Rooney Brushes - info please!

J

jhclare

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517
Hi all,

A few thoughts/questions about Rooney brushes. It seems that although Rooney sell some of their range here in the UK, most of their really nice brushes are only available to US vendors.

I wonder why this is?

There are also reports of, for a given brush, differences in loft in spite of same model number and size.

I have a Rooney 3/1 in Super (I believe, that's what it says on the handle: "Super Badger"), but I have read that there is also a Silvertip grade, and Finest grades? No UK retailers seem to stock Finest brushes. Where in the line does Silvertip come? Above or below Super?

I find my tips a bit on the prickly side, should I have gone for the Silvertip? I had a 3/1 that was replaced due to shedding, and I'm sure the tips were softer than my current brush. Maybe I had a Silvertip before?

I believe some vendors are confusing Super and Silvertip and treating them the same.

Finally, why do some Rooney brushes I've seen have a more italic logo? And what is a Special?

It surprises me that a manufacturer such as Rooney does not have a web presence at all, and the only info available seems to be from vendors/word of mouth.

John
 
Ok, this is getting confusing!

Here is the brush I bought originally, from Charles Nicholls:

http://www.charlesnicholls.co.uk/product.php?xProd=1112&xSec=25

Grade is listed as Silvertip, and it costs £48.60. This is the one I originally bought, I checked my account and it cost the same).

My replacement brush says "Super Badger" on the handle, yet feels more prickly. So, did they inadvertently send me an up (or down) grade?

Now, on Executive Shaving (which I believe have something to do with Charles Nicholls), this brush is listed:

http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/shaving/new-products/rooney-silvertip-shaving-brush-s31i.php

Yet, it is £64.99! It contains "refined Silvertip badger hair". Presumably, this means that it is in fact Super Badger, explaining why it costs significantly more? And what's with the different logo?

Arggghhhh! :shock:
 
I always thought that Rooney super was their top grade of hair bar one? Can't remember what they called the top now :?
 
John

I think I can help ... you and I seem to have travelled down the same road a bit ...

I ordered precisely the same brush as you from Charles Nicholls. Like you, though, I was sent the wrong brush. We both decided to keep them, partly because we were ignorant, also partly because we were both actually sent more valuable brushes.

Let me digress for a minute: in order of price, Rooney's hair grades are pure, best, silvertip, super (silvertip) and finest. Super silvertip is silvertip with the short and tangled hairs removed (apparently this makes it noticeably softer). I think finest is 2 band hair, and is generally not sold in the UK. 'Specials' are just special models made for a particular vendor. On B&B, many so called specials refer to the coral handled brushes made for Vintage Blades. I have no idea why Rooney does not have a website or why it sells a larger range through US vendors only. Presumably that is where the demand is.

Now back to your and my orders. First, like you, I do think that Charles Nicholls is connected to Executve Shaving as Executive Shaving shows up when you check out. Also, Charles Nicholls is cheaper than Executive Shaving - that's why we both ordered through them. Anyway, you ordered a style 3, size 1 silvertip and received a style 3, size 1, SUPER silvertip. So your brush should actually be softer than the one you ordered (even though I suspect you though you had ordered the super). I ordered the same brush as you and received a style 3, SIZE 3, in silvertip.

Pretty shoddy company I would say.

I am really not sure what the conclusion is. I am still impressed with my brush. It is very well made, reasonably dense, soft and has a very nice handle. It is a lot better than my EJ. Is it better than a Simpsons? I will just have to find out. Is it better than the Rooneys sent to the US? Not sure. I think that is an interesting question.

Rooney does seem to be a bit of a strange company. Is the lesson that you should not deal with a company that you cannot talk to? You can certainly talk to Simpsons (despite the bad press it often receives in the US).

Anyone else want to add to this ...
 
Chicken Neck has nailed it.

Dr P reckons the 2 banded Simpson and Rooney Finest hair are indistinguishable, they are the top of their respective ranges or at least the most expensive anyway. I don't have a Rooney, but their limited range, availability and presence just put's me off them.
 
Thanks Chicken Neck.

It's all very confusing. I'm not impressed with our Rooney vendors.

Charles Nicholls, while they did replace my brush with no quibbles, have possibly sent me a different hair grade than the one I ordered.

I cannot prove this one way or the other, but I'm pretty sure my first brush (which my current one replaces) was denser and softer at the tips. I wish I could remember what was written on its handle, super or silvertip. Fact is, I think I preferred my first brush, in spite of it shedding for a few weeks.

So...
  • Either my first brush was actually a Silvertip, and was in fact softer than the replacement Super I received (in spite of this seeming counter-intuitive)
  • My second brush just hasn't broken in properly yet. It did take longer to bloom than my first brush
  • They have incorrectly sent me Supers both times (to their loss) and the differences are just a natural variation in the hair batches
  • My replacement brush is actually a Silvertip that has been incorrectly labelled Super at the factory. They sent me a Super originally.
  • I have far too much time on my hands....[/list:u]

    Regardless, I expect a company that sells Rooney to at least send me a brush that looks new. My replacement brush's "Super Badger" text on the handle looked partially worn right out of the box. Shoddy indeed.

    Has anyone ever owned both Super and Silvertip Rooneys, and would care to comment on the actual differences between them?

    John
 
The guy who runs executive shaving is a member here but chooses not to post because he is a director there and I guess feels there is some conflict of interest?
I have spoken with him by PM and it may be worth sending him one to see if you can sort it out.Look for 'Executive Shaving' in the member list .
 
It seems Executive Shaving either don't know their products or there are big mistakes on their web site.

Look here, apparently you can get an ebony (real?) 3/1 Super for £55.80:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/shaving/rooney/rooney-ebony-shaving-brush-s3s1su.php">http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/shav ... s3s1su.php</a><!-- m -->

However, the lower grade Silvertip, in faux ebony, costs more, £64.99:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/shaving/new-products/rooney-silvertip-shaving-brush-s31e.php">http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/shav ... h-s31e.php</a><!-- m -->

This is the page that actually specifies the handle type and grade (these details aren't on the individual product pages for some reason):

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/shaving/shaving-brushes/shaving-brushes.php">http://www.executive-shaving.co.uk/shav ... rushes.php</a><!-- m -->

Eh?

John
 
Well, the ebony and faux ebony DO look to be different materials, with the handle designated ebony being 'dull' which would reflect the looks of real ebony, if not varnished. The lettering is also different -- it may be an old(er) brush, a prototype, or something else that wasn't supposed to end up in a normal retain chain?

;-)

Henk
 
Just get a Rooney Stubby 2! Go on. Just buy it! You won't look back!

For the record, I actually bought my own Stubby 2 from the states with the assistance a US B&B member. At the time, I couldn't locate a single UK vendor for the Stubby. I've since discovered that Trumpers have them.
I recently bought one of the Rooney 'Specials' referred to earlier in this thread, from a US B&B member. The faux tortoiseshell handle really is beautiful, and it's a great shame they don't sell them over here. I'm sure there would be a market. Maybe they will in the future?
 
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