First, the pictures:
Next to a 1/1:
With a 1/1 and B&BE:
Overhead, same lineup as before (Rooney Special on right):
Price - At $40 for a genuine badger brush, the price is right.
Quality - The quality is great. It looks to be, essentially, a 3/1 best.
Density - In general terms, the density is good. In Rooney terms, it is lacking. So, if you are looking for Rooney density, its not here. On the other hand, if you don't care for Rooney's density, that's a good thing. I was thinking in Rooney terms, so I marked it down a bit.
Stiffness of Tips - The tips are stiff and scrub nicely. I will say that I only used it for about a week, so it is still in the break-in phase. I'm guessing the tips will break in further, but I'll let others post their results in the future.
Softness of Tips - They started off scritchy, but soon softened. Now, I'd put it in the standard Best range. Again, I'd ask others to post their findings after longer usage.
Ergonomic - Okay, I'm a pretty big fan of the style 3 handle. I've found it to work well in the bowl, on the face, or on the puck. Enough length to make it whip like Harry Potter's wand, but short enough to use comfortably.
Latherability - Worked reasonably well on my puck o' Tabac. Worked really well with creams.
Packaging: It came in a simple clear, plastic box. I've already thrown it away - nothing remarkable there. However, packaging is just going to take cabinet space and I could personally care less.
Overall, this would be a great starter or travel brush. The quality is great, and the price is right.
However, I would not think of this as a Rooney brush. When I think of Rooney, I think of a painfully dense knot. This knot does not feel like the other Rooney's I have had. This makes it difficult for me, since I feel the need to look at it as a Rooney, and not by itself compared to similar brushes.
In other words, this is not the brush to get if you want to try a Rooney.
This is the brush to get if:
a. You want a great starter/travel brush that will keep you happy for a long time.
b. You want a scrubby, yet not overly dense, knot on one of the best handles in the business.
Next to a 1/1:
With a 1/1 and B&BE:
Overhead, same lineup as before (Rooney Special on right):
Price - At $40 for a genuine badger brush, the price is right.
Quality - The quality is great. It looks to be, essentially, a 3/1 best.
Density - In general terms, the density is good. In Rooney terms, it is lacking. So, if you are looking for Rooney density, its not here. On the other hand, if you don't care for Rooney's density, that's a good thing. I was thinking in Rooney terms, so I marked it down a bit.
Stiffness of Tips - The tips are stiff and scrub nicely. I will say that I only used it for about a week, so it is still in the break-in phase. I'm guessing the tips will break in further, but I'll let others post their results in the future.
Softness of Tips - They started off scritchy, but soon softened. Now, I'd put it in the standard Best range. Again, I'd ask others to post their findings after longer usage.
Ergonomic - Okay, I'm a pretty big fan of the style 3 handle. I've found it to work well in the bowl, on the face, or on the puck. Enough length to make it whip like Harry Potter's wand, but short enough to use comfortably.
Latherability - Worked reasonably well on my puck o' Tabac. Worked really well with creams.
Packaging: It came in a simple clear, plastic box. I've already thrown it away - nothing remarkable there. However, packaging is just going to take cabinet space and I could personally care less.
Overall, this would be a great starter or travel brush. The quality is great, and the price is right.
However, I would not think of this as a Rooney brush. When I think of Rooney, I think of a painfully dense knot. This knot does not feel like the other Rooney's I have had. This makes it difficult for me, since I feel the need to look at it as a Rooney, and not by itself compared to similar brushes.
In other words, this is not the brush to get if you want to try a Rooney.
This is the brush to get if:
a. You want a great starter/travel brush that will keep you happy for a long time.
b. You want a scrubby, yet not overly dense, knot on one of the best handles in the business.
