Rooney brushes

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:15 pm

I'm planning on buying a Rooney shaving brush to replace my Floris Pure Badger.

Executive Shaving (UK) have the following:

Best Badger, Small, Style 1 - £36
Silver Tip, Small, Style 1 - £41.40

I'm thinking Silver Tip as it costs only a little more and would be gentler on my already sensitive skin.

Anyone had experience with these brushes?

Gareth

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:33 pm

This is a top-quality brush, I'm sure you'll be pleased. The style 1 has the shortest bristles and therefore the most stiffness of the Rooney line. Consider the style 3 for a slightly more flexible bristle, or style 2 for the most flex.

The softness of the tips should be the same on all the brushes of the same bristle type (silvertip or whatever) - only the length (and therefore the flexibility) is changed by the different model numbers.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:40 pm

Thanks notthesharpest - you seem to be replying to a lot of my threads tonight!

I didn't know about the different bristle length - I simply thought the style referred to the handle shape.

Do you have any preference over Best Badger or Silver Tip?

Gareth

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:59 pm

I had a long morning and am feeling rather lazy in the (west coast of North America) afternoon. Answering questions about shaving is just my speed for now, and you seem to be the one asking.

You're correct about the different handles, but the bristle length is also different. I thought I would really dislike the handle on the #1 because it's so short, but I was wrong. All the Rooney handles are fine for me.

I don't know which grade of bristle is better - choose the one you think you will like. I chose "finest" because I like a stiff brush, and didn't try the others. Luckily for your wallet, that's not the one you want with sensitive skin problems.

This brush is going to last a long time, so a pound or two either way is not the important part. That said, sometimes the less expensive one actually suits better. If you're worried about skin sensitivity, get the one that sounds the softest.

Leisureguy · Post by **Leisureguy** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 3:23 pm

For me, the Style 1 is too stiff. The Style 3 is better and is halfway between Style 1 and Style 2 in loft (bristle length). The Style 3 Super Silvertip is an excellent brush, though I love my Style 2 Finest.

Here are photos of all three brushes in Size 1 (small) which is the right size (IMHO) for lathering on the beard. From left to right: Style 1, Style 2, and Style 3. (Style 2 comes only in small (size 1).)

Zaniix · Post by **Zaniix** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 3:27 pm

style 3 small super all the way

yomuppet · Post by **yomuppet** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:22 pm

Leisureguy wrote:For me, the Style 1 is too stiff. The Style 3 is better and is halfway between Style 1 and Style 2 in loft (bristle length). The Style 3 Super Silvertip is an excellent brush, though I love my Style 2 Finest.

Here are photos of all three brushes in Size 1 (small) which is the right size (IMHO) for lathering on the beard. From left to right: Style 1, Style 2, and Style 3. (Style 2 comes only in small (size 1).)

If it helps, I've never found the Style 1 small to be too firm, but that's just one person's opinion. You may end up trying them all anyway...

J

Bargepole · Post by **Bargepole** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 6:05 pm

yomuppet wrote:
If it helps, I've never found the Style 1 small to be too firm, but that's just one person's opinion. You may end up trying them all anyway...

J

+1. I have it in Finest. It's damned springy, and if you push it against your face it'll feel scrubby, but used lightly it's brilliant and whips up a fine lather. Give it a couple of gentle pumps in your Moonraker Scuttle and it just goes into overdrive.

Racso_MS · Post by **Racso_MS** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 6:07 pm

I have the Rooney, Size 1 Style 1 Super I just bought from Vintage Blades LLC (Jim) after a test run with a loaner from Clive (fallingwickets)...

It is small but for soaps you can't beat it...

As a matter of fact you can't beat it (.) period...

Of course it's just my opinion, but any of the Rooneys are good brushes, you just have to pick one and hope it works for you...

And as always...

Enjoy your shave...

Post by **ichabod** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:34 am

Racso_MS wrote:I have the Rooney, Size 1 Style 1 Super I just bought from Vintage Blades LLC (Jim) after a test run with a loaner from Clive (fallingwickets)...

It is small but for soaps you can't beat it...

As a matter of fact you can't beat it (.) period...

Of course it's just my opinion, but any of the Rooneys are good brushes, you just have to pick one and hope it works for you...

And as always...

Enjoy your shave...

I'll second everything Oscar says.
I have a style 1 size 1 in super - the super hair is so soft that (for me) any larger brush and I think it'd be too soft. To compare, I have a style 1 size 2 in finest, and despite being larger all round it still feels much stiffer than the small super.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:49 am

I'm still thinking that the small, style 1 in silver tip will be the one I go for. I lather on my face and never in a bowl and haven't had any problems with my small Floris brush in this regard.

Speaking of which, does anyone know who makes the Floris brushes?

I ask because it is for sale in the selling/trading board, and a member here asked me who made it. I'm sure i read somewhere on SMF not too long ago that it was in fact Rooney who made them. It does look remarkably like a Style 2.

yomuppet · Post by **yomuppet** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:44 am

Gareth Probert wrote: ...
Speaking of which, does anyone know who makes the Floris brushes?

I ask because it is for sale in the selling/trading board, and a member here asked me who made it. I'm sure i read somewhere on SMF not too long ago that it was in fact Rooney who made them. It does look remarkably like a Style 2.

The handle proportions look a bit different from a Rooney Style 2, though the shape is similar:

http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewto ... ght=floris

J

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:45 pm

Gareth, No, not anymore. Up until a few years ago, the Floris branded brushes were clearly from Kent. But the current ones?....I'm not sure. Vulfix seems the most likely, but it could still be Kent. Highly unlikely that they're from Simpson, and Rooney really wasn't fully up and running again when the newer Floris brushes first appeared, so, I don't think that it's them either.
Regards,
Gordon

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:24 am

I mentioned yesterday in another thread that I had ordered my Rooney. In the end, I went one better than Silvertip and went up to Super in Size 1 Style 1

First thing that shocked me was the size of the brush. It really is small!

I tried shaving with it and it was sublime. Whipped up an excellent quality lather in no time, and I had no problems holding it or getting a good grip. I'm truly made up with it.

The hair is really soft, but firm enough to still give an exfoliating action, and although small is fine for me. It will also be useful for travelling because it isn't too big.

Thanks for everyone's help in choosing my brush

rding · Post by **rding** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:39 am

I got my new Rooney style1 small super this week as well as a new assortment of creams,soaps and balms(which i had to get delivered to my work so i can sneek them into the house without the missus seeing) and its a great brush a lot firmer than my others offering a nice scrubbing feeling as i am lathering up.

Richard

K-MaN · Post by **K-MaN** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:22 pm

Got my Style 3 size 1 in Horn today.

I've been using a Burma boar brush for the past 4 years. While I knew there would be a difference, I did not realize it would be this drastic. Whereas the boar brush required constant attention to keep the lather in order, the rooney turned into a ball of lather and stayed that way.

Very impressed and pleased. Never thought I'd say this about a brush, but it was worth every penny of the 75 I paid.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:11 pm

Kendall, One of us should take your post here, and save it somewhere. Then whenever we get the classic, " Aw well....com'on now....is there really much difference?....why should I spend the extra money for one of them badger brushes?....I'm doin fine with my...( fill in the blank )... boar bristle...."; we could just direct them to your post. Enjoy.
Regards,
Gordon

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:54 pm

Gordon, Gordon, Gordon ...

There is a significant difference between a low-end boar brush, such as the Burma Shave, and a superior boar brush, such as the Omega. An Omega boar brush is a very adequate tool and a great value.

I enjoy the luxury of badger brushes, but I still insist that I could get just as good a shave using an Omega boar brush. I concede that face-latherers have a different set of requirements, and that badger brushes with certain specialized characteristics offer an advantage there.

- Murray

2clfrwrds · Post by **2clfrwrds** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:40 pm

CMur12 wrote:Gordon, Gordon, Gordon ...

There is a significant difference between a low-end boar brush, such as the Burma Shave, and a superior boar brush, such as the Omega. An Omega boar brush is a very adequate tool and a great value.

I enjoy the luxury of badger brushes, but I still insist that I could get just as good a shave using an Omega boar brush. I concede that face-latherers have a different set of requirements, and that badger brushes with certain specialized characteristics offer an advantage there.

- Murray

+1, and well-said, Murray!

--Glenn

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:34 pm

CMur12 wrote:Gordon, Gordon, Gordon ...

There is a significant difference between a low-end boar brush, such as the Burma Shave, and a superior boar brush, such as the Omega. An Omega boar brush is a very adequate tool and a great value.

I enjoy the luxury of badger brushes, but I still insist that I could get just as good a shave using an Omega boar brush. I concede that face-latherers have a different set of requirements, and that badger brushes with certain specialized characteristics offer an advantage there.

I am a face-latherer, and occasionally use an Omega boar brush. When I do, I always think "Say, this is actually pretty good!".

Well, I don't necessarily think those exact words, because it's early in the morning and so on, but you know what I mean.

Between passes, I leave my brush bristles-down in an empty (warm) mug. I think that helps the boar brush not lose its water and lather.