Do brushes change with age (even if they look good)?

[Zumkopf]

I see quite a few brushes in antique stores, for a fraction of what new ones cost. Some look really good. Do the old brushes behave like the new ones? Do the bristles lose internal moisture or otherwise deteriorate/stiffen with age, or are they like razors, useable for centuries if well cared for?

If one has some of those old brushes, is there a way to rejuvinate the bristles (soaking them in water, or cod liver oil, or bear fat, or something even more exotic)?

Or is their only real value for the handles, and the only way to use them to replace the center knots?

I'm sure one of these days insanity will really strike, and I'll find myself typing in my credit card numbers for my Rooney Alibaba, but for now experimenting with different types of (cheap) old brushes seems like a better way to find out what I like. If it gives valid results. Thoughts?

 

[82R100]

Good question, and I'm eager to see some of the answers.

My take is that brush expectations have changed substantially over the years. I've got an antique Albright Rubberset on the table in front of me. Got it free with an eBay razor that I bought. It doesn't look terribly worn, but it doesn't have what the aficionados call "bloom". To tell the truth, the bristles remind me of what I've painted the house with. Really. And I suspect that that's what they looked like when they were new.

The only problem with it is that the knot is a little loose. I can rotate it by hand relative to the handle. I'm tempted to try to inject some epoxy into it to fix it and try using it as-is to see what the experience is like.

- Chris

 

[bythbook]

I have a number of vintage brushes - I use them regularly.

The brushes I have are invariably smaller than contemporary brushes - I don't know if there were fewer large brushes 20/30/more years ago or if the smaller ones survived, or what.

The vintage brushes I have are softer/floppier (even given their smaller sizes) than many of my modern brushes.... I suggest that you examine the knots very closely before you buy vintage brushes; especially, check the center of the knots close to the handle. Look for broken hairs, matted hair, etc. Look for broken hair around the edges, as well. Is the knot uniform? Any bald spots?

A knot that looks pretty good dry will show problems fast when you lather up!

I wouldn't worry too much about the color - with a couple of my brushes, the hair has darkened over the years.

Oh yeah - disinfect a vintage brush before you use it! (Or any used brush, vintage or no. And maybe any brush at all...!)

...and - as you'll see from many threads here - you can restore a vintage brush by replacing the knot.

Hope this helps.

Have fun!

.

 

[mdunn]

Ive a vintage brush in my roation. It worked fine from the moment it arrived, but I dont think thats super common. I see lots where the knot has become hard or gnarly somehow.

If the brushes look like theyre alright then they should be good (do a bit of a firm lathering motion in your palm and see if any hairs come loose)

 

[bythbook]

I have a number of vintage brushes - I use them regularly.

The brushes I have are invariably smaller than contemporary brushes - I don't know if there were fewer large brushes 20/30/more years ago or if the smaller ones survived, or what.

The vintage brushes I have are softer/floppier (even given their smaller sizes) than many of my modern brushes.... I suggest that you examine the knots very closely before you buy vintage brushes; especially, check the center of the knots close to the handle. Look for broken hairs, matted hair, etc. Look for broken hair around the edges, as well. Is the knot uniform? Any bald spots?

A knot that looks pretty good dry will show problems fast when you lather up!

I wouldn't worry too much about the color - with a couple of my brushes, the hair has darkened over the years.

Oh yeah - disinfect a vintage brush before you use it! (Or any used brush, vintage or no. And maybe any brush at all...!)

...and - as you'll see from many threads here - you can restore a vintage brush by replacing the knot.

Hope this helps.

Have fun!

.

I take back the part about older brushes being smaller - I'm gonna have to do some measurements & comparisons. Most of the vintage brushes in my restoration queue have 22mm knots... (or larger). 22mm seems to be a very common size. Maybe the lofts of the old ones are shorter, or the handles...?

I'll find out!

 

[English]

I have had two old brushes that broke.

One was my Fathers' and I suppose that would have made it a 1930's brush and it broke in about 1960. Well I say it broke. The brush was a wooden handled plisson and the plug fell out from the handle. I think the wood dried out after the varnish had deteriorated.

The other was a Vulfix which I dropped and broke the plastic handle.

So in answer to your question, glues, resins and varnishes have improved over the years and in that respect some of the old brushes are more vulnerable.

Horn handles will crack or chip if they are not oiled.

As to the badger hair, it is often bleached white by the manufacturer whilst the natural color is more yellowish. The natural color returns with age. Otherwise, you would have to use it as a paint brush to ruin it.

 

[kingfisher]

I found an Everready brush in its original box at an antique store. I thought it would have to be restored, but I'm telling you that the knot is supple, soft, and looks pretty nice.

This thread makes me think it could be used as is, which surprises me somewhat.


I have one question, though: somebody earlier in the thread said to "disinfect" the brush before use, but I'm not sure I understand how that could be accomplished. Any thoughts? I don't have an autoclave in my house.

 

[Zumkopf]

somebody earlier in the thread said to "disinfect" the brush before use, but I'm not sure I understand how that could be accomplished. Any thoughts? I don't have an autoclave in my house.

I think, to paraphrase Mark Twain, that the dangers of infection from old equipment are greatly exaggerated. We're not talking anthrax here. We're not talking about schoolchildren sharing hairbrushes. Yes, if I were going to borrow my buddy's shaving brush -- the one he used yesterday -- I'd boil it, soak it in Barbacide for three days, then hold it with a tweezers while pouring alcohol over it. Then rinse it and boil it again. And microwave it for good measure. On an ancient brush, bought from some antique dealer or some Estate sale or on the bay, you have to figure it's been years since anyone used it. I'd clean it with soap and water, then boil it for a few minutes if the handle could handle it. Boiling it is probably overkill, but then again, I remember what happened the last time my son let someone use his hair brush...