The mystical Rooney. Founded a long time ago, did business as London Brush Works, had some letter asking for badger hair from China circulated around the internet, and sold to Lee Sabini recently. Well, the brand name was anyway. No one knows where their factory is except Lee Sabini. But enough of the intrigue. Regardless of where their brushes are made, they are made well and are priced at a much more affordable point than Vulfix/Simpson.
If they are made in China, they must be made in the Foxcon of Chinese brush factories. Actually it would just go to show that more & better stuff is made in China than we think.
Specs
- 92 mm height
- 47 mm loft 49 mm actual
- 28 mm knot
- 65 grams
Initial Thoughts
Upon first receiving this brush my thought was “this looks good.” And I was not disappointed. The handle, be it injection molded or lathe turned, is well shaped and easy to hold. The tips are extremely white for a 2 band brush. They might be bleached, this author does not know. Regardless, they are very white.
The handle is fairly large. It fits quite nicely in my hand. The 28mm knot is a good size. I like this brush.
Softness
These hairs have been described as gel-like. My first few outings with this brush blew my mind. I have not tried anything quite like it. Well, this author has since experienced the same quality hair from Wet Shaving Products, but that is a different matter. Anyway, this hair is amazing. The tips are just really really soft. Not as soft as Shavemac’s silvertip, but that hair has been well treated. I couldn’t find obvious signs of bleaching with this hair.
Density/Flow
The brush is quite dense. Not nearly as dense as Rooney Finest was, but it is dense enough. Actually it’s probably the same exact hair as Finest, but less dense. Just this author’s opinion. Yet, even though the brush is pretty darn dense, the flow through is also very good. The flow is good because of the thickness of the individual hairs. Even though the brush is dense, there are less individual hairs in the same knot. Regardless of the reason, rest assured, this brush is no lather hog. Although you may have to use more product with the 28mm knot.
Construction
The construction of this brush is top notch. The only flaw is that there is some glue that rides up the sides. Be it from the internal glue bump or from the glue attaching the knot to the handle, its a little bit disappointing.
As I’ve already said, the handle is well made. The knot is equally well made, the shape of the knot is very nicely done. This author is fairly certain the handle is made from acrylic resin and lathe turned, but is not sure.
Final Thoughts
This is a very well constructed brush. Wherever it is made, it is a fine example of top quality craftsmanship. The hairs are super soft when wet. The knot is well packed, but not overstuffed. It’s really everything you could want in a 2 band brush. Everything, except the price. Extremely expensive at $189.99 and sold exclusively through Vintage Blades, that’s a tough cookie to swallow.
If you are on the fence, this author’s recommendation is to wait a month to see if anything new comes out. That said, it’s also out of stock.