| jeffreyw3 | 11 Jul 2014 6:33 p.m. PST |
Shopping for new brushes and looks like USFW has stopped importation of Kolinsky hair into the US. What is the next best thing these days? |
 Jeff Ewing  | 11 Jul 2014 7:18 p.m. PST |
It looks like Dick Blick has them?: link |
| Dave Crowell | 11 Jul 2014 7:58 p.m. PST |
There are still some remaining supplies of Kolinsky brushes, but due to changes in the required permits and forms for importing they are getting harder to find. There are a number of good artist quality synthetic brushes available. Hit up your local art supply store or Jerry's Artorama, Dick Blick's, or Cheap Joe's. Be sure you are getting artist professional quality, not student or academic. But nothing is as nice as a fine sable. |
| bsrlee | 11 Jul 2014 11:15 p.m. PST |
Here has been a fair bit of complaint about this in some Art circles. Kolinsky 'sable' is actually farmed squirrel hair, but the various customs 'experts' around the world can't be bothered checking their facts and just slap a ban on based on the common description. And the various importers can't afford to fight each and every case across the globe. |
| jeffreyw3 | 11 Jul 2014 11:27 p.m. PST |
Yes, Blick and others list them, but they've been out of stock for quite some time, outside of sizes like 8… I've just had zero luck with synthetics. |
| Fizzypickles | 12 Jul 2014 6:47 a.m. PST |
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| mgdavey | 14 Jul 2014 2:10 p.m. PST |
@bsrlee Kolinsky sable is not just farmed squirrel. And customs officials are not supposed to try to figure out where the things that they inspect come from, that information is supposed to be documented by shipper. |
| Fizzypickles | 15 Jul 2014 6:55 a.m. PST |
Ironically, I'm finding it harder and harder to get my favoured Raphael's in the UK but find them in a lot of U.S. suppliers. |
| mxconnell | 15 Jul 2014 9:21 a.m. PST |
Has anyone tried ordering from outside the US? I would assume they would be seized by customs which has kept me from trying. I have yet to find a synthetic I am happy with. |
| jeffreyw3 | 19 Jul 2014 10:16 a.m. PST |
I ended up going through my "old brush pile," thoroughly cleaning and conditioning the lot (wife and daughter in residence, so an unlimited supply of hair conditioner), which has helped. Unfortunately, using them for acrylics on metal, even if you avoid jabbing and poking plays havoc with them, whereas watercolor on paper--I can see them lasting indefinitely. When I finally run through these, the brush manufacturers say Red Sable is almost as good (and it's readily available). |
| Kensboro | 24 Jul 2014 11:34 p.m. PST |
Has anyone tried ordering from outside the US? I would assume they would be seized by customs which has kept me from trying. I just got a box of brushes from the U.K.
Included were a couple of Kolinskys.
I had no problems at all (as far as customs and such goes).
Wow, the box came fast, less than a week! I'm so used to ordering stuff from China, and waiting 4-6 weeks, I forget how fast Royal Mail is to the U.S. |
| mxconnell | 25 Jul 2014 5:16 a.m. PST |
Thanks Kensboro! I may have to give that a try. |
| SurfingMoose | 26 Jul 2014 7:07 p.m. PST |
I ordered my W&N Series 7 from
link I am in Canada and had no problem and now have a supply of size 2 to 000. My entire order were kolisky brushes, 10 in total, 2 of each size. Also they do have sales on most everything listed on their site. Sorry forgot they have a wide range of brush manufacturers. |
