Daft as A Brush Trivia Quiz

Answer: Paint

These are just a few of the many styles of paint brushes. Paint brushes may use animal bristle or synthetic bristles and their price and quality is based on the filament that is used. The lower quality paint brushes often use unbleached hog bristle. Man made filaments are found in most brushes used by amateur painters.

The most expensive animal hair brushes are made of sable hair and are used for intricate hand painting. Some paint brushes have hundreds of bristles or filaments, while others with have as few as ten.

Answer: Dandy brush

When grooming a horse, a curry comb is usually used first. The horse is then brushed down with stiff-bristled brush known as a dandy brush. The brush helps to remove the dirt and loose hair that was lifted to the top of the coat by the curry comb. The best quality dandy brushes are made with natural bristles, often made of rice stems. Natural bristles wear out quickly which has led to the popularity of plastic bristled brushes.

Answer: Badger

Rising to popularity in the 17th century, badger hair shaving brushes were considered the best in the world. The bristle were packed tightly into ornate handles of ivory, silver, and other precious materials. Their popularity declined in the 20th century when badger hair shaving brushes were linked to the spread of anthrax among World War I soldiers.

Answer: Sumi-e

Sumi-e is an ancient form of ink wash painting that was practiced originally by Japanese Buddhist monks. After long periods of meditation, the monk would grind the sumi ink and then load the tapered fude brush with this ink. This type of brush was used on rice paper and silk scrolls to make delicate images, usually of nature.

They were also sometimes used to write poetry and other types of literature using different types of ink. The proper use of a fude brush usually takes years to master.

Answer: China

The bristle style toothbrush, like the ones used today is believed to have been invented by the Chinese at the end of the 15th century. These toothbrushes were made from the stiff, coarse hairs taken from the back of a hog's neck. They were attached to a handle made of bone or bamboo.

Some ancient civilizations used a "chew stick" instead. These were simply thin twigs with frayed ends. While China is usually given credit for inventing the toothbrush, it is a matter of scholarly debate.

Answer: Basting brush

Pastry brushes are sometimes called basting brushes and are common kitchen utensils found in many cultures. They are sometimes used to soak up the drippings of cooking meat. The soaked brush is then used to spread the drippings over the cooking meat in order to make a crispy outer coating.

They are often used to spread egg whites or other glazes on baking breads and pastries. The bristles of this type of brush are usually plastic or nylon making the filaments larger and coarser than many other types of brushes.

Answer: Brush rest

Brush rests are used to hold wet brushes when one temporarily stops painting or writing. It is used so that the wet brush will not smear paint, ink, glaze, etc. onto other objects. They are usually weighted to keep them from sliding around on the work table. Antique brush rests were often works of art themselves, being made of porcelain, ivory, mother-of-pearl, or precious metal.

Answer: False

This is completely false. Hair brushes have been around for centuries. The materials used for the handle and the types of bristles have varied through time and over geography. Most modern hair brushes have handles made of plastic or other manmade material.

In the past, wood and ivory were commonly used. Today, bristles can be made of stainless steel, plastic or nylon, while in the past horse hair and boar bristles were commonly used.

Answer: Steel

Most wire brushes are made of steel. Wire brushes are usually used as a type of abrasive tool used to remove the accumulation of dirt and grime. They help increase electrical conductivity when used on battery posts, and will smooth the edges of decorative metals. They are sometimes used to clean the teeth of show animals, as they can impart a high sheen to the teeth.

Answer: Ferrule

Found in many types of brushes, a ferrule is a type of sleeve, usually metal, used to join or bind bristles to the handle of a brush. It helps to hold the bristles in a specific pattern design while protecting the end of the handle and preventing it from splitting.