I actually read a study from the Chimney Safety Institute of America a while back that tested both methods on different liner types. They found hand rods removed about 30% more creosote on the "glazed" buildup you see in decades-old chimneys (like that one in Cincinnati). The rotary brushes work great for lighter deposits but they just spin over the hard stuff. Makes sense if you think about it.

Dipping just the tip also works for caulking weirdly enough.

Yeah I gotta say that's pretty funny. I did the same thing with coffee filters once. Threw a whole unopened brick of filters in my pack because I thought they'd be light. Then I got to camp and realized I packed enough filters for like three months of mornings. Sometimes you just grab stuff and toss it in without thinking. That Clif bar math is brutal though. Twelve bars at like 3 ounces each adds up quick.

No way, curry dinner included for $18? That's insane.

I did a batch of twelve small bowls and cooled them on the counter. Eight cracked before morning. That forced me to look up a proper kiln schedule. I started with a simple one from a glass forum, like hold at 950 for thirty minutes then drop ten degrees per minute to room temp. Tried that and only lost one piece. Then I tweaked it slower, like five degrees per minute after 700 degrees. Last seven pieces came out perfect with no cracks at all.