Thread Number: 10646
New Kirby Zip Brush 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 115048   11/18/2010 at 11:15 (4,908 days old) by vacfanatic (Omaha, NE)        

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I found this today online - not sure how much different it is from the traditional Zip brush.



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Post# 115049 , Reply# 1   11/18/2010 at 11:24 (4,908 days old) by sleepdoc (St. Louis, MO)        

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It doesn't evidence any functional difference at all. The case is updated.

Does anyone think those are very useful? I think most of the work gets done by the ring of bristles around the edge.

Post# 115051 , Reply# 2   11/18/2010 at 11:45 (4,908 days old) by DysonAnimal ()        

I had a Zip Brush with several of my Kirbys, including my Diamond G... I found it a bit too large and clumsy to use, I definitely prefer the more common style of turbobrush. Didn't Kirby make a more 'normal' turbobrush in the past? I think I'd get on better with one of those!

Post# 115053 , Reply# 3   11/18/2010 at 12:08 (4,908 days old) by whirlpolf ()        
"...does anyone think..."

 I do.

In one respect I do agree: Once you move it flat/horizontally across the surface to be cleaned, then yes, a lot of the fluff and hair is caught by the bristled rim, but a good part is left where it was.

But there is a very loved and all-time cuddle friend of ours, a dog "Nelly". So the car is always an issue. This dog loses hair like there was no tomorrow, I even wonder how she can still be visible after having dumped more than 50% of herself over the back seat.
This is where the zip brush comes in.
I hold it at an angle so that the revolving disc touches only "half-moon-style".
Perfect results, streak by streak.

The only thing I do not like: the top bushing is somewhat flimsical, it tends to rattling and grinding after some years of use. I wonder why Kirby never thought of a ball race bearing here (or in the center part of the turbine, thus doing away with the top brass bushings alltogether.)

Post# 115055 , Reply# 4   11/18/2010 at 12:15 (4,908 days old) by whirlpolf ()        
old turbo nozzle

 oh and Jack, the one that you mention with older Kirbys can still be found under the "Rug Rat" brand nozzle. They are identical.
Works great, I have them both.

But against a full Nelly spread, the zip brush wins ;-)
Joe

Post# 115057 , Reply# 5   11/18/2010 at 12:22 (4,908 days old) by joe22 ()        

our heritage hg1 has the rebranded rug rat, i think it was the only one to use it. does a most excellent job

Post# 115060 , Reply# 6   11/18/2010 at 13:33 (4,908 days old) by vacman117 (Chicago, IL)        
Bristles..

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I completely agree on the bristles around the edge doing most of the work. I do love Kirby's Zip Brush though, it works great on my stairs and couches

Post# 115061 , Reply# 7   11/18/2010 at 14:23 (4,908 days old) by whirlpolf ()        
don't misunderstand me

 Unfortunately, while the edge bristles catch a lot of what is on your upholstery/carpetry/cushions and what have you, they do NOT catch the majority of all things to be removed.
The main work is still done by the disc brush once you apply it the right way.

That zip brush should be redesigned entirely, just like so many features of the Kirby that have gone a long way since the 30s.

Why not have an outer body that literally forces the user to hold it the right way? Why not make it have some dimples or other distance-keeping protrusions other than bristles? It is the rotating disc that is still supposed to do all the work.
Why not make it with a substantial ball bearing?
Why not give it some more balance? (This wannabe counterwheight that was introduced with the G6/G7 is more than helpless what comes to keeping a high rpm.) I wonder who was the guy to think of this being useful.
I'd have some dozens of improvements for the old an coming-a-long way zip brush, but that would require more than just one post here.
The rim is doing all the work? This is NOT what I say, while it does in fact once the zip brush is used the wrong way, ok.
Overall I think a disk (compared to a roller brush) is doing a better job at twirling together all those loose and dangling hairs into a "vacuumable" blob of knotted hair, that is why the zip brush wins on dog hair.

Post# 115062 , Reply# 8   11/18/2010 at 14:35 (4,908 days old) by DysonAnimal ()        

I have a dog and a cat, and I've never experienced any problems with regular turbobrushes removing hair from upholstery. After all, the regular turbobrush mimics the cleaning action of an upright vacuum cleaner - as far as I know, there are no production uprights which use a vertical-rotary sweeping member.

My main issue with the design of the Zip Brush, aside from the general weight and bulk of the thing, was the way all the pet hair tended to get caught up in the turbine disks, requiring cleaning all the time. This is just my personal experience, I'm not presenting it as an 'absolute truth'.

Post# 115064 , Reply# 9   11/18/2010 at 16:49 (4,908 days old) by sleepdoc (St. Louis, MO)        

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I have a couple that match different models, including the Diamond Edition. I don't use them much because I don't think they work very well, but I will give them another try and see if I can get better results by holding them differently.

Post# 115110 , Reply# 10   11/19/2010 at 04:53 (4,907 days old) by kirbymodel2c (Nottingham, England)        
Hi All...

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Hi all I've always found the zipbrush clean better than the usual turbo brush. Most people use the zip brush incorrectly and press down on it to hard.

Anyway I wonder if this marks the change of model for the Kirby and the new model will be out in the next few months??

James:o)


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