Cheap resource for pan brush

[rich pierce]

https://www.emshootingsupplies.com/store/p644/APPLICATOR_BRUSH.html#/

I ordered 5 of these. The bristles are short and stiff. Good for pan brush. The handles or stems are shiny but are steel so with a little sanding and tarnishing look ok. Alternatively copper or brass sheet could be folded into a handle or the bristles could be glued into a piece of cane or antler or whatever.

[Daryl]

Those would work well.

[Dale Halterman]

I've been using those brushes, too.

On the last one I drilled a hole in an antler tip to use as a handle. Put epoxy in the hole and insert the bristles. Once the epoxy is dry, unfold the metal handle and throw it away. Trim up the bristles and you're done.

Dale H

[Frank]

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-horsehair-bristle-acid-shop-brushes-36-pc-61880.html

36 of them for $2.49.

[Dennis Glazener]

Machine supply houses like MSC has them forget what they are called

[Not English]

They're generally referred to as acid brushes. The usual industrial use is for applying flux of some sort. They're dirt cheap as mentioned.

[flinchrocket]

Ace hardware has those for applying soldering paste. 15 cents piece.

[alacran]

Really guys, most of you are toting beautiful rifles and you are using an acid brush with nylon bristles for a pan brush.  If you want cheap, if cut short the bristles from a chip brush are at least natural hog bristles.
I use the neck bristles from Javelinas. They are black with white and are very stiff .  One Javelina has enough neck hair to make hundreds.
I gave a bunch to Carl Willyard and he made this one for me. I have one I made but it is out in my shop, and getting it  involves getting cold.

[rich pierce]

I’ve not found a brush with bristles stiff enough for pan duty around here, to scavenge. No javelinas in the Missouri woods either. I’ve tried scavenging from what I’ll call shop brushes but not stiff enough. If anyone has natural bristles tough enough let’s make a deal. Three Missouri flints for every 3/8” diameter bunch of bristles.

[Clark Badgett]

I’ve not found a brush with bristles stiff enough for pan duty around here, to scavenge. No javelinas in the Missouri woods either. I’ve tried scavenging from what I’ll call shop brushes but not stiff enough. If anyone has natural bristles tough enough let’s make a deal. Three Missouri flints for every 3/8” diameter bunch of bristles.

I might be able help you here. Several years ago I found a fox tail brush at a small hardware store that has stiff natural bristles. I’ve made a couple of crude brushes from it and have plenty left. I actually bought this brush to re-utilize the bristles.

[jackley]

I too had trouble finding a bristle stiff enough.  Till I found a brass bristles lint brush from years past at a antique shop. One lint brush will make many pan brushes. The top one is horse hair the bottom three are brass bristled.

[Dale Halterman]

My first pan brush used natural bristles but, like was mentioned, I didn't feel they were stiff enough.

No javelinas in PA either, but we do have Ace Hardware. I believe Ace also has wooden handled brushes with brass bristles, but the bristles may be too short for pan brushes.

Dale H

[Joey R]

I buy mine mine by the box of 50 at Harbor freight. With a pair of scissors you can trim until you get your desired stiffness. They call them acid brushes. I use them for different jobs in the shop especially solder flux.

[Clark Badgett]

I found the brush. It’s not a fox tail brush, it some sort of specialty brush but the bristles are natural. I’m guessing some form of plant based bristle. Trimmed to around .75” they are plenty stiff. Rich let me know if you want a couple of the bundles. They are just over 3” long where they enter the wood and around 3/16” diameter


how to check resolution

[rich pierce]

Looks like a wallpaper brush. PM sent.

[alacran]

I usually keep Javelina bristles. I must have given what I had to Carl. I have two Javelina hunts coming up in the new year. If I manage to get one I will save all the neck bristles and pass them on to whoever wants them.

[Oil Derek]

I usually keep Javelina bristles. I must have given what I had to Carl. I have two Javelina hunts coming up in the new year. If I manage to get one I will save all the neck bristles and pass them on to whoever wants them.

I'd be in for some Sir!

[Dale Halterman]

I would like to try some javelina bristles too, if you can spare some. Any trinkets from the great state of PA that you would like in trade? How about some antler tips to use for handles?

Dale H

[Mike from OK]

I'd love to have a dollar for every minute I spent standing in front of a Bridgeport mill brushing oil on to a workpiece with an acid brush.

I had a small antler tip and a small piece of black horn cylinder left over and didn't know what else to do with them... So I turned the bodies for a vent pick and pan brush out of them. Vent pick has 14 ga. copper wire. Pan brush bristles are from a hank of horse hair I've had forever.




Mike

[alacran]

I would like to try some javelina bristles too, if you can spare some. Any trinkets from the great state of PA that you would like in trade? How about some antler tips to use for handles?

Dale H

Like I said in the previous post, If I manage to get one. After all it is hunting and not shopping. I will gladly send them out , need nothing in return.
Seeing photos of what is made from them, is reward enough.

[Jerry]

Machine supply houses like MSC has them forget what they are called

Dennis, they are used for soldering paste, but commonly called acid brushes. Jerry

[Greg Pennell]

Best thing I’ve found for pan brushes is a wild turkey beard. One 6-10” beard will make a BUNCH of pan whisks, and if you’re not a turkey hunter, I’ll bet you know someone who is. I make the handles out of many different things, horn, antler, old brass cartridge cases, rolled up tin, or just lashed up with a piece of hemp twine. Like everything else, I didn’t think of this, someone else told me about it years ago.

Greg

[B.Habermehl]

I must not be too fussy, I’ve pulled the bristles from acid brushes and chip brushes for years to make pan brushes with wooden and antler handles. The allways seemed stiff enough for me. Each of my bags have a set of brush and pick. BJH

[Daryl]

I bought one of the chained combination tools from Trackofthewolf some many years ago & never used it. I suppose it's around somewhere but
exactly where, I do not know. Kinda like the flintlock cleaning tool with  surgical rubber tubing deal for drawing water into the bore. It's easier and
much more efficient to just remove the barrel for cleaning. Long tang'd SMR barrels need not apply. With those, I would use the gizmo to get the
bore really clean - with 5-6 patches total. One for cleaning, 4 (or 5) for drying and oiling.

[Mike from OK]

Best thing I’ve found for pan brushes is a wild turkey beard. One 6-10” beard will make a BUNCH of pan whisks, and if you’re not a turkey hunter, I’ll bet you know someone who is. I make the handles out of many different things, horn, antler, old brass cartridge cases, rolled up tin, or just lashed up with a piece of hemp twine. Like everything else, I didn’t think of this, someone else told me about it years ago.

Greg

Greg, a turkey beard is what I had originally planned to use...  But I had none on hand and at the time turkey season was a long way off. So I did what anyone else would sensibly do... I looked online for one. I found them at Moscow Hide & Fur. However when I went to place the order the site refused it. Seems my state in its infinite wisdom has banned the sale (or more precisely the "importation" ) of them. I guess a bill of sale for a turkey beard is not sufficient proof that I didn't poach the animal.

So I had to use horse hair and will have to bag a turkey (when I get the chance) to make one.

Mike