How to clean synthetic paintbrushes and fix hooked tips
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ส.ค. 2020
- Here's a quick, easy, and cheap way to revive your affordable synthetic brushes.
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Here are some useful links for stuff we use. Amazon gives us a few pennies if you buy using these, at no extra cost to you!
The wall-mounted paint rack I use: geni.us/nailpolishrack
The voiceover microphone I use: geni.us/PodcastPro
The painting lamp I use: geni.us/DaylightLumi
The “hobby cam” I use for livestreams: geni.us/LogiBrioWebcam
My favourite headphones: geni.us/BeyerDT770Pro
The camera I used in 2020: geni.us/mwm50
The camera I use now: geni.us/SonyAlpha728-70
How I mount my camera to my desk: geni.us/SmallrigDeskClamp
My airbrush compressor: geni.us/AirbrushCompressor
My airbrush: geni.us/IwataAirbrush
The airbrush set I started with: geni.us/RevellAirbrush
A great model paint starter set: geni.us/VallejoPaintSet
A great beginner paint brush set: geni.us/RLTaklon
Cheap brushes for detail work: geni.us/RLDetailTaklon
#brushcare #paintingtips #paintingwarhammer - บันเทิง
0:50 These techniques are also useful if you want to use the water for other hobby projects such as making a cup of tea, cooking pasta or having a very uncomfortable bath.
I find thinning the boiling water with some water helps apply it to the bath better. about 130 litres of water should do it.
Idea for a vid: Top 10 Tips for more delicious paintwater.
For those times you forget which cup is your tea and which is your paint water and accidently drink the wrong one.
While boiling baths are nice, just remember that third-degree burns are best taken in shifts.
@@racek87 that's why I make one tea and one coffee. Paint water tastes better caffeinated.
Exactly what I needed ! I keep murdering my brushes after like 5 minis.
How often are you rinsing your brush? I find that it's best for me to rinse it after every section of a miniature I paint
I rinse the brush whenever I change the colour I’m painting, so I’m probably not doing it often enough.
@@Babyluigikarting Yeah, that's definitely not enough
I rinse mine pretty often, but what I end up doing to them still qualifies as genocide.
Same
Important tip: if washing them in boiling water dont dip the brush beyond the top of the metal ferrule. The boiling water can get inside the metal part and melt/wash away the glue. Then the bristles will come out and stick to your models.
Really wish I read the comment section before following these instructions or that the creator would’ve given a warning 😡
Thanks for the tip
Remember, always just the tip
Most bristles are attached with a two part epoxy. Boiling water will not melt that.
@@Weaver_Games "Run Coward" cool icon. I didn't know this, but I know I've destroyed a brush in the past with boiling water. Maybe it isn't so much of an issue these days?
3:07 EVEN IN DEATH I STILL SERVE
Dreadbrush!
...like a leaf... in summer provides shade and clorophile, in the fall the amazing colors and once dead on the ground it rots and becomes food for his master....
ONLY IN DEATH DOES DUTY END
As a cheapskate modeler, I LOVE this video! When there are absolutely NO bristles left on the brush, the handle is great for tree armatures, small dowels, or even flight bases, if you're not too picky about them being clear.
You can buy clear handle paint brushes.
@@Jimalcoatl Genius idea!
You, good sir, are the hero we need AND deserve
OH YOU
03:00 moment of silence for the veteran brush. It gave its life in service of the Emperor Midwinter.
03:12 Time to transfer this hero into a dreadnought via a few snips. Even in death it shall serve!
We Sault you brush
last time i was this early, Chaos Androids were still murdering Squats
I member!
Though, I dont remember squats in Space Crusade.. ;)
Assembly_Language ya, that’s a miss on my side, tho the ways of Iммateriuм are strange...
Nice
I have a bunch of those block Android's still. Wtf
Been painting models 25 years, worked for GW for five years and I'm still learning some things that feel like they should be basic. XD Great video
GW?? how was it?
I finally have a use for my matt clay after losing my hair. Thanks.
Great video. Just want to add one more important tip: Dont let your brushes stand up when they dry. Water will soak into the wooden handle. The wood will expand and the head of the brush becomes loose. Brushes should lay down to dry :)
I trained up as an illustrator and this is news to me! Brb, got 20 years of paint brushes to fix.
Great video, but one small thing: some brushes can be really really damaged by dipping into hot or boiling water. The hair is kept bunched together by glue in the ferrule. Hot water can dissolve this glue and actually worsen your fraying or even cause fraying on a perfectly shaped brush. This won't happen every time, but it's a risk you should be aware of.
I think you just don't dip it all the way to where the wood handle and the metal thingy meets, cause that's where the glue is
This just happened to me. Ruined a bunch of brushes doing this just now
Yyyyu
Never thought of hair clay, just used a bar of soap. I'll give it a go. After painting over 400 Napoleonic 15mm figs and going through only two brushes, I think I've done well.
Most excellent
Can the hair product technique work on natural hair red grass game kolisky sable hair brushes? I got one recently and it’s shit at keeping its shape
@@stonkotron319 Redgrass brushes are overrated. I got a pair with their first wet palette KS (also overhyped, though the second iteration is exactly what we hoped for the first time) and they didn't hold up well, despite the fact that I take very good care of my brushes.
Thanks, I love these types of videos. Great to see inexpensive options, tools and techniques. I always feel like I make almost any brush work and nice to see how to rejuvenate even these inexpensive brushes.
I really do love these tutorials you have. Mostly because all of your stuff is usable for people who are on the ground painting stuff for their personal hobby use instead of something that you'll spend a week painting and put up on a shelf.
Thanks for this, Guy. Everyone only talks about care for expensive sable brushes, but not the cheap stuff. This'll help me a lot as I use mostly synthetics.
You know this channel is the best, just perfect, wholesome and helpful. Music is spot on as well
Less than 5 minutes and 100% informational. Bravo!
This is such gold, in way less you explained so much more than other videos. LOVE IT.
Huge thanks, this saved my brushes! I started the hobby recently and the kits are greatly expensive (so are the tiny brushes...), so prolonging the life of what I have is a huge life saver. Thank you again!
Just came across your channel and your enthusiasm towards Warhammer is just simply contagious! Keep up the great work! Subscribed!
Bless your heart guy, I've struggled learning how to fix and clean my brushes for ages. This is great 👍
THANK YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!
FINELY, SOMETHING WORTH WATCHING!
This is the video I was looking for when I started painting 40K!
I'm glad future hobbyists will have less painful starts than I had, thanks Guy!
I needed this for my crispy brushes today
What a great, educational video with a truely uplifting narration. Just what I needed.
Thank you very much.
This video provides insight and advice you could charge money for, yet you gave it so generously with excellent narrative.
I've just finished painting my necrons and your first video really helped!
This is perhaps the most timely possible video for me. Just the other day I was agonizing over whether I should continue on a rather complex free handing job with my current beat-up brushes or just nip out and get a nice new one with a dagger sharp point. You have saved me the decision and the money!
Thank you for teaching me the hand crevice trick turns out that all I needed
Great video! Solid info, excellent photography and editing and not a single second wasted. Will definitely try these techniques!
Honestly, thank you so much for this video!
For a reason I haven't figured out yet, a lot of my brushes seem to die quite quickly, and I couldn't find, either on the internet or at my local art shop, any brush maintenance tips other than spitting on the bristles to re-shape them. But I did what's here in this video and my brushes are so much better now! It even restored some of the brushes I thought to be dead to a state that are usable! Thank you so much!
Hi guys, Guy here from Midwinter Minis. All you need to do is walk around Colchester until you've found enough hobby supplies on the floor or in bins, and then you'll just need to throw them in the vague direction of your models. Then, you clean up any mistakes you've made, and in less than 18 seconds, you've got a fully painted 2,000 point army.
My channel in a nutshell
@@MidwinterMinis It's great. Never change.
Holy hells dude, you have no idea how much of a blessing this video is for me. Thanks a tonne!
Doing this for 17 years and I still learned something, thanks!. Great video Guy! ;)
I'm an artist, and a commercial industrial painter. There is nothing wrong with using thinners, or higher grade solvents, as long as you use them properly, and with respect to the type of bristles you are cleaning. The idea is to dissolve the paint out, and leave the bristle clean. Once that is achieved, then returning the bristles to a stable PH is required, removing any residual solvent in short order. If you use high heat, you could soften the epoxy in the hilt that holds your bristles in place, being just as bad or worse than using solvent. There are two main things I use for cleaning away solvents, Dawn dishwashing soap, followed by fabric softener, Dawn is high PH, and fabric softener is low, returning the bristles to neutral. To get out stubborn paint and heavy buildup, the solvent in conjunction with a fine wire brush will do the trick, getting into all the areas nearest the hilt removing and breaking up all the things. Your work arounds are only clever if you do not consider a more successful method.
I don't paint minis; I'm practicing painting in watercolour and this gives me more confidence to use my more expensive brushes. Cheers!
The best art advice I was ever given was “Use your materials.” Don’t hold off using your good tools. The right tools can change everything about how you create. My weakness was discovering Robert Simmons’ Titanium brushes. They completely transformed how I felt when working with oil and large canvases. True joy. Don’t wait. Use your materials. That’s what they’re there for!
Always such helpful videos! Thanks as always
Awesome, needed a tip to fix my frayed brush, love the hair wax idea I’m trying it straight away! Thank you 🙏🏼
I've been struggling with hooked synths for a while now. I cant get ne new brushes atm, and this did the trick nicely 👌 not used the clay but just a quick clean in boiling water and vinegar helped reshaped the tips. Thankyou so much, saved me some money for now and given me hope to be able to carry on with my models 👍
So I've been teaching my son to paint.
This has also meant that many of my brushes were sacrificed in the process...
And because I'm Dad, he knows best and TH-cam becomes handy for validating me 🤣
So, thanks for this, I'll send him the link to watch and maybe he can rescue the 13 brushes he has.... acquired from me!
Free labour! Haha
@@MidwinterMinis I do believe that the term free is subjective. I have bought his plastic crack and also fed and clothed him his entire life. I believe he owes me..... 🤣🤣🤣
They say it is better to teach a man to fish than simply give him the fish. With kids you have to give him the fish first so they can watch and learn while they eat lol.
Fish? Pizza and Pepsi my man!
This is awesome. Thanks for main these helpful videos. Keep up the good work.
You have no idea how much I needed this video
You actually listened! I suggested this when you asked for ideas not long ago
I just love the Miniature painting community, it doesn't matter with what issue i'm confronted, there are dozens of tutorials about that specific problem. Keep it up y'all
Legend! Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Very practical & innovative approaches to paint brush maintenance!
This is easily one of the most useful painting tutorials available. Thank you
I always heard NOT to do this because the hot water will melt the adhesive that helps hold the bristles in place.
But will still try!
If it's a bin it or boil it situation you can risk some damage to the ferrel glue. Am using this to bring back a lot of borked brushes that master brush soap cannot help, some of them may die bug it's a sacrifice I am willing to make.
Thanks for the brush saving tip. I thought my brushes were going to need something expensive to fix them. You’re literally a brush life saver.
Absolutely awesome, thanks for this
Last time I was this early I had usable brushes
Here within the first hour, got my name read out, and got a handy tip that will save all my brushes. Oh, what a joyous day.
You rock Sir. Thanks for the tips!
Excellent and just what I needed today! Thank you so much
I can't help to think that you're smiling when you're speaking.
Also great vid, helped me immensely!
For my brushes I use a regular bar of soap instead of hair care products and it works well too. Great video 👍
finaly! a video about brushes! thank you
Best tutorial I've seen all year!
Great tips! The Hair Clay is a new one on me... Will have to give that a shot. I like that the procedure is non-toxic. But most brushes with caked on dry paint are not truly shot. Soak them in Acetone for a minute or so, just long enough to release the dried up paint. Soak for too long the glue in the ferrule could come loose, but I've had decent luck with doing this to revive seemingly useless or spent brushes. Use some leave in hair or brush conditioner to soften the bristles and they're back to being usable again (though not "good as new"). Won't work on all brushes, but you can bring most back to a state that they can at least be used for other tasks (not fine painting).
To reshape my brushes I just wipe them back and forth on a BAR of Ivory soap. YOU shape them with your fingers and let them dry with the soap still in them. Then once you are ready to use them again, just rinse them first before you start to paint. They hold the shape better than anything I have tried ..ever.
Thanks for this Guy. Decades in the hobby but this sort of stuff is always useful.
I love all your practical vids! Thank you for all the great tips! :)
An additional tip: Don't use hot water for your regular painting... It can cause the ferrule to expand, which will allow pigment to get lodged in there, and will make it so you need to use the above technique sooner then ever.
Watching Midwinter Minis on a shitty day feels like coming home after a long journey.
I needed this. I have loads of brushes I don't use do to hooking and fraying. Thank you. First i got my eldar scheme from you and now this. You are the best
Very useful advice as always. Thanks Guy!
Have a good day everybody!
Thank you 🙏
Just a word of warning about heating water in a microwave. You need to be very careful if doing this as it can be heated above it normal it's normal boiling temperature and become superheated. This can cause it to basically vaporise into boiling steam instantly and explode.
Great tips on saving your brushes though. The matte clay one is a thing of genius. Probably just better to use a kettle and use the remainder for a cup of tea.
wanted to point that out as well, can backfire quite harshly.
Had it happen to me before I knew better. Was scary but luckily didn't hurt me
Is this info from the same panicky scientists advising Boris Johnson?
Although dangerous it is quite an interesting effect when you superheat coffee then go to stir it with a spoon. Nice little fountain of coffee. 10/10 would not suggest🤣
Thanks for the tips I’ve always needed to know this
This is amazing I’ve been looking for a cheap and easy way to clean and fix my brush tips thank you so much!!!
Thank you very much, I've started painting only recently (after around 20 years of grey minis ^^") and your channel, together with other ones and a couple of GW painting manuals, really helps me. Just one question: isn't it dangerous to use boiled water to clean brushes? I though the basic advice was to always use cool water. Perhaps is because one thing is to clean them normally during your painting and another one is to fix the most compromised ones?
That feeling when you have the same kettle as midwinter minis
Edit: That feeling when you also have the same hair gel as midwinter minis
But do you have the same pan as him... yes i do... think i have the gel too as not used it since i went grade 0 for lockdown lol
Thank you so much!! Fixing my brushes will really help me not get so frustrated 💜💜
Great idea! Thanks for posting.
Excellent vid, but I'll add again in case anyone didn't catch it somehow: Do NOT use this method on expensive, natural brushes. It will destroy your investment quickly.
Most natural brushes will be absolutely fine. In fact, natural brushes are generally a lot more resistant to caustic liquids than synthetic ones. A few million years of evolution (and having your life depend on your fur's ability to handle a bit of acid) can do wonders. ;-)
The problem with boiling water and solvents is that some brushes (both natural and synthetic) rely on glue inside the ferrule to keep the bristles in place, and whatever you use to get paint and glue off the bristles can also weaken _that_ glue.
It's been decades since I used to paint miniatures, however I had a habit that pretty much prevented me from having to ever clean my brushes....I literally had my paintbrush in my mouth most of the time, usually rinsing between two cups of water between working and having it in my mush. This kept the tips of my points clean, tight and even, and I made sure that I never had any metallics in my mouth at any point....or at least, made sure they were cleaned first. Non-toxic, definitely.
Thank you , Guy .
🐺
Thank you, Guy! This video will really help me in painting my first minis!
Getting my first 40k miniature set. Got 10x Adeptus Mechanicus Rangers. Just a start, I'm used to military miniatures so I'm hoping some skills translate over. Thanks for the videos for reference!
Yesss I love admech
I would definitely recommend you paint your dudes without attaching the legs to the torsos. It makes painting the inside of the capes infinitely easier ;)
@@Babyluigikarting That's something I was curious about. I know from experience and from a few videos lol. I'll be getting new paints but anyone know if Testors (what I currently have) would be any good for these models? I'm sure they would work, but do they have much value when it comes to 40k minis?
@@samj8421 Ive been lore diving for a long time and they interested me from day 1. Also enjoying 40k: Ad Mech Heretek on the switch lately lol
@@Plaguedice If the testors you have is the enamel paints I would switch to ny good acrylic paint, the are water soluble and much easier to use , GW, Vallejo, Reaper or army painter..what ever fits your budget.
Hey, this looks good and I’ll definitely give it a go. I had heard that you shouldn’t use hot water to clean your brushes as it can start to melt the glue that holds the bristles in place, but if the brush is past it anyway, what’s to lose?
I am very glad how big you have become! Your production value really gets up their too!
The solution is so simple, and so obvious... but I never would've thought of it by myself. Thanks Guy!
I’m a Dapper Dan man!
Ha!
I can only find that matt clay for $15 per. Any other ideas for a product that would work?
any cheap hair clay should do, just make sure it's matte (not gel). your local supermarket or pharmacy should stock it
Your local hobby store that sells artist painting supplies (oils on canvas type of seller) should have a few pots or bars of masters brush soap. Wet the recently cleaned brush and run the bristles across the masters soap. Not looking to suds up again just getting a little diluted film. Then shape your brush close as you can to it’s correct shape without rinsing things off. I often make use of the crook between my thumb and index finger for this bit. Vince Ventruella (search for hobby cheating) has a nice vid on brush care. Most of the time if you do the masters soap to clean and reshape you shouldn’t need to do this videos kind of deep cleaning very often.
I find your vids so entertaining and useful
THANK you
See never would have considered this. Gotta love the hobby, learn something new everyday!
Me: Lives in a place where Matt clay doesn’t exist*
Also me: In the grim darkness of the current present I don’t have a none greasy hair care product for brush cleaning
Just use a little conditioner. It will rinse right out and not affect your paint next time you use it.
Just ordered Matt Clay on Amazon. I guess this does also apply to natural brush?
For sure, but natural hair brushes tend to behave a little bit better, that's why they're 10 times the price ;)
I'd use specialized brush soap for real hair brushes. You want to preserve their natural oils.
I don’t know if I’m just very high rn but I’m so excited to try this out in the morning
This is great thank you I have hope I can sort out my brushes with these tips.
1:30 -- That low-key "Don't do this. Only villains do this." gesture was 10/10.
I have a question that's been bugging me since I watched this video. I've always read and been told buy fellow hobbyists and even traditional painters that you should never use water above a luke-warm temperature as it will soften and weaken the glue that mounts the bristles into the ferrule. This would lead to bristle loss and brush death sooner than later. So, why boiling water if this is the case? Is this actually true or basically an artists equivalent to an "old wives tale"? Really curious to know. Thanks.
I think if you're only doing this with brushes that would otherwise get tossed because they were too filled with paint and glue, then it doesn't matter as much because you're getting a few more uses out of it. For not-trashed-yet brushes I use Pink Soap to clean them
@@LexLaptopCoffee Also, you're using it for a few seconds at a time. Maybe it does damage them if you do it on the regular, but if it's just every now and then to revive them, it doesn't really have time to do much damage.
It does fix the shape of the bristles. It also melts the glue especially if you dip brushes beyond the top of the metal ferrule. Personally I just use a little boiling water and just dip the bristles.
Boiling water is needed to soften the plastic/acrylic that forms the paint.
I plan on painting Miniatures as a new year resolution and this was a very helpful tip.
Oh man, i have so many brushes that could use this treatment. Thanks for the great tips!
Me: looks at pile of warped brushes and feel sad
Guy: "here's how to fix your warped brushes"
Me: °-°
Be VERY careful about the type of brush that you use these cleaning techniques on! Some brushes have bristles which are held by a glue which is sensitive to heat. This means your brush could be losing its bristles / hairs when you clean them with hot water as shown here.
Of course, if your brush is ruined anyway, you might wanna risk it, but if you are just looking to get your brushes in a bit better shape, make sure hot water won't ruin them.
I love your videos there always such help especially if your a miniature enthusiast on a budget
Probably one of your best tips! and now my brushes have good tips