Swab
A substitute for a brush; a hemp contrivance for holding and delivering water, made either by wrapping one end of a piece of rope and combing out the rest, or from new hemp, which needs only to be wrapped at the end. Large ones serve to moisten joints, etc.; small ones are useful to hold in the hand, and by a gentle pressure cause a fine stream of water to flow upon an edge, etc. Swabs are extremely useful for spreading blackening upon dry-sand moulds made from soft friable sands, as they do not tear up the surface in the manner a bristle brush invariably does. Dealers supply good swabs at a price slightly in excess of what the best hemp costs.