Citadel, Raphael 8404, Escoda Reserva, & Princeton Brushes: A Comparison

One of my most popular posts is about reviewing Winsor & Newton Series 7 Miniature brushes with those of Citadel and Raphael 8404. At the time I made the switch from Series 7 to the Raphael line. That was over five years ago, and I haven't looked back.

The Raphael 8404 brushes have held up wonderfully. I am still using the same 00 and 000 from that photo. However, my 0 brush is my workhorse and it is starting to show its age. I went online and ordered two more... and I ordered some other brushes as well. I couldn't resist! Ha ha!

From the top they are:

• Citadel Standard Brush (lightly used and here for reference)
• Raphael 8404 0
• Raphael 8404 00
• Raphael 8404 000
• Escoda Reserva 0
• Princeton Mini-Detailer Liner 20/0

The Raphael and the Escoda brushes are natural kolinsky hair. The Princeton is a synthetic sable.

As you can see, the major differences between the brushes (ignoring the Citadel brush) is in the belly. The Raphael's are plump and will hold a lot of moisture. That will keep the tip of the brush wetter for longer. The others won't. However, the others are much thinner, and may be wonderfully suited for inking or lining work.

I haven't had a chance to try them out yet, but I have an upcoming project that will require inking recesses around pockets, collars, straps, and other equipment. I'll post my findings with pictures soon.