Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-21
MAKING OF BRUSHES
BRISTLES USED BY AMERICAN
MANUFACTURERS IMPORTED.
Hogs Hair From Russia, China and
the Philippines-Substitu
Materials,
From the New York Times.

In the manufacture of brushes the Ameri-
can hog cuts no figure at all. In the first
place. he Is not given time enough to grow
his bristles before he is sent to the slaugh-
Ter house: and In the second place. his hair
Is not good at all for the finer grades of
work. even il it does grow
Russia China and the Philippines raise
hogs with fine. long hair especially suita-
DE Tor brushmaking. and the American
manufacturer is glad to pay a substantial
uu'y upon all he can import Hair on the
american hog seldom grows longer than
three inches On foreign hogs raised for
shearing. it grows from seven to eight
inches. and is of far softer fiber II comes
through the custom house undyed cut in
punches about thick as a horses tail
and packed in large barrels
bruShmaking is one of the trades in which
machinery does not encroach very far ON
lhe handmade article. 1t is only of use in
making the cheaper and less d,rsbIe
grades. Human fingers are necessary IN
oIno the bristles firmly with thin. strong
wire INTO fbrous back. 1t is not a trade
Ior rapid work. paid by the piece A fast
workman cannot turn out more than six
good brushes day.
Cost of Brushes.
FINDING substitutes for hog bristles in
making brushes is difficult as finding
substitutes for rubber. In spite of wire and
other materials used in their manufacture.
w per cent of all the brushes manufactured
are made of bristles Scalp doctors and
49,. III .he newspapers and magazines
ABOUT proper treatment of the hair soon
hiiiea the wire electric" makes OF hair
VI usnes. SO the manufacturers saw There
was good profit in them but when IL was
louhd mat they scratched the scalp custom
ers quit buying them. A hair hrpsh y,on.
oI the best imported bristles costs from "a
&c 90 90 dozen years has seen very little.
of goods. vi '"iS sraue
1t was fad at one time to m.L. ,,..
priced shaving brushes from cameIs. bsir
put very few of them are called for ~,
anlporteo badger bristles go into the better
Siaue OF brushes made for men who cant
pear the thought of hogs bristIes prt a.
soon becomes as soft as camels' bair "a
- ABOUT the same as latherinp With a
b pise 10 man with stiff beard BAR
peis ana experienced men who shave thew,
serves agree that there Is nothing On co,,,
.oi taoie or so durable as hogs bristles for
SHAVING brush. But there are varion.
go VI them. 1t is important to pick a
soou ohe' and when you do II costs very
a" MUCH as camel's hair brush.
Boar Bristle Brushes.
ofisties from the wild boar are put in q
large number of brushes made to order
nere is good deal of mystery about this
.iass OF work The man who makes a
ofush from drawing is not encouraged
a'A questions. Aside from the seventy
inherent varieties of stock brusbas n,aa
Tor the New York market a praat - ~.
money Is spent on brushes of speciaI design
,taue 10 cream machinery and for other pur
poses In factories. AS high as $50 is ofte,
paid Tor brushes of this sort few uaeL.
ago cloth manufacturer went to n hr,,s1,'
maker IN Center street and ordered a necu
i'ar spiral brush. tapered at both ends
maker. a'Aeu 'he
Il don't know that 1t concerns vou" rs-
.orted the manufacturer, Il am willing to
pay your price. and that should be sum,
The brush. which cost so. was not a suc-
cess The man made a slight aItaratior
IN the design and ordered another one
me second one did not work exactly right
anu thta ne ordered another. The fourth time
tnis happened the maker said:
don't feel like Offering Won adxIca
aIter the way you spoke to me the othsr
day, but hate to see man who has nInct
. ehousn 10 spend money carrying out an
loea throw away good dollars know
what you want that brush for You have
come nearer to carrying your point than
Two other men who have come to see ma
first failure. If you will substitute q hoIs
Tor that screw and thicken the ends Of
the SHAFT think you can go ahead ana
take out your patent"
Tampico Grass.
The man did as he was advised and s,,c
ceeded In getting the brush he wanted.
Iamp1co. grass imported from the Phil
ippines. Is very much used for the manu-
racture OF brushes for manufacturing pur-
poses The secret of good brushmaking
lies In the art of stiffening the bristies
according to the quality of brush desired.
M sood hair brush. or clothes brush
paint brush or floor brush The black,
gray and white mixtures seen in many
brushes are not obtained from dyeing the
pristles. but by selecting different qualities
OF hair. The colors add nothing to the
durability of brush. but are supposed by
many persons to make 1t look more attrac-
tive, If there is anything attractive about
a brush.
The use of marble granite and inlafd
floors in Office buildings has created a de-
mand for new style of floor broom II is
long and shallow, the inside made of fiber
and the outside of bristle. The useful corn
broom OF commerce, such the Office boy
N