New-York tribune., 1922-09-17
Travelled Brushes

Travelled Brushes
1t would not be hard to imagine
that lowering over them are some
suggestions of their former exist
ence; for instance (they are divided
into four groups, according to ma
terials-cotton, fiber, gray and black
bristle and horsehairl the black
bristles come from the wild boars of
the untamed regions of Russia (is
my region in Russia tame?) and
China, and are known to the Chinese
traders who supply the American
manufacturer as "Chungking." After
making their eleven hundred mile
rip to Shanghai by treacherous
rapids, often with loss of lives and
,argo, they are loaded on ocean steam
ars and make another long journey
through the Red Sea, Suez Canal,
Mediterranean Sea and across the
Atlantic to New York. The white
5ristles also come from Russia,
where the American buyers ship
hem to England for cleaning and
;terilizing, and then to this country,
The best gray horsehair, needed
jOr the hearth, wall, phonograph and
upholstery brushes, as well as many
others, comes from Russian ponies,
md is nearly as stiff as bristles.
Only name and tail hair is used.
Prom the north shores Of the Indian
Ocean and the valley of the historic
Tigris comes the brown fiber, which
IS cleansed, processed and bleached
for use in Fuller brooms, sink
brushes, dishwashing brushes and
others which are subjected to much
water and scrubbing.
The cotton used in. this make of
mops for floors and dishwashing and
for busters and daubers comes from
Egyptian cotton fields as we'll as our
,wn Dixie Land.
The Making Is Sturdy
After these materials arc brought
Sith so much adventure and effort
o the Fuller factories the actual
making Of the brushes is invested
with extraordinary care. a general
view of the process used for every
type of brush, whether it be fiber.
orlstle, hair or cotton, is, briefly,
hrst placing the brush material cut
10 the desired length between two
stout lengths of wire-the strength
and length of the wire depending on
The style Of finished brush; the wires
are then twisted by machinery. The
twisting evenly distributes the brush
material and holds it firm, since
naif of the strand is on each side OF
tne tightly twisted wire. A brush
Onstle or hair may wear down after
long use, but it won't pull outl.
The ends of the twisted wires are
oent INTO the desired shape to be
set IN a handle-they are, inserted
0eep' let it be added, into the wood
sa, ivory or rubber stock and are
neid there by a non-rusting metal
s-there is no pulling apart of
handle and wire When wood is the
sn0sen material for the handle, it is
Asfa wood enameled black and
S4aipped with a screw-eye at the
suo Tor hanging-up purposes. An
0'aer feature the Institute was glad
noIe was the comfortable eft"
= 'he handles to the hand, their
ssaefai s,.,s air of sturdiness and adapt
aOhity to the use for which they
We're intended.
When the twisted wire forms the
,'auaie' as in the case of the tinv
ss'y brush and the convenient,
Dng, cone-shaped refrigerator
sb,s as0es' the wire is somewhat pill
sss l.a,s and is finished with a wide
S'p at its hanging-up end.
~ .s2tS@fa
Form, Fit and Use
F.'n N the sixty,four brushes ON the
n.a'',i sf list, form and material are
f,afly ~ suited to the purpose
~ !. winch they are irtended. The
,,h H material is chubby and round
ie lallness is desired or .hin and
A'sa when these qualities are