Old rotary brush finally gave out on a job in Buffalo yesterday

I've had this steel rotary brush for maybe 15 years, used it on hundreds of flues. Yesterday on a job off Kenmore Avenue the bristles just started flying off mid sweep. Had to stop and fish pieces out of the firebox before I could finish. Anyone else deal with a tool failing at the worst possible moment?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielwhite1mo ago

Wait, you kept a brush for 15 years? That's wild.

fiona3321mo ago

Tossed a brush on a job in Syracuse two winters ago, same exact thing. Bristles came off in chunks and I spent twenty minutes pulling them out of a customer's fireplace while she watched. That thing was old and worn way past its prime. Now I keep a backup in the truck and swap brushes out the second they start looking tired. Saves you the headache of cleaning up a mess mid job.

-1

luna5191mo ago

@danielwhite you ever have a brush that lasted way longer than it should have but you just kept using it anyway until it fell apart on a job? Seems like those old bristle brushes are notorious for letting go at the worst possible moment. What do you look for in a brush now to avoid that mess?