Every once in a while, we will receive via email some unrequested musings from a reader that happen to just stand out as EN content. One such post was recently received from Pheasantknoll, and I think her article touches that ‘brush geek’ deep down inside all of us. Thanks for writing this Pheasantknoll and thank you for reading.
—-
—-
From Pheasantknoll:
The other day I was browsing the Chronicle forums and discovered something about myself… a dirty little secret. I have a brush fetish. Some girls like shoes or lipstick. I’ve always liked brushes but hadn’t realized until recently that my fondness for them was, well, odd.
I think it’s fair to say that I desire brushes. When a new catalog comes in, I quickly leaf through the pages until I find the stable supplies. On those rare visits to the tack store, I make a beeline for the grooming aisle and scope out the new arrivals. I can’t really order from tack stores because I need to handle the brushes. I want to feel the fibers against my skin. I want to put my hand through the grip and consider the feel of my palm against the back. Is this making you uncomfortable? No? Then how about some pictures….
The most basic tool in any groom box is the curry. I have at least five (a black rubber curry, a small face curry, a green curry mitt, a pink bath curry for the children, and a hard brown one…blech). Here variety is the spice of life:
I prefer brushes au naturel (tampico, union fiber, horse hair, and goat hair) which evoke childhood pony memories. Cream, black, or brown only for me. No exotic blue, green, or plaid, please. These good old-fashioned brushes can be hard to catch, but they are worth the effort. Each has its own use.
You can get down and dirty with union fiber, a good follow up to the curry:
When wet, Tampico brushes flatten down unruly manes. Some tampico is too soft. Stiff is better:
Aaah! Horsehair is my favorite. Now, I don’t usually satisfy my cravings on the cheap, but this little beauty can be had at Farm & Fleet for about $11:
This is one of my latest acquisitions: a breathy soft goat hair face brush named Shine. I found it in a tack store in Denver which has lovely, lovely brushes:
If you like it rough, meet Ranger, who is good with mud:
As in any relationship, you have to kiss a few toads to find the prince. Many brushes just don’t suit. The bristles are too thin or they are artificial poly–yuck! There is a certain brand of brushes which is quite popular, but I don’t care for them and won’t name them here. I unfortunately bought some for my daughter but can’t really get rid of them as they were a Christmas present.
Also, I find an accent lends a little romance, especially German. Like their dressage, German brushes are traditional, precise, and well crafted. However, I have bought some of those that don’t seem to clean well either. Here is one, horsehair with a border that sticks up on the edge:
Do you like these? Tell me about your favorite brushes. I can keep a secret.
