of the line hair so there could be variation there. I only have one Rooney brush a medium in finest and it is a very thickly filled brush. Not that far off from my old Simpson chubby 3 in super.

In the end though reviews are there to give you a general feel for the product and comments by others who have the same product will alert the reader to any large discrepancies in the product as a whole.