Rooney Alibaba size 1

Anyone have experience with this little guy? I don't see it talked about much on the boards.

Well I don't Know about the little guy but his big brother is my new best friend. Ive been using the Alibaba 3 and all my other brushes don't understand what they have done to get dropped from the lineup. It really is great. Nice and soft but huge backbone. I face lather most of the time and it is terrific with soaps and sticks.Its great with creams too .I really don't understand why the Alibabas arent more popular.

It really feels small!

Yeah... it is small isn't it. Lately I've been gravitating towards smaller brushes and I've been craving a brush from Rooney's Heritage line. The Alibaba 1 and Beehive 1 are up for consideration. I like the looks of the Alibaba better than the Beehive...

Hmmm... maybe I can be more specific. Will the Heritage knot bloom as much as the super silvertip knots (size 1)?

I have a 3-1 here, and a Alibaba 1 in the bay area. I can take a side by side photo this weekend if you like.

I love my Alibaba. It doesn't feel small to me. Fits my hand well, lathers me up well, just a great brush.

drumana said:

Hmmm... maybe I can be more specific. Will the Heritage knot bloom as much as the super silvertip knots (size 1)?

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I was looking at the blooms on my 21 mm Beehive and 24 mm Victorian, and it is very clear that there is much less bloom on the Beehive.

Cheech said:

I have a 3-1 here, and a Alibaba 1 in the bay area. I can take a side by side photo this weekend if you like.

I love my Alibaba. It doesn't feel small to me. Fits my hand well, lathers me up well, just a great brush.

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Good to hear, Cheech. I think I'm going to go for it.

I have a 2 as I found the 1 too small. The 2 is roughly the same size as a 3/1, to give you some idea.

The knot is only 20mm and blooms a lot when wet to the point where I find it almost floppy.

While denser than some, I would say it's no denser than a 3/1, at least my copies of them.

I found the handle awkward to hold for some reason, it could use a ridge. I'll be selling mine soon so keep an eye on the BST.

If you want a stiffer and denser brush, I would go for the Stubby range!

John

I, too, found my former Alibaba 2 less dense than I would have liked.

I've never heard of a Rooney Heritage brush described as not dense enough, but most talk is of the Stubby and Emillion. Unfortunately, these brushes don't fit my criteria for handle size and knot size/loft. I've become particular about what works for me these days.

I've gone ahead and ordered the Alibaba 1 and look forward to seeing how it performs. "floppy" would be a grave disappointment...

Andrew,

I doubt you'll get anything "floppy" from Rooney.

I look forward to what your impression of the Alibaba 1 is. I've always found them to be nice looking brushes.

I have the Alibaba 1 as my first small brush; it is the perfect size for face lathering. It does a nice job, not floppy, very comfy, but mine has been relegated to travel duty. Last year we did a group purchase of Shavemac custom D01 and bought the same size brush. It trounces the Rooney for comfort. The Rooney seems too scritchy by comparison.
Larry

In all fairness, the Alibaba is softer than the 1/1. The 1/1 is the most dense, stiff knot I have ever used, bar none. Not that it is uncomfortable, but it is substantial. The Alibaba is not as dense and firm as the 1/1, but it is still a dense knot with plenty of backbone. For me, it strikes a nice balance.

I like the shavemacs. They are great brushes. But I prefer the backbone of the Rooneys, generally speaking. I think the issue is not tip softness, but shaft stiffness (wow, that sounds kind of dirty, doesn't it?). The tips on the shavemac may be a little softer than the Rooney super. (When I say a little, you have to pay attention to notice it.) But, more importantly, the shavemac has a more flexible loft, and so this may give the overall impression of a softer brush.

But, then again, there is always going to be some variation from brush to brush, and user to user. That's the nature of hand-made products using natural materials.

Cheech said:

The 1/1 is the most dense, stiff knot I have ever used, bar none.
<snip>
But, then again, there is always going to be some variation from brush to brush, and user to user. That's the nature of hand-made products using natural materials.

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I posted a thread a while ago about this point.

There are variations in brushes. Period. Even the same make, model and hair grade. You will find differences in the loft, hair grade and general feel of the brush, which is why I no longer give as much weight to reviews as I used to.

I have had 3 copies of a 3/1, all from same vendor, and all totally different brushes: one very dense and soft, one less dense but more prickly, and one with a 52mm loft (the other two were around 48).

I just got a 1/1 in Super, and it is a fantastic little brush, but it is no where near as dense as my Chubby 1 Super, or my Stubby 2. Not even close.

But then, maybe your copy is. There's too much variation which makes brush selection even more confusing.

John

The Rooney Alibaba size one just arrived. It's a nice looking little brush. The specs listed on VB are off though. The Alibaba loft is listed at 44mm and the one I received is at least the same size as my Rooney 3/1 which is listed at 48mm. It's a little longer than I had hoped. Anyways, I'm looking forward to giving the Heritage grade badger hair a whirl.