Wichita eagle., 1888-09-19
BRUSHES OF BRISTLES
How They Are Manufactures by
Hand and Machine.
Where Good Bristles Como From-The
American Hog Not Up to Growing
Them-Brush-Maker's WagesITho
Views of . Manufactures.

"Learning trade now isn't what it was
when l was boy" said a prosperous Mar
ket street (St. LOUIS brush-ulaker to
Globe Democrat reporter. 81 worked four
years before l received a cent of pay. Now,
boy begins and thinks it hard if he can not
get mans wages at the first, and in 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
machine-made, but he turned out nothing
but and-work. 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 canels, bad
gers or goats. With this kind he has moth
ing to 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-maker's
wife, an expert in the work, gave demon
stration Of the process.
The back of what was to be horse brush
when finished was taken. 1t 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 a hole in the brush back, and
pinch of briStles put in the loop that was
then drawn back through the hole, doubling
the bristles as it went. The bristles were
not pulled clear through, but there were
enough to fit tightly in the hole. The
wire was pulled snug by tho pur-
chase on the pin around which it was
coiled, and, the operation being repeated
with each hole, there was a complete and
unbroken network Of WIRE holding the
bristles 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 sewed
on, and the brush was ready for boxing.
The woman chatted merrily, as her hands
few at their task. The bristles were ar
ranged in a box Of the right width to les
them lie across, all the 'butts" being one
way. She held bunch in her right hand
in addition to grasping the brush-back with
the first two fingers and thumb, and took
the pinch for the loop of wire with the left
hand. Practice had made her perfect, and
her raridity was wonderful.
"a brush like this" said she, her words
keeping time with her hands as they
flashed back and forth, "has four hundred
and thirteen holes and can draw them in
an hour. l can tell by the feeling almost
to single bristle whether / have picked up
the right quantity. This drawing is the
French way. You see l double the bristle
so that the heavy end is saved, the top, or
iight end, being cut Off The American
to INIT pa hpjo 1nci
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
French shop"
All the briStles for good brushes were
said to be imported. Those for clothes,
hair, horse and other brushes come from
Russia, and fine white bristles for shaving
and varnish brushes from France. Amer
lean bristles are too short and soft to be of
any use except for cheap brushes, and it is
customary to mix split whalebone with
them. Russian bristles cost S195 to 50 90
per pound, and $1,000 worth of the best
can be packed in a common -four 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
are inches. The difference in wages paid
brush-makers in France and America was
brought up.
1.-The best work." said the Market street
manufacturer, ''is the toothbrush We
don't make them and they are not made in
America, because it don't pay. In Franco
girls draw them at cents for 900 holes,
and 5000 or 1000 draws is a good days
work. pay % cents per 1000 draws for
horse brushes, and have had girls earn 50
a week. Girls are peculiar, though. had
one girl lately who had no trouble it1 earn
ing 50 week, but all of sudden she
dropped to s.. When I asked her what the
trouble was she turned up her nose and
said : she didn't have to work any more, she
was going to get married."
In making tooth-brushes the bristles are
wired the same as in horse brush, except
the wire is very fine and the holes are not
bored through. They go nearly through,
leaving thin shell at the back
After the holes are bored they are con-
nected by sawed line that stops just short
OF the end, this line allowing space to do !
the drawing and keep the wire hidden. The
are then filed with cement The !
virtues of good toothbrush can be pre-
served for long period by observing care
IN shaking the water out after using and /
standing up SO as to dry as quickly as pos
Slbe. By allowing the bristles to remain !
wet they swell and spread the space made /
n saving until a section will split of, as |
well as lose their life and strength. A GER |
lain class Of brushes are made without |
beng sawed If these are examined it viii |
De seen that holes have been bored in tho |
oristle end of the handle, and nicely plugged |
lp. The wire is worked through these |
1oles, and il IS claimed that this effects the |
same result as is secured through the sawed |
back.
In 1870 a machine was patented for max
ng brushes. II folds the bristleS and forces
hem into the hole by twisting motion at
he rate of hole a second The bristles
IRE fed from a metallic comb. The bristles
ire separated and doubled by plunger
hat has rotary motion and literally screws
he hriStles into the brush. Some of the
machines work IN string TO hold the bris-
les, but If this breaks it can not be re-
aired The objection mado 10 the machine
rush Is that the bristleS have weakness
or coming out, whole tuft at a time. This
5 gratifying episode during the making
t toilet, as the bristles are sure to fly II
II directions, and the easing up of the
ressure by the escape of one tuft is usual
: the signal for wholesale stampede
LEAVING THE SINKING SHIP.