rooney style 1, medium, finest

schaves · Post by **schaves** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:40 pm

gentlemen,

i am seriously considering the purchase of a rooney style 1 medium size brush in finest hair. can anyone share his experience with this brush? or perhaps give me a link to a review?

cheers,
sergio.

Bargepole · Post by **Bargepole** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:50 pm

I have the style 3 medium in finest. Both are beautiful brushes and the hair is gorgeous: soft but firm, works fine with soap and cream, a joy to use. I chose the style 3 simply becuase I have a couple of Simpson Chubbies and I wanted something a little different. Haven't regretted it. One of my two favourite brushes. Actually, no; it IS my favourite brush. (Sorry, Plisson.)

You'll love it.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 3:55 pm

Sergio, I agree with Michael. I have an off branded Rooney style 1, medium, Finest/White. It's close to the 'perfect' brush, IMO. I have never seen finer bristle, and I've seen numerous Plisson High Mountain Whites, and a couple of Simpson Manchurians. It's gorgeous stuff, and unlike some White bristle, it is VERY soft on the face. The handle is handsome enough, and comfy in the hand, and the brush appears to be very well made. There is no question in my mind that the Rooney Finest models are among the small number of the very finest shave brushes made. Just remember that if you get models with considerable loft, they will be a bit flexible. If you want a firmer feel, stick with the ones with less loft.
Regards,
Gordon

Leisureguy · Post by **Leisureguy** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 4:36 pm

I like the style 2, but Finest is great, and Super Silvertip is quite good as well. I'm a big fan of the Rooney brushes. You'll probably love it, in spite of the fact that regulations require me to say YMMV.

Martin_TO · Post by **Martin_TO** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 8:25 pm

I've owned a Style 1 Medium Finest for almost a year now and it's amazing on both soap and cream. I liked it so much I purchased a Style 3 Large in Finest three months ago just for creams.

The Style 1 because of loft is firm but the Finest bristles are soft and luxurious so you get both great performance and comfort. Building thick lather is a breeze and you only need a small amount of soap/cream to get lots of thick lather.

It's the only brush that exceeded my expectations after I received it.

You'll be happy with it.

rgds

mj

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 8:27 pm

Take a look at the new SMF brush that will be coming out this week. It will be very similar for a fraction of the cost.

J

schaves · Post by **schaves** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 8:53 pm

i thank you for your replies. i should receive my new brush by the middle of next week. needless to say, i am very much looking forward to it. in due time i will post a quick follow up.

kind regards,
sergio.

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:11 am

Johnnie wrote:Take a look at the new SMF brush that will be coming out this week. It will be very similar for a fraction of the cost.

J

Johnnie, you got me all excited now.

drP · Post by **drP** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:45 am

The Rooney finest are priced way too high imo; the badger hair looks indeed very special, being black at the roots and very (artificially??)white at the tips; but they don't perform nor feel any better than the Simpsons (straight) super or Plisson European/High Mountain white.

Recently i had the opportunity to purchase several Rooney style brushes in finest badger for a price which was about 1/2,5 of the price of a new Rooney; however, i passed, having already two Rooneys in finest (style 1 and style 3 large).

Rooney finest tends to be a little bit overhyped imo....there are more brushes with the characteristics of being stiff in the shafts yet at the same time very soft at the tips; most famous example are old style bristle Shavemacs...and Simpsons straight super of course, present in the Chubby and Polo series...

(did i throw a stone in the pond....?)
Peter

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:18 am

Peter, You know my views on Shavemacs, so we won't revisit that. However, I do want to respond to a couple of other points. I do agree that the Simpson Super/Whites with straight tips are comparable, but one can not be assured that that is what one will get when ordering a Super. In fact, the odds are still against that happening. And, I did find that the tips were markedly softer on the Rooney I have then they were on the couple of Super/Whites I've used. Whether that fact is preferable, depends, of course, on one's taste. Plisson HMWs are definately comparable, and they are consistant, but, in the US they cost even more then the Rooney Finest models of comparable knot size. Granted that at this level, there is a bit of individual variation, but the Rooney White that I have reminds me more of the couple of Manchurians I've seen, then it does anything else.
Regards,
Gordon

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:56 am

Nitrox wrote:
Johnnie wrote:Take a look at the new SMF brush that will be coming out this week. It will be very similar for a fraction of the cost.

J
Johnnie, you got me all excited now.

Let's keep that between you and me.

Post by **Sam** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 3:30 pm

Peter: Had I not gotten a deal on the brush that Gordon speaks of, I would not have popped for such a brush. However, it does feel very soft and yet the bristles really have more snap-back than any of my other brushes. The CHubby 1 in best seems more dense, and the other brush that is as soft is, as you point out, the Shavemacs. Visually, this brush is striking. Ill not say anything bad about the brush I acquired, as it truly is a beautiful badger. I am just thankful that I was able to acquire one.

Sam

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 6:39 pm

Is this bleaching for real or is it just a rumor?

Speaking of which, what can we expect from the forum brush?

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:02 pm

Richard, Some makers bleach the tips of mid grade bristle to lighten them up a bit. Vulfix, for example, has always been very candid about their bleaching of the tips of their Super grade brushes. And they are probably not the only ones who do this. This is done for cosmetic reasons, to make them appear a little more like Whites. Real Whites, however, are just that...White. That is the natural appearance of the bristle, and as we all know, it is a considerably rarer type; much less of it around. Simpson says that they only get one small shipment of Manchurian a year. The notion that somehow the Rooney Whites are bleached, and the Plissons and Simpson Manchurians are not, is absurd, as far as I'm concerned. I can see no reason whatsoever for believing that.
Regards,
Gordon

Post by **Sam** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:07 pm

Well, I will tell you that if they bleached the Rooney's, they should have left the badger in the bleach longer. Mine is very white, but it is not a snow white, but appears to have a tannish whiteness to it.

Sam