brooms that last...

These last a long time, not quite 'for life' but I think they are worth mentioning here.
There are more small business broom makers than you might think in the US at least.  
We have a few broom makers in this state who are making traditional brooms.

Please feel free to add others to this thread.....
http://www.grassycreekbrooms.com/about.html

I just emailed them an order.   I have been looking for a turkey-wing broom for ages.   It is the perfect shape to do a good job cleaning out dust-bunnies from under my Baker's Choice cook stove.   It was one of those jobs that my vacuum cleaner did better than any broom.

Thank you SOooo much for the tip!

Nancy

Just spoke to them and made an order.   You cannot order via their website - you have to order by phone it would appear.   They seem nice and don't bite.

Nancy Troutman wrote:Just spoke to them and made an order.   You cannot order via their website - you have to order by phone it would appear.   They seem nice and don't bite.

I didn't know that...we always just go to their house  

A girl after my own heart.  I've spent hundreds(?) of hours of my life sweeping.  Can't stand a wimpy broom.  Thanks for the link!  

I purchased 3 brooms from Grassy Creek.   I ordered them all in natural.   I HATE wimpy brooms.   These are most definitely NOT wimpy.  

The taller broom is meant to sweep ceilings.   I don't care what Paul says.   I want a spider free house!  Any spider, brown recluse or otherwise, is doomed to die.   I have a 100% full proof method for killing spiders.   Scream first, then squash.   They never survive.   Actually, since putting a 2nd building over the mobile home - I have had very few spiders to scream at - bugs want moisture and the trailer is bone dry 24/7/365.  Nothing to eat here.

Anyway... tall broom is meant to sweep the ceiling and it is a bit wimpy - but is absolutely appropriate for the job.   When I stood it on the bristles, the bristles bend.  However, if it were stiff like a normal broom it would not flex enough to do the job.   I am delighted with this broom as is and would not change it.  As long as I store it by hanging it up - I imagine I will get at the very least a decade of service out of the broom.

The broom with the short handle I intend to use to sweep confined areas with.   Because my trailer is inside a building, I have a lot of weird storage spaces.   This will be perfect for those spaces.   And the broom is most definitely NOT wimpy.  Very thick, it will outlive me and probably be fought over by my heirs.  It will live its life next to the woodstove to clean up after firewood dirt.

The smallest broom is not wimpy either.   Thick with stiff bristles.   I plan to use it to clean out from under my Baker's Choice woodstove, and other places where a wisk broom is used.   It has a heavy string tie that I can see wearing out, and there doesn't seem to be a way to easily replace it.   I suppose I can screw an eyebolt in it and then use leather.   The other 2 brooms have ties that go through a hole drilled through the handle.   So replacing them will be easy.

I have brooms all over the trailer that were recently bought and still in good shape.   As they wear out, I plan to replace them with brooms from this company.  Sometimes spending more saves you money - just because you can get cheaper elsewhere - if you have to keep repeating the purchase, you did not save money.   I think these brooms fall into the "save by spending more" category.  

Oh, the handles are some kind of branches.   Very heavy, sturdy and have a rough texture.   Somehow they seem appropriate to my lifestyle.   Slightly whimsical but far stronger than the machined handles that usually comes with brooms.   I do not imagine these handles ever wearing out.  My first impression of them is that these are substantial.

Oh, the handles are some kind of branches.   Very heavy, sturdy and have a rough texture.

The handles are made from sassafras saplings...important because the bark stays on. Sassafras grows rampantly some places here.  Sometimes Jerry carves 'spirit faces' into the handles through the bark.  The bark gets smoother and a nice patina with use.

Wonderful that you are happy with them.

The long handled, less full one is called a cob web broom....intentionally soft and wispy for doing the job.

I remember the first time i used one of their full sized floor brooms...it felt so substantial and springy, a joy to sweep with.
We always intended to buy a new one from them when we moved but we haven't worn out the old one that is more than 15 years old.

This reminds me that we left a favorite behind in our old outhouse.....

@ Judith...

I emailed them and asked them if once the business end has worn out, if they could re-use my stick.   They said no problem.

And I did something horrible... that is going to cost me.   And I blame YOU Judith.   I mentioned to my nieces and nephews that you had them special make you a Nimbus 2000.   Well...  the girls immediately started begging for a Nimbus 2000 and the boys want a Nimbus 2001.   Sigh, unfortunately... My nieces and nephews have big brown eyes.   I could turn them down in a heartbeat without a second thought if they had blue eyes.   But how do you turn down Brown Eyes?

I cannot imagine leaving these brooms without turning around and getting them.   I am sure the new owner is delighted with the broom, and it upped the value of the property you left.

And I did something horrible... that is going to cost me.   And I blame YOU Judith.   I mentioned to my nieces and nephews that you had them special make you a Nimbus 2000.   Well...  the girls immediately started begging for a Nimbus 2000 and the boys want a Nimbus 2001.   Sigh, unfortunately... My nieces and nephews have big brown eyes.   I could turn them down in a heartbeat without a second thought if they had blue eyes.   But how do you turn down Brown Eyes?

hahaha...well, hopefully Jerry and Judy won't blame me also....it has been several years and at the time they had a large order for the Nimbus 2000 or another ? ....who knows if they'll still make them but it's worth a try.   At our old place we had an elf tree out in the woods that was magically decorated every winter and had gifts from elves laid out under it.  Somehow the Nimbus 2000 'showed up' in the air near by (the elves had to resort to fishing line) and the grandkids were young enough to think it just might be so and spent a lot of time trying to fly..............

If I remember correctly my woodworker husband elf made the handle and they attached the appropriate broom.....

There's a fantastic broom maker I met in Nashville, IN (just outside Bloomington, this lovely Artist's Community is a great visit).  http://www.broomcornjohnnys.com/

It looks like he's since moved to down by Louisville and they may have a little place to stay there...  Brian uses a beautiful old machine that is an engineering marvel.  I convinced him to make a rainbow broom and I hope it's been a good seller for him.

UPDATE: Just communicated with Brian today and he will be making a short run of the Rainbow ROYGBV brooms - with the colors in sections.  If you buy one from him, tell him that Jami sent you!! I am hopeful this will be a birthday present for me from the hubby.  They are super high quality.