Brush Cleaner

[Craig Skinner]

I would like to know what you guy's are using to clean and take care of your expensive brushes?
I have some Master cleaner and preserver and that works fine with the acrylics I'm using right now but I'm going to venture out into oils,enamels and lacquers for my weathering techniques. So I have plenty of lacquer thinner in the garage but is that to potent? I don't want to ruin my expensive W & N brushes I purchased for figure painting or even my medium grade brushes that I'm using on my AFV kit. Will the lacquer thinner melt the styrene or destroy my brushes?

Penny for your thoughts!

[John Everett]

Lacquer thinner is just fine for plastics or paintbrushes. I've found over the years that the best thing for brush longevity is in storing them carefully and not allowing the bristles to come in contact with anything for a prolonged period of time. Even if you leave a paint soaked brush on the bench overnight, all might not be lost. It's a bit harsh, but even MEK (the active ingredient in plastic cement) will dissolve dried paint and generally return your neglected brush to nearly new condition.

Eventually, even the best brushes will die. But if you clean them often using the recommended thinners of water, mineral spirit, lacquer thinner or whatever for the paint you're using, they will live a long and productive life. My best figure brushes were purchased in Russia 7 years ago and still provide excellent detail application.

[Steve Hutchinson]

Hi Craig


I seem to chew the series 7 brushes
I always have a couple of spare 0 brushes as it is the main size I use for nearly everything.

I have a 1 for the blocking out of basic colour prior to shade and highlight, I haven't real used the 00, and 000 I bought, but they are there just in case.

I use a brush restorer to clean and restore during and after a paint session

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Margateartist-T ... B005JC8NQC

I am still using mine after a year + with many years use still to be had. ( Thanks Rob, it was your recommendation )

I only use Vallejo for heads and figures, so distilled water and the brush cleaner is great

As with the air brush use the cleaner recommended by the paint manufacturer,

I have Vallejo, Life color and tamiya cleaners for each type of air brush paint, so I guess brush paint will be the same

the only other thing I would recommend is to paint once & clean twice, I am a little OCD with AB and brush cleaning but so far so good

Steve H

[Craig Skinner]

Thanks for the posts guy's! Big help!
Steve I have some of the Masters brush cleaner that you posted a link to, it works great with the Mig & Vallejo acrylic paints I'm using. I guess I'm OCD to when it comes to keeping my brushes clean & airbrush! When I do purchase the oil,enamel,lacquer weathering products I will look at the recommended cleaner application. I was just curious if I could get away with the Turpentine or Lacquer thinner that I have in quantity out in my garage, sometimes I see that what you purchase from said model paint companies to use as clean up is very expensive in their small bottles and is just a common product that one can procure down at the local hardware store for a fraction of the price.

I to have purchased some Windsor & Newton # 7 series 1,2,3 for my future figure painting, they were very expensive so what ever is proper to take care of them is important to me, that being said I'm only going to use Vallejo acrylics for my figure painting so what I have (the Masters cleaner & preserver) is highly recommended for taking care of them.

[Justin Wooding]

Hi Craig,

I can't expand on any of the advice given here by John and Steve. Although i did read a tip in Finescale Modeler once that wetting your brush with water and dragging it on a bar of soap just before storing is good. I do it and it's amazing how much more crap comes out of it. Just drag it around till you get a nice lather. Don't go against the bristles of course.

And i can say, once your faithful brush has given up the ghost for painting, don't throw it in the bin, turn it into a weathering tool. Old brush are great for stipling, applying pigments, doing ground work, and any other application your imagination can find for them.

Hi Craig
I seem to chew the series 7 brushes

Hi Steve. You know, if you use your 7's for painting instead of chewing, they will last a lot longer!!

[Craig Skinner]

Thanks Woody! I'll have to try that tip!

[Edmund Forsythe]

Hi Craig


I seem to chew the series 7 brushes
I always have a couple of spare 0 brushes as it is the main size I use for nearly everything.

I have a 1 for the blocking out of basic colour prior to shade and highlight, I haven't real used the 00, and 000 I bought, but they are there just in case.

I use a brush restorer to clean and restore during and after a paint session

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Margateartist-T ... B005JC8NQC

I am still using mine after a year + with many years use still to be had. ( Thanks Rob, it was your recommendation )

I hope it's the wooden end , you can always cut that off and add another chewable piece .
I only use Vallejo for heads and figures, so distilled water and the brush cleaner is great

As with the air brush use the cleaner recommended by the paint manufacturer,

I have Vallejo, Life color and tamiya cleaners for each type of air brush paint, so I guess brush paint will be the same

the only other thing I would recommend is to paint once & clean twice, I am a little OCD with AB and brush cleaning but so far so good

Steve H

. I hope it's the wooden end , you can always trim that off and add another chewable piece .

[Steve Hutchinson]

You guys

[Craig Skinner]

It must be all the paint fumes their breathing Steve, lol..