How did this brush die?

Splurch

Splurch

New member
So a little background. I've got a friend who comes over about once a week to paint some of his 15mm minis. Being somewhat new to the hobby I offered to let him borrow brushes, palettes etc. He's mostly borrowed a size 1 Da Vinci miniture brush and has been painting off and on for somewhat under 2 years. This last week the bristles kind of fell off. He noticed it at first when the there were significantly less bristles to paint with after he prepped and tried painting with the brush. I experimentally pulled the few bristles that were left in the center and they came right off, leaving the stub of bristle you see in the image. I've never encountered this before. It almost seems like something ate away a line through the bristles and weakened them. Only thing I can think of as a potential is that I've got the glass jars with coils on the bottom for brush cleaning, maybe he's pushing too vigorously and eventually just wore it down? I've got an identical make/model brush that was purchased around the same time that is just fine (it has, however, seen much, much less use.)

Anyone know what he might be doing that would cause this?
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oistene

oistene

Active member
Picture doesn't show, but if I am to guess, I'd say the glue finally gave out. It can happen to almost everything, suddenly the glue gets old and just gives up. Yeah, it can happen fast like that.
 
Splurch

Splurch

New member
Just edited to get it to work, not sure why it didn't. I suppose it could be the glue, but it seems more that the bristles broke off above the ferrule rather then fell out of the brush. I just pulled a chunk of what was left up as well and there's still a good bit of bristle under the ferrule.
 
oistene

oistene

Active member
Seeing the picture, no, that's not the glue! New guess - parts of paint have been allowed to gather in the ferule, causing the hairs to decay. That, and/or something about the way he uses the brush might have worn the hairs. For instance, my fiance dries the brush by pressing the tip hard down on paper so that the hairs bends at almost 90 degrees at the ferule, then more or less scrapes it across the paper to get the water away. I assume that in the long run, that might result in something similar. Needless to say, she's not allowed near my W&Ns!
 
Splurch

Splurch

New member
oistene said:
Seeing the picture, no, that's not the glue! New guess - parts of paint have been allowed to gather in the ferule, causing the hairs to decay. That, and/or something about the way he uses the brush might have worn the hairs. For instance, my fiance dries the brush by pressing the tip hard down on paper so that the hairs bends at almost 90 degrees at the ferule, then more or less scrapes it across the paper to get the water away. I assume that in the long run, that might result in something similar. Needless to say, she's not allowed near my W&Ns!
Click to expand...

I'll check on the drying thing as I found him drying them similarly to your fiance a long time ago. The paint drying causing decay might be the case as it doesn't get a thorough cleaning until hes done for the day and I didn't really think it was an issue, seems like it is very much one if that is the cause. Thanks for the help :)
 
oistene

oistene

Active member
Well, I'm not very good at cleaning my brushes either (though I rinse them often while painting), but I never managed to do THAT to a brush. Mine just get split ends.

I've also seen people rinsing their brushes by pressing them to the botton of the water cup to get the paint out, that might cause similar damage.
 
Dragonsreach

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
oistene said:
Seeing the picture, no, that's not the glue! New guess - parts of paint have been allowed to gather in the ferule, causing the hairs to decay. That, and/or something about the way he uses the brush might have worn the hairs. For instance, my fiance dries the brush by pressing the tip hard down on paper so that the hairs bends at almost 90 degrees at the ferule, then more or less scrapes it across the paper to get the water away. I assume that in the long run, that might result in something similar. Needless to say, she's not allowed near my W&Ns!
Click to expand...
Yep Oistene has hit the nail square on the head.
 
T

Trevor

Brushlicker and Freak!
It is from paint drying on the bristles near the ferrule as you paint. If you have dry paint here, as you paint the bristles bend and the dry paint makes the bristles fray.
To help reduce this:
1) Make sure your brush is damp before adding any paint to it.
2) Rinse your brush every so often to prevent getting dry paint build up.
3) Make sure your brush is properly cleaned at the end of a session.
 
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