Fraying

[ricanboy57]

What have I done to deserve this?? Lol. Is this typical with GW brushes or did I do something really wrong to mess up the brush?? If so is there anything I can do to take better care of the brush? Or any tips in general on how to keep any brush from fraying. Like from the picture I\'ve been using Reaper brushes with much success, but recently I\'ve been using Citadel Paints so I figuered it be better to use the Gameworkshop brushes. Any help would be great. Thanks.

 

[vincegamer]

Very little personal experience, but everything I\'ve heard suggests this is typical.
It is NEVER better to use Citadel brushes.

Of course I use only synthetics, so take it for what it\'s worth.

 

[james sequeira]

dont use gw brushes except for drybrushing lol

 

[ricanboy57]

Well I should have asked before I went out and bought the brushes, (I\'ll learn one day to ask for help FIRST)
Is there anything I can do to help my other brushes from fraying? I know they will go to crap eventualy, but I don\'t want to go out and replace my brushes every mini.

 

[james sequeira]

vallejos basic ones are cheaper and good

 

[Starks333]

a few things to help prevent it:

-dont let the paint get up into where the brissels come out of the metal thing

-avoid warm water when cleaning

-store them with their caps

-dont let them sit in the water dish

-after cleaning slide your finger down to put the brush back into a point

-use designated brushes for drybrushing and priming etc

-and finally pay for good brushes, dont be cheap!

probably some more but those are what i do

Starks

 

[freakinacage]

not much i can add to this article really. personally, i have a sponge with detergent in it by my desk. i rinse the brush pull it over the surface of the sponge and then rinse again. every now and again (i paint very rarely) i use brush soap on them

i have a gw brush that i have had for about 6 years. mind you i think it\'s as much about luck as it is with brush care for that one!

 

[marineboy]

Lick the brush to help it regain its point --- they seem to like that.:innocent:

 

[Wolf Fang]

very interesting.... ive head my fine detail brush for about a year and a half now and use it ALL the time and it till quite pointy my sandard brush keeping its point 2 so i dont know htat to tell you! mind you my fine detail WAS fraying.... however i simply puleed the bristles lightly between 2 flat objects gave it a lick and BAM pointy as ever!!!

 

[airhead]

don\'t stand it up on it\'s heel right after you clean it. The water in the bristles runs down into the ferrule. Let them dry on their side or even better - pointed slightly down (but not resting on the bristles)

Get some Winsor & Newton brush cleaner, a clear liquid in a bottle. Get a small paper clamp. Clamp the brush so that just the bristles and a bit of the ferrule are in the liquid. Let set overnight. Next day, rinse, and see the gunk come out of the bristles as you pull it across your cleaner.

 

[ricanboy57]

What about simply paint thinner?? Is that bad for the brushes? And if your suppossed to avoid warm water are you suppossed to use hot water or cold water?? And are you serious about the licking part? sounds a little dangerous. lol

 

[freakinacage]

Originally posted by ricanboy57
And are you serious about the licking part? sounds a little dangerous. lol

man - you\'ve started the hobby - thats the dangerous part. it\'s downhill from now on.... you\'ll be chewing on greenstuff next!!

 

[Ritual]

Do a search in this forum for brush licking and you will have plenty of interesting (and entertaining) reading! lol

 

[DrEvilmonki]

Originally posted by ricanboy57
What about simply paint thinner?? Is that bad for the brushes? And if your suppossed to avoid warm water are you suppossed to use hot water or cold water?? And are you serious about the licking part? sounds a little dangerous. lol

Paint thinner will eat the glue. I use brush soap on mine with warm water then shape the brush to a point and leave to dry (on it\'s side - I will start doing that thanks airhead).

Licking it dangerous? Dude I\'m lucky if I don\'t have a multi colour tongue after a painting session. Most of the brands of paint are non toxic.

 

[airhead]

Originally posted by ricanboy57
What about simply paint thinner?? Is that bad for the brushes?

Paint thinner is for oil based paints. W&N brush restorer is designed to get latex paints out of the ferrule. Way back when I started, we used oil based paints (Pactra military, Testors, Humbrol, etc.) But the water based stuff is so much easier to use.

And if your suppossed to avoid warm water are you suppossed to use hot water or cold water??

room temp or cold tap.. Hot water might soften the glue used to hold the bristles in the ferrule - usually it is a rubber based cement or a hot melt glue.

And are you serious about the licking part? sounds a little dangerous. lol

All of the latex paints I\'ve seen are non-toxic (again as opposed to oil-based enamels) I wouldn\'t tip up a bottle of paint and drink it though. After cleaning and rinsing, I often pull the brush through my lips to repoint it before setting it aside.

At the end of each session, I run all the brushes used through some \"The Masters Brush Soap\" There are other brush soaps out there as well but I have not used them. This stuff has some lanolin in it to recondition the hairs.
Wet brush, swirl around on soap, scrub brush by swirling around on palm of hand, pull across towell - if paint comes out, repeat - else lick & retip - set aside to dry.

I\'ve had some W&N brushes go for 3 years with use 2 to 5 sessions a week.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Originally by Airhead

I\'ve had some W&N brushes go for 3 years with use 2 to 5 sessions a week.

I\'ve got two Winsor & Newtons which are now 10 years old. Used so much I\'ve rubbed off the gold lettering so I don\'t know what size they are.

I usually clean my brushes at least after ever figure, but not neseccarily after every session.
Storing them on their side is de-riguer, but Hot Water would have to be almost scalding to destroy the glue in the ferrule.
(Had a conversation with Winsor & Newton about their brushes following a buyers survey I completed.)

@ricanboy; the Reaper brushes are showing signs of Curling , hopefully you are not using your painting brushes to mix the paint? Save your old GW\'s for that.

 

[Klute]

I think GW are ok if you look after them and pick decent ones. Im sure Eric J will back me up on that. I dont use them now though.
Dont use thinners on any natural fibre brush.

 

[nick stavrou]

ricanboy57 GWbrushes

go to your local craft store and by ,acrylic remover,2,brush restorer the 2cond works only on real hair brushes.

 

[Trevor]

That brush looks like it was bad to start with. You have to pick and choose brushes.

You should see me in the shop stood there licking brushes and holding them up to see the point, \'painting\' on my finger nails to test the point. Usually takes me 20 mins to find one I like

 

[GreenOne]

Originally posted by ricanboy57
And are you serious about the licking part? sounds a little dangerous.

man - you\'ve started the hobby - thats the dangerous part. it\'s downhill from now on.... you\'ll be chewing on greenstuff next!!

lol.. him addicted to some greenstuff too!

Seriously, paints are hard to digest... no, no... Just watch out not to base coat your stomach. Once your tongue is colored properly you can give it a wash and drybrushing to finish the job.

Licking is the best way to keep\'em tight ( Applies to more than brusheslol)
I\'m even starting to like the taste of it... Inks are awful though, don\'t ever do that mistake^^

I found normal soap does a decent job, just rinse thoroughly... I press my nail on the bristle to remove dry paint and debris.

About GW brushes, I have some and they\'re not soo bad, but if we consider the profit margins of GW, they must be worth half what they cost.
The best brushes I\'ve seen came with a gouache set for kids, don\'t remember the brand; still blows my mind.