Paint brush help

[Bungalow]

I Have 3 humbrol brushes where the bristles are stuck together in small clumps.what is the best thing to use to remove the clumps?

[John Symmons]

Hello Bungalow.

You don't say what paint caused the clumps. If it's Acrylic you should find soaking in meths or methyl alcohol should help, them wash in hot soapy water while still wet with meths. If it's emamel you could have a problem, but Tolurene ( If you can find it. ) or M.E.K. ( Humbrol used to market it as Universal Cleaner, but I believe the Health & Safety police have clamped down on it, and you could have trouble getting it. If all else fails try a proprietary brand of brush and or paint cleaner, just stay away from caustic soda as you could end up with bauld brushes.

To be honest, if the brushes are badly gummed up get new ones from your local Artist supply shop, as they'll never be the same again. You can now get excerlent nylon water colour brushes quite cheaply that it's hardly worth cleaning, them unless they're of special value to you.

 

Hope this helps.

Remember we do this for fun    John the Pom

[John Symmons]

PS. I see this is your first post; Welcome to the forum. It would be nice if you can give a small introduction to yourself in the New Member Introductions in the General Discussion Forum so others can welcome you.

Remember we do this for fun    John the Pom

[Bungalow]

Hello Bungalow.

You don't say what paint caused the clumps. If it's Acrylic you should find soaking in meths or methyl alcohol should help, them wash in hot soapy water while still wet with meths. If it's emamel you could have a problem, but Tolurene ( If you can find it. ) or M.E.K. ( Humbrol used to market it as Universal Cleaner, but I believe the Health & Safety police have clamped down on it, and you could have trouble getting it. If all else fails try a proprietary brand of brush and or paint cleaner, just stay away from caustic soda as you could end up with bauld brushes.

To be honest, if the brushes are badly gummed up get new ones from your local Artist supply shop, as they'll never be the same again. You can now get excerlent nylon water colour brushes quite cheaply that it's hardly worth cleaning, them unless they're of special value to you.

 

Hope this helps.

Remember we do this for fun    John the Pom

 

[Bungalow]

hello John

it was both enamels and acrylic that caused the problem.

[Kenneth ONeill]

One of the "best solvents" I've had recently is Plastruct "Plastic Weld" (ABS cement), or if you know a decorator's supplier that sells brush restorer (NB - These ideas will melt plastic brush handled and nylon bristles).

[peebeep]

Go down to your nearest DIY mega store and get some Polycell Polyclens and give the brushes a soaking overnight, it should do the trick for most paint media. Wash afterwards with some soapy water, then rinse with water. Soaking with any hot solvent will do the trick but prolonged soaking may damage the bristles. I've got some stuff that you squirt into petrol engines for cold starts that will take paint off anything, but would probably be pretty bad for the bristles. The real trick is to be fastidious with cleaning the brushes after use with appropriate solvents, then a wash with soapy water and rinse. 😉 

[Kenneth ONeill]

Paul, we can't "like" posts here or I would.

[Bungalow]

 

Thanks paul I'll try that

 

 

 

[Bungalow]

Go down to your nearest DIY mega store and get some Polycell Polyclens and give the brushes a soaking overnight, it should do the trick for most paint media. Wash afterwards with some soapy water, then rinse with water. Soaking with any hot solvent will do the trick but prolonged soaking may damage the bristles. I've got some stuff that you squirt into petrol engines for cold starts that will take paint off anything, but would probably be pretty bad for the bristles. The real trick is to be fastidious with cleaning the brushes after use with appropriate solvents, then a wash with soapy water and rinse. 😉 

 

 Thanks paul i'll try that

[Bungalow]

 On a sidenote (and a completely random subject), anybody know how to delete a post?

[peebeep]

Paul, we can't "like" posts here or I would.

"Like". 😆

[peebeep]

 On a sidenote (and a completely random subject), anybody know how to delete a post?

You can't, it has to be done by an admin. You can edit a post, but it's time limited.