Pretty sturdy pole setup. I used all but two poles for a two story wood burning stove pipe. I also used a shop vac as well with this. The bristles aren't as stiff as I expected.From what I can tell, it did the trick. Would recommend to anyone not wanting to fork over the change to pay for a cleaning. If you're even slightly handy, it's pretty easy. Took about an hour or so. Will hit it with occasional creosote to keep it in good shape!