Henk
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2018
- Messages
- 1,491
×× please note, that during extended testing, I have found an issue with the fitment of the ferrules to the handles. I have added my findings to the end of the review ××
Hawk's Miniatures have introduced a new set of Kolinsky Sabel brushes, with short walnut handles, especially for miniature painters.
View attachment 455718
The full set consists of 7 round brushes with Sabel hair heads, and 2 flat and 1 liner brush, with synthetic heads. All brushes have the same walnut handle, which are considerable shorter than standard brushes that usually used by figure painters.
First impressions are good. The look of the handles is of course a personal preference, I happen to like natural wood and wood grain, and these handles are certainly good looking in my opinion. The shape of the handles is rare, brush handles usually come either straight or slightly tapered, and the handles are also noticeably thicker than most other brands.
The brushes are packed in a plastic wrapper, with a hard plastic sleeve to protect the head from damage. All brushes in my set have good heads, without fraying or splitting, and all come to a good sharp point. The ferrules are not crimped on the handle, which means that they will have to rely on glue to stay in place.
The sizing of the brush heads is a bit odd, they are about two sizes smaller than contemporary brushes. Not a problem in use, but something to be aware when ordering individual brushes on line.
Two of my brushes don't have the ferrule mounted straight on the handle. I guess that this is a production quality control error, but it does not affect the brush itself. It may actually help to get into an awkward crevice or such.
Using the brushes.
I compared the no.4 brush from Hawk's, with a no.2 from W&N Series 7, and a MKIII no.2 from Broken Toad, because the heads are similar in size. I used Vallejo Acrylic paint, thinned with water and Army Painter Airbrush thinner.
The brushes perform very well., the belly readily takes a good volume of paint, and the loaded head forms a very good point. The brush release the paint very consistently and controllably, the larger brushes will coat larger surfaces aswell as being capable of painting finer lines and smaller detail.
The shorter handle is great, as it doesn't interfere with my optivisor, or my close up lamp which I usually have very close to the subject.
I have added images showing the brush heads loaded with paint, to show their shape. Note that the BrokenToad brush is past its best, as it has been one of my heaviest used brushes this past year.
The flat brushes are good for larger surfaces, and the angled shape allows good acces into tight corners. Unfortunately the synthetic heads do not behave as well as the round Sabel brushes. The heads have a tendency to split somewhat, possibly because they are quite short.
Of course, I can not predict how well these brushes will age. The heads on the larger sizes certainly look and feel on par with contempary brushes, and small size brushes are always hit and miss. I am a little dubious about the fitting of the ferrules to the handle, hopefully the glue will hold.
×× 12-11-2022 during extended testing the no.4 brush, after cleaning the brush, whilst drying the head and handle with a paper towel, the ferrule pulled out of the handle. It appears that any glue inside the handle, was either insufficient, or was weakened through immersion in the water. It is quite possible to reinsert the ferrule, and use a beter glue like PVA, but it is disappointing that it happened after this little use.××
Conclusion.
The brushes are very nice to work with, the heads hold a good volume of paint, and keep their shape well. The short handles are good for close-up painting of fine detail.
However, the issues with the ferrule and handle are disappointing, and much be considered when deciding on purchase.
Hawk's Miniatures have introduced a new set of Kolinsky Sabel brushes, with short walnut handles, especially for miniature painters.
View attachment 455718
The full set consists of 7 round brushes with Sabel hair heads, and 2 flat and 1 liner brush, with synthetic heads. All brushes have the same walnut handle, which are considerable shorter than standard brushes that usually used by figure painters.
First impressions are good. The look of the handles is of course a personal preference, I happen to like natural wood and wood grain, and these handles are certainly good looking in my opinion. The shape of the handles is rare, brush handles usually come either straight or slightly tapered, and the handles are also noticeably thicker than most other brands.
The brushes are packed in a plastic wrapper, with a hard plastic sleeve to protect the head from damage. All brushes in my set have good heads, without fraying or splitting, and all come to a good sharp point. The ferrules are not crimped on the handle, which means that they will have to rely on glue to stay in place.
The sizing of the brush heads is a bit odd, they are about two sizes smaller than contemporary brushes. Not a problem in use, but something to be aware when ordering individual brushes on line.
Two of my brushes don't have the ferrule mounted straight on the handle. I guess that this is a production quality control error, but it does not affect the brush itself. It may actually help to get into an awkward crevice or such.
Using the brushes.
I compared the no.4 brush from Hawk's, with a no.2 from W&N Series 7, and a MKIII no.2 from Broken Toad, because the heads are similar in size. I used Vallejo Acrylic paint, thinned with water and Army Painter Airbrush thinner.
The brushes perform very well., the belly readily takes a good volume of paint, and the loaded head forms a very good point. The brush release the paint very consistently and controllably, the larger brushes will coat larger surfaces aswell as being capable of painting finer lines and smaller detail.
The shorter handle is great, as it doesn't interfere with my optivisor, or my close up lamp which I usually have very close to the subject.
I have added images showing the brush heads loaded with paint, to show their shape. Note that the BrokenToad brush is past its best, as it has been one of my heaviest used brushes this past year.
The flat brushes are good for larger surfaces, and the angled shape allows good acces into tight corners. Unfortunately the synthetic heads do not behave as well as the round Sabel brushes. The heads have a tendency to split somewhat, possibly because they are quite short.
Of course, I can not predict how well these brushes will age. The heads on the larger sizes certainly look and feel on par with contempary brushes, and small size brushes are always hit and miss. I am a little dubious about the fitting of the ferrules to the handle, hopefully the glue will hold.
×× 12-11-2022 during extended testing the no.4 brush, after cleaning the brush, whilst drying the head and handle with a paper towel, the ferrule pulled out of the handle. It appears that any glue inside the handle, was either insufficient, or was weakened through immersion in the water. It is quite possible to reinsert the ferrule, and use a beter glue like PVA, but it is disappointing that it happened after this little use.××
Conclusion.
The brushes are very nice to work with, the heads hold a good volume of paint, and keep their shape well. The short handles are good for close-up painting of fine detail.
However, the issues with the ferrule and handle are disappointing, and much be considered when deciding on purchase.
