Restoring brushes

[colin m]

How do you all restore your brushes. You know the ones, when they get damp (paint or water) start to impersonate a hedge hog, bristles at all angles.
I use acrylic 99% of the time, is there a chemical restoration 'thing' available.

Colin M..

 

[Awins]

Hi Colin I know exactly what you mean. I would like to think that I take care of my brushes but what you describe seems to happen far to often.
Anyway Abteiling 502 do two products. One is a cleaner / restorer and then there is a type if wax you can use to hold the shape.
Ive not used these but often thought about purchasing these products.
Cheers Alan

 

[colin m]

Hi Colin I know exactly what you mean. I would like to think that I take care of my brushes but what you describe seems to happen far to often.
Anyway Abteiling 502 do two products. One is a cleaner / restorer and then there is a type if wax you can use to hold the shape.
Ive not used these but often thought about purchasing these products.
Cheers Alan

A chemical solution sounds good. Cheers Alan

 

[stillp]

I'd left a brush full of paint in the garage, and only discovered it a few days later, but managed to recover it by leaving it soaking in Dettol for a few days, then cleaning as normal (soap and warm water).
Maybe worth a try?

Pete

 

[Lady Phoenix UK]

Id be lost without my Masters Brush Cleaner

https://www.jacksonsart.com/the-mas...dNyfhzVaSSnqBh779DYNoF9LyVXs7C1BoClpEQAvD_BwE

 

[John Rixon]

Really depends upon what sort of brushes we are talking about? Quality sable, sable or synthetic?

 

[colin m]

Really depends upon what sort of brushes we are talking about? Quality sable, sable or synthetic?

Certainly the last two, I might even have the odd quality one in my selection.

 

[John Rixon]

Certainly the last two, I might even have the odd quality one in my selection.
View attachment 289454

Your sables look like they need a bit of TLC, You might like to try old-fashioned brush restorer, you know, the blue stuff (polyclens??) you soak the brushes then wash them through with cold water, works very well. When I say soak them, I mean use a clothes peg to keep the bristles suspended in the liquid (Obvs NEVER leave any brush standing in any liquid, guaranteed to ruin them).

Acrylic paint is tricky to remove from the place it hurts most, i.e. at the ferrule end (it's this build up that causes the bristles to start spreading outwars).
Mr Muscle is very good at softening the old paint, so you might want to try this first. Cellulose Thinners can be used as a last resort, but to be honest, Mr Muscle Blue window cleaner is excellent!
But... prevention is better than cure in this instance, and I'd heartly recommend a more robust cleaning regime, especially with any good sables you own. I have a bottle of Mr Muscle handy at all times, I first wash the majority of paint out in water, run the brush over a kitchen towel to dry it, then give it a good workout in the Mr Muscle, ending up by holding the brush, bristles outward, in your hand, and gently digging your thumbnail into the bristles right at the ferrule, you will see little particles being dislodged as you push the nail forward. As soon as you see the particles, shake the brush in some clean water and repeat until clean!
This takes a while, but if you own 40 odd brushes, it'll save you a fortune, and many brushes improve with normal use, so it's a win win.

 

[John Rixon]

Id be lost without my Masters Brush Cleaner

https://www.jacksonsart.com/the-mas...dNyfhzVaSSnqBh779DYNoF9LyVXs7C1BoClpEQAvD_BwE

I've not tried this stuff, mostly as I've rarely need it, any idea what's in it?

 

[Tony]

I will be perfectly honest with you and say "chuck them away or use for weathering etc".

I have bought a multitude of special products over the years that get recommended as the best ever brush restorers. Some actually work to a point but at the end of the day that brush wil never be as good as a new one.

Truth is that unless your brush is a family heirloom maybe past down through the ages from holbein or the like you are better off just buying a new brush.

 

[colin m]

This takes a while, but if you own 40 odd brushes, it'll save you a fortune, and many brushes improve with normal use, so it's a win win

Brilliant reply John, thanks for taking time to respond. Actually, I nearly PM'ed my question to you, but thought others would be interested in the answer /answers. So I posted in the forum and hoped you would spot it. You did, thanks again.

 

[colin m]

I will be perfectly honest with you and say "chuck them away or use for weathering etc".

I often do this with decorating brushes ! Only because they are comparatively so big, and take lots of cleaning up.