A brush with the paw!

The FoxHello, hello, hello! What’s going on here then? Well I can tell you, its not just HPKUK that are rabbiting on about this exciting new brush range “The Fox” which is exclusive and available from on-line store Mypaintbrush, seems to be getting a lot of positive comments and reviews from professional decorators around the UK.

These Fox brushes are designed to be great all rounder’s, they can be used in both water based and solvent paints, boast some great features and are also British made and manufactured:

  • Choice of Beechwood handles
  • Stainless steel ferrules
  • Poly/nylon filaments
  • For use in water & solvent based paints!
  • Sashes, fitches and traditional style brushes

My fellow Traditional Painter colleague Martin Guest has played a major role in developing and testing these brushes for over a year now! They are now readily available to buy at Mypaintbrush store, please read Martins review. I’ve also been testing a few out and seem to be achieving positive results. Here’s my pennies worth:

Here I'm using the 1.5" standard Fox brush in a solvent based adhesion
Here I’m using the 1.5″ standard Fox brush in a solvent based adhesion Primer

The old school way of ‘breaking in’ paint brushes (natural bristle ones) was to use in emulsion paint first to wear them down slightly, before you used them for undercoating and glossing. However, there is no need for this with these synthetic bristle brushes as they work equally well in water or solvent based paints. I’ve been using the Foxy (1) Brush set over the past 3 months in various solvent based primers and although I’m happy with the finish I’m achieving; paint pick up is also great and laying off leaves very little brush marks which is a big bonus for hand painted kitchens and furniture. The Fox’s were also stored in my brushmate 20 during this time (whilst using in solvents) without any detrimental effect. However, during use something just didn’t feel quite right to me with the grip and the way the handle sat in my rather large paws!

Paint pick up and laying off is great!
Paint pick up and laying off is great!

Not every pro painters choice but I like the feel of a nice beaver in my hand! Perhaps due to many years on the Purdy’s! So I get on the phone to Martin and ask the question: “Eh up me duck (that’s how we talk in Nottingham) I like these Fox brushes but I aint right comfeh with them handles, any chance of sorting us out wi a nice beaver”?

Excuse me, Chicken! Was Martins reply. Anyhow I said, I much prefer me beaver tails, av a word wi that manufacturer will ya and see if you can sort owt?

Now, what do you get when you cross a Fox with a Beaver Tail?

The Fox 3" with Beaver Tail handle
The Fox 3″ with Beaver Tail handle

Armed with the handle of my choice, I’m feeling much happier with the way my bespoke beaver tail Fox’s fit in my paws. I’m also liking the plastic wallets they come in, as with a lot of other brushes the packaging is usually cardboard and soon becomes useless. After washing out my brushes from using them in water based paints, I can drop them semi dry, straight back in to the plastic wallet and they will retain their shape until the next time I use them. However, I wouldn’t recommend this if you were using them in solvent based products and have washed them out with brush cleaner or spirits. Always give them a good wash out after with clean water and a drop of washing up liquid or hair conditioner and comb them through before packaging!

Foxy sash brushes are the dogs dangles!

I’m really enjoying using these sash brushes; paint pick up is superb and so is the application, the precision of cutting in is also a bonus!

The Fox Sash brush No. 14
The Fox Sash brush No. 14

I’ve now completed 3 full kitchen repaints using a variety of Fox brushes to cover all obstacles I may come across, the Fox Cub is another great brush for tight spaces such as this display cabinet.

Stapleford fox cub in hand

 

So how does the Fox compete with the top American brushes?

To be honest, I don’t think its trying too! Different brushes for different applications and scenarios. I have recently tested the Fox’s in water based specialist furniture paint on 3 hand painted kitchens and compared the Fox to a few of my other favourites I would use for this type of work and I can relate some of the characteristics of my other brushes to how the Fox performs:

A trio of cracking brushes but all slightly different!
A trio of cracking 2″ brushes but all slightly different!

As all pro painters know, a Purdy Monarch Elite will take some beating! The Fox does have that sort of spring in the filament that the Purdy has to help push those heavy solvent paints around but after some use and several wash outs I’ve found that the poly/nylon filaments do soften slightly and give a laying off action similar to my Corona Kinston’s. This does not suggest that the Fox is a combination of the 2 but similar characteristics are present. You do however have to use the Fox a few times to get the feel of its character but once you do, it will find a regular slot in your painting.

Summary:

These brushes are not, in my opinion trying to compete with what’s already available in the UK market, they have their own uniqueness and without compromise are made by British Craftsman, besides having a great variety of shapes and sizes to suit everyone’s taste and being very reasonably priced.

We are fortunate enough at TP, that we get to road test various products, manufacturers and suppliers trust our honesty, opinions and judgement and that’s exactly what we’ve done with the Fox range of brushes; tried, tested and feedback! TPers ONLY recommended products that we rate highly and use in our daily work. If your Professional Painters or DIY and feel like your throwing money down a bottomless pit when buying brushes and equipment, then stop off at Mypaintbrush and check out the Fox range of brushes and other quality decorating equipment.

…Evening all

If you own an existing wooden kitchen and would like to discuss the options available to you for refurbishing, please do not hesitate to Contact Me for a open, no obligation discussion to your requirements. If you wish to leave any comments about this post, please feel free to do so.

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