I noticed that a lot of vintage brushes have knots set in rubber. Anybody know why that was done?
Why rubber?
- Thread starter Cino
- Start date
According to some sources, the first shaving brushes were made back in 1748, but little can be confirmed of the early history. Plisson has been making shaving brushes since 1808 and still make brushes today.
Rubber was one of the first "plastic" type materials. It dates back to 1844 when Charles Goodyear was granted the patent for vulcanized rubber. Prior to that, natural rubber was available, but it did not have the same properties as vulcanized rubber. Rubber could be molded into handles into which shaving brush knots could be cemented. Thus, it became a common material for shaving brushes in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Of course, natural materials like ivory, wood, tortiseshell, gold, silver, crystal, or materials like crystal, glass and metal. Some of these brushes were quite expensive, making them status symbols for the wealthy.
During the 20th century, a number of synthetic plastic materials were invented: phenolic formaldehyde (bakelite), poly vinyl chloride (vinyl), poly vinyl acetate (acetate), poly methyl methacrylate (Plexiglass, acrylic), polyurethane, polyamide (nylon), etc. Thus, there are many different plastics that can now be used for brush handles as well as the some of the other materials. Trade in now banned, but it is still legal to use fossilized mammoth ivory, so brushes with such handles can be found.
Rubber was one of the first "plastic" type materials. It dates back to 1844 when Charles Goodyear was granted the patent for vulcanized rubber. Prior to that, natural rubber was available, but it did not have the same properties as vulcanized rubber. Rubber could be molded into handles into which shaving brush knots could be cemented. Thus, it became a common material for shaving brushes in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Of course, natural materials like ivory, wood, tortiseshell, gold, silver, crystal, or materials like crystal, glass and metal. Some of these brushes were quite expensive, making them status symbols for the wealthy.
During the 20th century, a number of synthetic plastic materials were invented: phenolic formaldehyde (bakelite), poly vinyl chloride (vinyl), poly vinyl acetate (acetate), poly methyl methacrylate (Plexiglass, acrylic), polyurethane, polyamide (nylon), etc. Thus, there are many different plastics that can now be used for brush handles as well as the some of the other materials. Trade in now banned, but it is still legal to use fossilized mammoth ivory, so brushes with such handles can be found.
- Thread starter
- #3
Sounds like rubber was the miracle material of the day. So Rubberset was a big deal.
