> A Hake brush has no metal ferrile (sp?) The hair is sewed into the wooden handlewith thread. I get mine at the College bookstore. I would think any art
> store could get you one.
I have never understood the hooha about no metal, since I have never yet
heard of a platinum printer immersing a brush in platinum emulsion up to
the ferrule, unless the mere proximity of metal to the emulsion has a
voodoo effect -- which is certainly possible. You get the bottom third of
the hairs wet, if that. In my experience, those who use a brush (in
preference to patented "puddle pusher" in US, glass rod,elsewhere),
generally cut half the bristles off across the width, then reinforce base
of hairs with hard-drying glue (what we call "airplane glue") squeezed
along base, worked into hairs.
Only problem I've had with metal ferrules (I use hake-type brushes for
smoothing gum coats) is tendency to rust, but they can be varnished,
otherwise I've had no problem with them.
Incidentally, I asked for & couldn't get the Kernseife (which I would
translate as "corn soap"???) was it Bas mentioned as conditioner for
brushes. But David Aldera recommended hair conditioner, which I found did
seem to make bristles less brittle, less likely to break.
cheers,
Judy