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WCS "Ancient Stone" Line

I bought this brush a few years ago (in silver tip) and now it seems WCS has at least temporarily discontinued it and I don't remember what the knot size was. Reason I ask is I'm looking for a synthetic (possibly from WCS also) and I want a knot just as large or larger to avoid the floppiness a smaller synthetic will probably have.

This brush is the largest I own so I can't determine the knot size by comparing it with an equal sized one - all I know is that it's LARGER my 24mm ones. Pretty sure it's 26mm but does anyone know for sure? I also searched on this line of brush and I can't find any old specs listed for it online.

This is a pic I found of it...

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I have a WCS Ancient Stone Silvertip brush, but mine is 24 mm. I can't recall if they sold other sizes. Are you sure that it's not a 24? You said it's larger than some other 24 mm brushes you own, but I've found that the bloom on brushes is quite variable and brushes with a smaller base size often appear to be larger than those with a larger base size.

I would also venture to say that floppiness is not generally determined by the base size, but is normally due to the characteristics of the knot itself and the ratio of the knot diameter to the loft. If you are looking to avoid floppiness, focus on brushes with shorter lofts or buy the knot and handle separately. That way you can experiment with setting it at different lofts.
 
Since you are certain of the knot size I'm sure you are right because, no, I don't believe there were different sizes in that line. This knot size must just be illusory based on what you said about the bloom.

As for "floppiness", I'm only concerned about how much backbone a synth has so the opposite of backbone I described as being too floppy, which may not be exactly the same thing?

Thanks for your more experienced comments! I just started another thread on the 26mm PAA Atomic Rocket which I'm considering. I now realize that 26mm will be big enough, so the question on that one is backbone. If you are familiar with it I look forward to your comments on that one. Thanks again!
 
I haven't used the PAA Atomic Rocket, but I do have (and really like) their Roswell Grey Hybrid knot that I set in a Yaqi handle. It's the same knot as in the Peregrino. I don't mind softer synthetic brushes, so my preferences might not match yours. Currently my favorite synthetic brushes are a RazoRock Mokasoft Hive 24 mm and a Simpsons Duke 3. The Duke would provide the backbone you want, but it is a fairly small knot. A brush that I did not like was the Simpsons Trafalgar 2. I thought it was too stiff and prickly, but many folks on this forum love the Trafalgar 2 and its bigger brother the Trafalgar 3. At $35 on Amazon, the T3 might be a good choice for you. If you don't like it, you can easily sell it on the BST without taking much of a loss.
 
I haven't used the PAA Atomic Rocket, but I do have (and really like) their Roswell Grey Hybrid knot that I set in a Yaqi handle. It's the same knot as in the Peregrino. I don't mind softer synthetic brushes, so my preferences might not match yours. Currently my favorite synthetic brushes are a RazoRock Mokasoft Hive 24 mm and a Simpsons Duke 3. The Duke would provide the backbone you want, but it is a fairly small knot. A brush that I did not like was the Simpsons Trafalgar 2. I thought it was too stiff and prickly, but many folks on this forum love the Trafalgar 2 and its bigger brother the Trafalgar 3. At $35 on Amazon, the T3 might be a good choice for you. If you don't like it, you can easily sell it on the BST without taking much of a loss.

Thanks! I'm not settled on the Rocket so I appreciate your other recommendations.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
If money isn't an object Simpsons just listed s Limited Edition synthetic M7s. Best synthetic I've used, and I've tried a lot of synthetic brushes.
 
I have a WCS Ancient Stone Silvertip brush, but mine is 24 mm. I can't recall if they sold other sizes. Are you sure that it's not a 24? You said it's larger than some other 24 mm brushes you own, but I've found that the bloom on brushes is quite variable and brushes with a smaller base size often appear to be larger than those with a larger base size.

I would also venture to say that floppiness is not generally determined by the base size, but is normally due to the characteristics of the knot itself and the ratio of the knot diameter to the loft. If you are looking to avoid floppiness, focus on brushes with shorter lofts or buy the knot and handle separately. That way you can experiment with setting it at different lofts.

What it seems to me is the WCS is DENSER than most - as in MORE bristles for it's knot size? Do you have a different 24mm brush to compare it to? If so, does it feel like it's a bigger brush on your face? Mine does.
 
So I just looked at my WCS Ancient Stone silvertip brush, and I think mine is an older version. I bought it in 2017, and this is the description on the invoice, "WCS Ancient Stone Collection Brush, Amber, Silvertip, Item# SB-WCS-305."

I've attached a photo with two other 24 mm brushes, the grey and brown handled one has a Maggard 24 "mm super high density two band knot, and the other is the RazoRock High Density Mokasoft Hive brush. I also photographed them from above so you can get a sense of the density of the knots. To me the WCS brush does not feel particularly big on my face. The brush that feels big to me is my 26 mm two band badger Yaqi Moka Express brush. If you want a large, dense badger brush, it's a good choice and on sale at AliExpress for $30 or so.
 

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I haven't used the PAA Atomic Rocket, but I do have (and really like) their Roswell Grey Hybrid knot that I set in a Yaqi handle. It's the same knot as in the Peregrino. I don't mind softer synthetic brushes, so my preferences might not match yours. Currently my favorite synthetic brushes are a RazoRock Mokasoft Hive 24 mm and a Simpsons Duke 3. The Duke would provide the backbone you want, but it is a fairly small knot. A brush that I did not like was the Simpsons Trafalgar 2. I thought it was too stiff and prickly, but many folks on this forum love the Trafalgar 2 and its bigger brother the Trafalgar 3. At $35 on Amazon, the T3 might be a good choice for you. If you don't like it, you can easily sell it on the BST without taking much of a loss.

I ended up getting the Rocket and I am pleased with it. It is MASSIVE, bigger than I expected. The backbone is good for a synth, and although it's not an ST when it comes to holding water/lather it's a tremendous value for the money.
 
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