"Restoration" question regarding Ever-Ready Set In Rubber brush

I just got an Ever-Ready Set in Rubber brush. I bought it because it looked kind of funky but it may be a little too funky now that I have it in person.

It now has a marbled top half and a red bottom half. The marbled top is clean (the marble part isn't soap scum). It's just where the black finish is worn and the rubber behind it is whitish. I'm just wondering what is the easiest and most practical way to tidy it up a bit?

I thought maybe I could mask it off and spray black paint just on the top half and then seal that somehow (would shellac work). Would that be an improvement or would the paint just start popping off and would I be better off just to use it as is?

Attachment 252228

Never mind:) I was able to wipe most of that off with some metal polish. :)

It still smells like a wet dog! :)

So did the white come off leaving it black or did the black come off leaving it white?

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Originally Posted by RezDog

So did the white come off leaving it black or did the black come off leaving it white?

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The white came off leaving the black. Just soap and water did nothing but when I wiped it with Mother's aluminum polish it came off.

It's also odd in that it looks and smells as if it's never been used? It smells like a wet dog and it's very stiff and not splayed out at all.

It seems odd that it would have the white all over it and be unused. It may be that the bristles are not well used and the are in part stiff from being dried for a long time. I am no expert, just guessing. Oxyclean is often used to clean brushes, as is vinegar. A quick search would reveal some good instructions on how to use either.

What are the odds it might have received a new knot & then found itself in somebody's 'for sale' bin?