Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-26
BRUSHES OF BRISTLES.
EOw They Are Manufactured by
Hand and Machine.
Where Good Eristles Come F'rom-Ths
American Hog Not Up to Growing
Observation-Disclosures Wages-The
Views of Manufacturer.

&
ket street Isl. Louis brush-inaker to n
Globe-Democrat reporter. AZ worked four
years before received cent Of pay Now,
boy begins and thinks it hard if he can not
get a mans wages al the first, and in q few
months he thinks he knows all there is. But
about brushes"
Then he went on to tell that there were
two kinds - machine and handmade.
Brushes from Eastern houses were mostly
nachine-made, but he turned out nothing
but haDdWork. Beyond this classification
there were also sample and compound
brushes. The former have but one tuft,
such as those used by painters. and are
made principally of the hair of camels, bad
gers or goats. With this kind he has moth
ing 70 do, only making those for which
bristles are required, which are fixed in
the brushes back by being what is techni-
cally called "drawn." The brush-maher's
wife, an expert in the work, gave 4 demon
stration of the process.
The back of what was TO be a horse brush
when finished was taken. II was full of
small holes. In the bench was a large pin,
around which was wound fine wire of cop
per and TIN, made expressly for the pur-
pose, this beng more tenacious than copper
alone A loop in the wire was passed
through hole in the brush back, and n
pinch of bristles put in the loop that was
then drawn back through the hole, doubling
the brlstles as 1t went. The bristles were
not pulled clear through, but there wero
enough 10 MT tightly in the hole. The
WIRE was pulled snug by the pur-
chase on the pin around which it was
coued, and. the operation being repeated
with each hole there was a complete and
unbrohen network of wlre holding the
Drlsties IN place when all was done. As
each row OF brlStleS was secured. it was
cut to the desired length with large pair
OF bench shears. There only remained, then,
for second back and handle to be sevcd
on, and the brush was ready for boxing
The woman chatted merrily. as her hands
flew at their task. The bristles were ar
ranged in box of the right width to let
them lie across, all the butts being one
way. She held bunch in her right hand
in addition to srasping the brush back with
the first two fingers ana thumb, and took
the pinch for the loop of wire with the left
hand. Practice had made her perfect, and
her rapidity was wonderful
"a brush Ike this,'' said she, her words
keeping time with her hands as they
flashed back and forth, ''has four hundred
and thirteen holes. and l can draw them in
an hour. l can tell by the feeling almost
to single bristle whether have picked I'D
the right quantity. This drawing IS the
French way. You see | double the bristlc
SO that the heavy end is saved, the top. or
light end, being cut off. The American
way is to put the bristles in any way, with
out regard TO which is the top or the butt.
Then, when they are trimmed, there are
two cut ends and so much more danger Of
splitting. They would not allow that in a
French shop"
All the brlstleS for good brushes were
said to be imported. Those for clothes,
hair. horse and other brushes come from
Russia, and fine white bristlcs for shavipe,
and varnlsh brushes from France. Amer
lean Orlsties are too short and soft to be of
any use except for cheap brushes, and il is
customary to mix split whalebone with
them. Russian bristles cost II .95 to g 50 +
per pound, and $1,000 worth of the best
can be packed in a common flour barrel.
The American hog IS not the right kind to
get good brush bristle from. He IS killed
too young for one thing, it was asserted.
In Russia the hogs are allowed to grow old .
and big, and their longest bristles will meas
ere inches. The difference in wages paid
brush makers IN France and America was
brought up.
THE best work" said the Market street
:" is the toothbrush. We
1on't mako them and they are not made ia
because it don't pay In France
girls draw them at cents for 1000 holes,
md 6,Oc0 or 900 draws is good days
work. / pay % cents per 1000 draws for
lorse brushes, and have had girls earn %
week. Girls are peculiar. though | had
NE girl lately who had 10 trouble il earn
ng 50 week, but all Of sudden she
iropped to s.. When l asked her what the
rouble was she turned up her nose and
aid she didn't have to work any more, she
vas going to get Inarried-'''
In making tooth-brushes the bristles are
v1red the same as in horse brush, except
ne wire is very fine and the holes are not
'ored through. They go nearly through,
eaving thin shell at the back
After the holes are bored they are con-
ected by sawed line that stops jus, shor:
f the end, this line allowing space TO do
le drawing and keep the wire hidden. The
lterstices are then filed with cement The
1rtues Of a good toothbrush can be pre-
erved for long period by observing care
/ shaking the water out after using and
landing up so as to dry as quickly as pos
IDLE. BY allowing the bristles to remain
ret they swell and spread the space made
/ saving until section will split of, as
-ell as lose their life and strength A GER
AN class OF brushes are made without ,
eng. sawed. II these are examined il VIII .
c seen that holes have been bored in the
rlstie end OF the handle, and nicely plugged
q The wire Ia worked through these I ,
oles, and Il Is claimed that this effects the
arle result as is secured through the sawed
ack
IL $50 machine was patented for max
g brushes. Il folds the bristies and forces .
lem into the hole By twisting motion at ,
.e rate Of a hole second The bristles ,
e fed from metallic comb. The bTistles ,
e separated and doubled By plungcr :
lat has rotary motion and literally screws
Ie bristles into the brush Some Of the
achines work il q string 70 hold the bris-
es, but II this breaks IL can not be re
lired. The objection made TO the machine
-lish IS that tie bris.lcs hare weakness
r coming ont, whole taft a. tine. This
gratifying episode during the making
toilet as the brIstles are sure 20 ~ il
directions, and the easing up OF the
assure By the escape Of one taft is usual
the signal tor a wholesale stampede.