Paint Brushes?

[Jackpine]

Rayco supply, Speedball lettering book, Chromatic lettering enamel. I keep my brushes in mineral oil, palette them out on a piece of glass and lay them out. clean with a "swishing" in mineral spirits to use. Practice on newspaper turned sideways and use the columns for your guide.

 

[OldPaint]

my lettering brushes lay in 10W non-degergent motor oil. i was lucky to buy an old sign painters box 8-10 yrs ago..........he did the same thing. right now i can go out in the shop open up his old box, take out a brush, wash it in turp/mineral spirits and use it and then clean, back in the motor oil......most other oils seem to disipate over time not motor oil.
some old guys used lard. its good if you live in the snow and cold country, but here in the south, the bugs, if they can get to you brushes with lard on em.........ITS A MEAL))))

 

[signage]

I have a question on keeping the brushes in oil. Why is this done and do you use something to suspend them or what in the oil? I would think if the sit on the bristles in the oil they would be ruined! Picture may help!

 

[showcase 66]

Rayco supply, Speedball lettering book, Chromatic lettering enamel. I keep my brushes in mineral oil, palette them out on a piece of glass and lay them out. clean with a "swishing" in mineral spirits to use. Practice on newspaper turned sideways and use the columns for your guide.

Good Idea about the newspaper. Definitely going to keep that in mind for him.

I have a question on keeping the brushes in oil. Why is this done and do you use something to suspend them or what in the oil? I would think if the sit on the bristles in the oil they would be ruined! Picture may help!

I was wondering the same thing. The brushes I have are not the nicest and I have probably ruined them by letting them sit in the leather case they were in.

 

[Gino]

One main reason. Hygiene.

It's next to impossible to get 100% of the paint out of your brush, especially the heal. You don't want to clean it with too harsh of chemicals or just like your own hair it will start to split and break away and you'll quickly lose a brush. Letting them dry will also let the paint in the heal dry and your brush over time will hold less and less paint, thus creating a new feel every so often. Yes, you will get a feel for each and every brush. If you're really into hand-painting, you'll probably have several brushes of the same kind and size going all at the same time. Some you will keep for dark colors, while others for lighter colors and some just for certain types of lettering. As you break a brush in, it will literally become an extension of your fingers and wrist. Some will turn perfectly in your hand while others will pull differently. Nothing worst then putting a good brush which has made you thousands upon thousands of dollars to rest before it's time. Generally, they get a hair cut and a #8 will become a #6 and so on.

Anyway, you keep them oiled to keep them in shape. The next time you use it, you might even see a little of the last color ooze out when cleaning.

They're not drippin' wet with oil. Maybe a drop or so and you squeeze it together, reshape the hair and put it to rest quietly and safely until the next time.

Here's some water brushes for lettering posters and shocards, oil brushes for almost anything else, retired brushes for lettering odds & end things like sandblasted signs, backgrounds and pictorials and an old traveling kit which can hold pretty much anything. You can see some of the bags say Dick Blick on them.

 

[signage]

Thanks for the info Gino!

Ok so all you do is put some oil on them to keep from drying out

 

[Gino]

Essentially, yes. You still clean them out before oiling them.

There's other things that happen with oiling them. If you washed them out real hard and let them dry... they'd take on some new shapes or you might lose more hair while painting. You don't oil water brushes. I understand there are some water soluble treatments for brushes, but I never did that.

 

[OldPaint]

1st thing you do with a lettering brush that you will use in oil based paint, the day you buy it.............you put in a tray that will allow the 10W MOTOR OIL to cover it completly. now leave it in that oil for at least 24 hours.
the reason for this is what other refer to as THE HEEL, of the brush, this is the point where all the hairs come together, then is inserted into the Ferrule. in most brushes its metal, plastic or some organice material. the metal is pinched to hold the hairs, the quill type is twist tied with copper wire. at that point is where paint will build up even when cleand properly. soaking the brush in 10W motor oil, will allow the oil to reside in the heel...........rather then paint. paint kills the brush when it builds up in the heel.
HAIR....is exactly what most good lettering brushed are. FRENCH SQUIRREL HAIR. the rodent is caught, the hairs are removed from the tail. reason the tail hairs...........because of their lenght, strength and color....GREY or BROWN. each has a quailty unto its own. browns tend to be longer lasting and withstand more use, greys are finer and softer for doing work without brush lines. back to the HAIR.....these hairs are removed from the squirrel by plucking them outa the skin. the skin end goes into the furrel, the other end of the hair is a perfect POINT!!! so when you put a group together, it will not leave brush marks, or "hollywoods" we call them, holes or hollows in the paint you just laid down. also they tend to flow paint better and cut clean edges.
the reaso you keep them in oil is they are a natural material...like your hair, without oil it dries out, cracks and will disintegrate with out oil.

 

[Dave Drane]

I have a question on keeping the brushes in oil. Why is this done and do you use something to suspend them or what in the oil? I would think if the sit on the bristles in the oil they would be ruined! Picture may help!

Vaseline may also be used if they are being used often. Neatsfoot oil is also very good as it is thin and penetrates the stock. I store mine in a block of styrene foam. I poke the handle into it with the bristles at the top. After use rub the bristle between your finger and thumb To "shape" it ready for storage.

 

[GAC05]

Very interesting info on the care and feeding of lettering brushes.

wayne k
guam usa

I also learned from OP to wear gloves if I ever find myself in a shop full of trannys....

 

[Jillbeans]

Mineral oil, as mentioned, is also a great choice. I do not use motor oil or transmission fluid on my brushes, ever. I think those are "dirty" and can make you get fish eyes in your paint if not thoroughly rinsed out.
I have used vaseline on my brushes when travelling (a tip from John Jordan) and it does work well. Some of my brushes are stored oiled and shaped, in a tin box. The older cheaper brushes I store laid flat in a thin layer of baby oil in my sign kit.
(My dear old sign pal stores all his long brushes immersed in motor oil, and his fitches are cleaned, wrapped neatly in phone book pages to keep their shape, and stored bristles-down in a tin case containing a mix of motor oil and turpentine)
You never want to let a brush soak hairs-down in thinner too long as it ruins their shape.
I know someone who uses "people" hair conditioner on their brushes but I was always afraid to try it.

 

[signage]

Thank you all for the info!

 

[FatCat]

Lots of good info here. Many thanks to the lettering veterans for posting this.

 

[showcase 66]

Thanks for the info guys. Going to print out the reasons why you need to oil the brushes when not in use. Will definitely pass that info on.

 

[Jackpine]

Ditto! Huge difference in lettering with quills vs artist brushes.

Jill has the best suggestion so far!

Do not get hin artist brushes ... he will need lettering brushes!

 

[Jackpine]

The hair doesn't get dry and brittle. The hair will break. As the brush wears, it will change shape.

I have a question on keeping the brushes in oil. Why is this done and do you use something to suspend them or what in the oil? I would think if the sit on the bristles in the oil they would be ruined! Picture may help!