Problems with new Kolinsky-Rotmarder brushes?

[Anatoli]

Hi guys,

I've been using Kolinsky-Rotmarder brushes for several years, purchased from Feldherr or da Vinci and that has carried me through painting for many years.

However, recently, I've started to experience very poor brush quality, with tips that split after just a few brush strokes and brushes that don't keep their shape. What the hell is going on? Anyone else experience problems with brush quality - and if not - what brushes are you guys using and would recommend?

Doing some research online it seems that even high end very expensive brushes can turn out to be subpar. Is it due to shortage of Kolinksy-Rotmarder hairs on the market that we may end up with cheap copies of lower quality?

Drives me mad trying to paint my stuff, detail work is almost impossible and everything takes twice the amount of time as I have to reshape brushes after just a few brush strokes. Even repair gel and the like does not seem to work 

Thanks in advance for any tips on alternative brush brands.

PS. during my last visit to an art store I saw brushes that mixed synthethic and natural hair, anyone tried these type of brush?

[Elbows]

I've seen this with almost every brand.  Even my rather cheap Rosemary & Co., I get some turds every now and then.  There are also a TON of fakes all over amazon/ebay.

I also wouldn't put it past any of these companies to be cutting corners like every business, or shifting suppliers, etc.

[HerbertTarkel]

Yeah brush quality has been all over the place since Russia became a pariah. The sable used to come from there. Obviously not viable any longer.

Winsor & Newton No7, ok, still not as good.
AK Kolinsky, pretty good, hard to find.
Vallejo synthetics, average and useable.
AK synthetic, probably my favourite cheap brush now.

[Anatoli]

Thanks for the input, I will look for some other brands next time I purchase brushes. Just tried the remaining da Vinci Kolinsky-Rotmarder brushes (5 in total of various sizes) and they were all flawed when I started painting 

[Ogrob]

I swapped to synthetic a few years ago. Kolinsky is to expensive, plus quality down and ethics issues on supply. Plenty of affordable synthetics that can give good results. Do need to but more brushes and more often, but still cheaper overall I think.

[boneio]

I'm glad my Rosemary & Co brushes that I got...oooh, 5-7 years ago  ... are still good. Even in that batch of buying (got some W&N and some generic ones as well) a couple were indeed dud. But the good ones, as I've looked after them, are still good.

In contrast every synthetic I've ever tried starts off worse in every way (paint holding, tip, flex etc) and lasts only a few sessions.

Are there actually any good synthetic options? Aside from the current quality issue with sable brushes I can't agree that well-cared for sable is more expensive than having to constantly purchase synthetics and that's ignoring the fact they're less pleasant to paint with.