Nikki Simmons on sun 31 mar 02
Hi Clayart,
I recently bought from School Discount Supply several multi-head brushes
made of bamboo and some kind of animal hair at a ridiculously cheap price.
They do not hold the glaze like a similar brush that I inherited from
another potter. Is there something special I need to do to the brushes
before I use them? Or is this an instance of-- I get what I pay for?
If this is an instance of a cheap brush, it would be helpful to know how to
identify high quality brushes. Especially when I have to use mail order. I
would appreciate any thoughts you might have. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Nikki Simmons
In Central Missouri
nsimmons@mid-mo.net
vince pitelka on sun 31 mar 02
> I recently bought from School Discount Supply several multi-head brushes
> made of bamboo and some kind of animal hair at a ridiculously cheap price.
> They do not hold the glaze like a similar brush that I inherited from
> another potter. Is there something special I need to do to the brushes
> before I use them? Or is this an instance of-- I get what I pay for?
Nikki -
As you may know, the fur of many animals resists water - it just beads up
and flows off, so they can stay relatively dry, even in a rainstorm. With
good brushes, the bristles are washed before the brush is assembled, so that
those bristles accept water easily. On some inexpensive brushes, the
bristles are not washed first, and the brush needs to be washed with soap
and water before it will accept water-based media. The problem is that the
natural oily coating on the bristles also interferes with glue adhesion, so
sometimes these inexpensive brushes tend to release bristles easily.
Speaking of which, recently at Big Lots (makes K-Mart look like Nieman
Marcus) I bought a very nice looking, well balanced extra-long basting brush
for barbecue. It was only a couple of bucks, and likely originally cost
quite a bit - long stainless steel handle, composite binding where the
bristles were attached. Seemed like a great deal. The first time I used it
most of the bristles came out onto the chicken I was cooking. Often, you do
get exactly what you pay for.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
Dave Gayman on sun 31 mar 02
You washed the sizing out with soap and hot water, right?
I very much like dipping and pouring as opposed to brushing on large areas
of glaze... learned how to simultaneously glaze the inside and outside of a
cylindrical piece (think mug or vase) after watching a Bernard Leach
tape. He held the pot by the bottom, dipped to as far down as the glaze
was to cover (less for runny glazes, right to his fingertips for
well-behaved ones), brought the pot up smartly, then lowered it quickly on
the column of glaze drawn up by the quick upward move. Very cool, and easy
to master with less than an hour's practice. No need for wax resist or
cleaning on the bottom, no tedious pouring and turning and pouring out, no
unwanted extra build up of glaze on the rim.
Dave
At 05:12 PM 3/31/2002 -0600, you wrote:
>Hi Clayart,
>
>I recently bought from School Discount Supply several multi-head brushes
>made of bamboo and some kind of animal hair at a ridiculously cheap price.
>They do not hold the glaze like a similar brush that I inherited from
>another potter.
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