SF unbreakable mirror review...

Saw the recent question about mirrors and thought I would post my review on this mirror...

http://www.sillyfarm.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=2847&parent=0

While a good concept (acrylic and *very* light and a great large size) for *me* it falls short. It is great that it stands on a table top - thus taking up little real estate horizontally, but 3 areas where it fails (for me):

1) it is DANGEROUS - the corners are the sharpest corners I have ever felt! It could easily (!) cause physical harm, especially near the eye area. I can just picture a child holding it and their elbow getting jostled by somemone behind them. If you use this mirror you absolutely must cover the corners with something protective.

2) it might be a little large to fit into people's kits

3) with no obvious area to hold on to, it gets covered in fingerprints super quick... and they really show up on this type of acrylic mirror.

I think I might still keep this mirror and find some use for it - it really is a great size and since it stands up on its own it is great for space savings on a table. But I really hate the fingerprints everywhere and honestly there is no excuse for selling a product with corners this sharp.

I think the ideal mirror would *stand up* by itself, *not* have sharp corners (duh!), and would have some type of plastic frame or handles around it, to hold on to (keeping the fingerprints off the mirror).

HTH, Barbie

I saw it(and could have even had a free one:D .... someone left theirs in the jam room at FABAIC & I turned it into lost & found).
I also wondered about the sharp edges & kids.... It's just too big for my kit, so I didn't get one. I never thought of the finger-prints, but I deal w/ them even w/ my mirror w/ handle.
I still would love to find an unbreakable mirror as I go through several a year.

I have also seen first hand this this mirror does indeed break. I was working with another painter at a Rodeo and it dropped about 4 feet to the ground and broke a huge chunk off the corner.

I just use my $1 large glass mirror and toss them when they break. I really don't see what the fuss is about using regular mirrors. They are very cheap and if handled normally last a long time. Most of these are surrounded on all sides by a plastic handle and even if they break, don't get glass everywhere. I have had mine for about 6 months.

They are just looking at themselves-it isn't like we are beating them with it and glass shards are being lodged in their face and backs.

Sorry about this, I just think the whole acrylic mirror thing is an attempt to get us to buy things we don't really need. Arh!

I just use an unbreakable mirror from the camping section.

I actually like these mirrors, agreed that it does have sharp corners and does infact "break".... BUT I think "unbreakable" is not the right word for these mirrors. Shatterproof is a a better word to describe these mirrors.

I have had two mirrors shattered at an event and it was horrible!
Glass everywhere, had to stop the line and have everyone move away, ran around asking everyone if they had a broom, then when kids sat / played on the floor around me, I had to ask them to get up.... it wasn't pleasant.

I prefer yo have these rather than the cheap mirrors from walmart or the dollar store.

I do think they need a little electrical tape around the edges, but that's a cheap and easy fix.

as far as finger prints go, I get finger prints on ALL mirrors, whether I hold them or let parents hold them, so I dont see a solution for that....

I like mine to - I have the small and the large size.

There is something more professional feeling about holding that mirror up for the kids.

Its just a feeling though.

~Heff

I agree with Metina... I don't see a huge "need" to have an acrylic vs traditional glass mirror. I buy them cheap and admit to having broken a couple - I broke them, not the kids!

I don't let the kids handle them - I hold up the glass ones for them to see, then they go look in the locker mirrors mounted on my display. The locker mirrors are acrylic I am pretty sure - very light.

And they are always covered in fingerprints... I wipe them off.

LOL! Metina!

I have the unbreakable mirror and I love mine......I just put invisible tape on the mirror where I tend to grab it....thus reducing the whole fingerprint thing. It fits into my fat max in the botttom section just fine. Since I am the only one to handle the mirror the edges are not a concern for me.

I found that the acrylic one scratches REAL easy, so I ditched mine for my old glass mirror I had been using.

I love the acrylic mirrors as they are safer. There is a plastic's business not far from me, and I always pick up scraps. The corners can be filed down, and I use duct tape on mine...I make a 3 piece type of stand, the mirror, a stiff back to stand it up with, and a plastic piece that I cover the mirror front with to keep it from scratching. I keep that plastic folded to the back when using the mirror and fold it forward when storing the mirror to protect the front. (am I rambling here?)

Many festivals and city events ask that you use only shatter proof glass (acrylic/plastic) in frames for picture displays and mirrors because the regular glass will shatter. At least that has been true for the ones here in Montgomery County Maryland where I'm from.

Jenny

I have one and love it - but that said i've only been using it for a few weeks so will probably get much grubbier!

I have been looking at these plastic ones in the dollar store, they are cut into decorative shapes meant to stick on the wall. Most of the shapes make seeing the whole face impossible, but yesterday I saw heart-shaped ones and the largest one was about the size of a hand mirror. Kinda tempted by that, it would be cute. I'm not sure how clear the reflection is, they have protective film on them (which tells me they probably scratch *very* easily).

We have always used a hand mirror and (knock on wood) have never had the mirror part break, but it is something I've been concerned about.

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I've used the wooden framed mirror with a fairy on it (which I painted in my craft days) for 8yrs. And I've recently purchased the free standing mirror from our dollar store so the kids can have a longer look at themselves. And had no problem at all. I agree with Metina & Shannon I think the unbreakable mirror is just to get us to buy more.

These are mirrors originally and still sold by Party Faces that Silly Farm was having drop shipped. Now they stock them.

Never has anyone voiced a sharp edge concern when I have supplied them a mirror. Sure it is really easy to file the edges to blunt them. And many crafty ways to decorate the edges.
And while they are non-breakable of course anything can break. Non-breakable is an industry term not (just) a marketing term. Glass mirrors scratch and break too. They best is finding the one that pack well for you and will withstand people holding it - if you allow that. I do not hold up a mirror. I am a speed painter - you have to get out of my chair 98% of the time to see your face art.

I have one that is 4+ years old I got from Marta at Party Faces. I started with a nice thick glass mirror in an arcylic stand - great mirror stand broke after 2-3 events! The duct tape on the stand just looked tacky! After many broken hand mirrors I called Marta.

This is the best mirror. Mine has very minor scratches - most from this year as I was lazy about packing it and one of my artist used it and never packed it! If someone scratched easy I'd say well there are various makers of these types of mirrors.

It fits perfectly between my Mehron palettes. I usually use a rubberized puffy shelf liner or hand towel to fold over on it and pack it away. Both are items I use in my kit and as a protective packing these items pull double duty. (or just lay them in a zip lock baggie when transporting) I wipe it off with a baby wipe and dry and set it on my stand - easy squezzey. Never a problem, concern about the edges or issue with my mirror.

We have and use a hand held version which I just sold the last two of a few days ago. A clown I know saw me using mine and just had to have one for herself and partner. I just hang these off my chair. I'd say if you want a non-sharp edge one of these mirrors get a hand held. These are shaped to be able to hold easy and they have a hole for hanging. Shaped mirrors do cost more but if you are concerned about sharp edges......... Still a nonbreakable mirror is the way to go.

If you look around you could get some good back to school clearance locker mirrors on sale right now. And yes you can pick up ones at dollar stores - Small, but we keep one of these on the outsides of our metal rolling kits (aka the original pre FatMax kits - ahhh I like them so much better sad I can't find more!!!)

Avoiding glass in your kit is always a good idea.