Bristle Processing and Brush Production

the technological processes involved in treating animal bristles and hair and manufacturing scrub and paint brushes. Brushes are also made from synthetic polymer materials (for example, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride fibers) and plant fibers (for example, sorghum and sisal).

The processing of bristles includes removing foreign bodies and excess fat and moisture, laying the bristles out with the flags in one direction, sorting by length, and gathering into bundles. Bristles to be used in the manufacture of toothbrushes, shaving brushes, and other brushes for personal hygiene are also disinfected and bleached with hydrogen peroxide.

The processing of animal hair includes washing, sorting by color, initial combing to remove short hair and loosen tangled hair, gathering into bundles, toughening, cutting for size, a second combing to prepare for mixing, mixing, pushing against the butt end to even the hairs out, and tying into bundles.

The production of scrub brushes entails making and finishing the handles, drilling holes, attaching clusters of bristles, hair, or fiber substitutes by means of wire or strong thread, and finishing. Special types of brushes, for example, wire brushes, are manufactured at the same enterprises as scrub brushes.

The production of paint brushes includes making the handle and bands; connecting the bundles of bristles, hair, or fiber substitutes to the handle with the band; evening out the bottom end of the bundle; and removing poorly attached hairs.

By-products from bristles and hair are reprocessed at enterprises to make twisted hair for use in the manufacture of ma-tresses and upholstered furniture.