Changed my mind about synthetic brushes after a job in a wet flue

Was up on a roof last Tuesday near a big rainstorm. Customer's flue was soaked, masonry was slick. Used my usual natural bristle brush, took forever to dry. The old guy I was working with handed me his synthetic one. Finished the job in half the time. Anyone else switched over for wet conditions?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_jenkins1mo agoTop Commenter

The real test is how synthetic brushes hold up to creosote buildup over time, not just one wet job. Natural bristles might take longer to dry but they let you burn off residue easier. You notice any difference in how the synthetic ones handle after a few months of heavy use?

skyler431mo ago

3 months in with a synthetic brush and I'm already seeing the nylon fibers get a bit fuzzy and floppy near the ferrule. My dad's old natural bristle brush he's had for 7 years still snaps back to shape after a burn off. It's kind of the same thing I notice with my kitchen knives too, the fancy ceramic ones chip over time but my grandfather's old carbon steel knife just needs a quick sharpen and it's good as new. Newer materials are convenient at first but they just don't seem to have that long term toughness that the old school stuff has.

the_zara17d ago

Has anyone else seen that article from Fine Homebuilding a few years back where they tested synthetic brushes and found the nylon fibers actually melt and fuse together after repeated burn offs? That was an eye opener for me. Natural bristles might singe a little but they don't turn into a gooey mess. And the fuzzy floppy thing Skyler mentioned, I've heard that happens because the glue in synthetic ferrules softens with heat from regular cleaning.