My new brush
It could seem peculiar I suppose, to be excited about a new brush – but I’m thoroughly enjoying the experience. It was eagerly unwrapped and laid in my ‘brushes place’ in the workshop, and I’m happy just knowing it is there. Part of the reason for it being so pleasing, is that I know how well this brush works, and there is nothing better than efficient, hard working tools.
The brush is made of wood and has natural bristles, apart from being useful, versatile and hardwearing, I think it is a thing of real beauty.
I’ve just learned that it is called a ‘Churn Brush’ – presumably it was originally made and used for cleaning out milk churns, and I can see why it would be effective for this, as the bristles are inset and laid in a way that makes the front of the brush extend further forward than the handle, thus enabling it to reach deep into corners and hollows. This is of course why it excels for me, in brushing away all the dust and chips as I carve my stone. It even makes a fetching bristly noise as it does its work – natural bristles have a real springiness which makes them super efficient.
Here’s my new brush alongside my old one, which has become rounded and worn from use, making it comfortable and lovely to hold. It isn’t worked out yet, and will have a new role in washing down the stone when I’m wet sanding.
Once, this brush went missing, and I was furious that I’d lost it, but it turned up in the goose pond! They seem to love the bristles too and if I don’t keep my eye on it they pick the brush up and carry it over to the water, dunking it and snatching it from one another and generally messing about with it.
I took delivery of some new stone today too, and spent much too much time just looking at it.
2 Comments
I think we are quite alike, Jennifer. I can fully understand your joy over your new brush and I am pleased the old one will still have a useful job to do too. How funny about the Geese. We used to keep them years back but ours never showed any inclination to pick up the brushes we had for the horses. Possibly they considered nylon inferior. I also understand the pleasure of looking at a new delivery of stone because I am like that with fabric and wool. I get as much pleasure looking at it as I do from the things I make with it. I regard it for a long time mulling ideas over and seeing what thoughts come to me before I start to make anything. It’s part of the process. x
I get this joy from all my tools actually, they’re just such a big part of my every day. It gave me a nugget of an idea, I think I might start a Tools Tuesday on my blog – and go through all my tools and what they are used for. The geese are extremely good communicators – sometimes they come into the shed and tug on anything they see not anchored down, or chew on the workshop doors – all because they know I will stop what I’m doing and give them attention – they do this when they want to tell me it is tea time! I love mulling too – essential to the process.