Custom Brush Options – Squirrel Hair Brushes

Soft, thin, absorbent and pointed, squirrel hair brushes naturally come to an extremely fine point when wet. Although sometimes considered a cheap alternative to sable, squirrel hair lacks the necessary spring to perform in the same way. Nevertheless, the better-quality squirrel hair brushes provide an especially smooth finish in lettering and watercolor wash applications.

Four types of hair are common in the manufacture of these brushes. They are:

• Kazan Squirrel - The gray-flecked tail of this Soviet Union native provides the fine, elastic hairs so prized for use in fine watercolor and china painting brushes.
• Blue Squirrel - Although similar to those of the Kazan squirrel, the hairs of the blue squirrel are longer, softer and somewhat lower in quality. Blue-black and morphing into gray, these soft and delicate hairs make fine finishing brushes.
• Taleutky Squirrel - Also known as Talayoutky, the strong gray hairs of this squirrel are longer than are those of the other varieties. They therefore make good lettering quills.
• Canadian or Golden Squirrel - Not only is the hair of this squirrel shorter and thicker than that of the others, but it also possesses a belly similar to that found in sable. While too short and rigid for round brushes, these variegated golden hairs do make a fine watercolor flat.

Not all squirrel hair brushes on the market are pure in type. Many share their ferrule space with synthetics or other types of squirrel hair.