Broke a vintage brush trying to clean a 1920s flue in Philly

I got called to this old row home in Fishtown last week, and the homeowner wanted me to use his grandfather's original horsehair brush. I figured what's the harm, but that thing snapped clean in half after two passes on the third floor flue. Now I gotta figure out how to tell him without sounding like I wrecked a family heirloom on purpose. Anyone else get roped into using ancient gear on a job?

2 comments

2 Comments

aaron_perry8d agoMost Upvoted

Did you offer to fix the brush yourself before he saw it? I ran into a similar thing a few years back with an old clients wooden stove brush that had real boar bristles. I told them right away it broke but that I knew a guy who could repair it and would cover the cost. I took it to an antiques restorer I know and he put a new handle on it using the old bristles. Cost me about 60 bucks but the client was happier than if Id just handed him a check. Sometimes people just want to know you care about the history as much as they do. A little honesty and a solution goes a long way with these old home folks.

karencampbell8d ago

My neighbor once spent $200 re-caning a chair that was only worth $50 just because it was her grandma's.