Washing size out of brushes?

[Scarlett Rickard]

I have used my writing quills and pinstriping swordliners to apply oil size (surface gilding, so I have to write letters to gild), but some are left with a greasy, sticky residue which I just can't get rid of with turps/white spirit and soapy water. Any suggestions of what I can try?

[Kent Smith]

First of all, soap is not a good option for bushes used in oil based paints and varnishes. Soap residue will contaminate paints and vanishes and keep them from curing properly. Sounds like you need a hotter solvent to remove the size residue which has setup if it is "greasy and sticky". Brushes should be cleaned as soon as possible after use, I even clean as I go to reduce the build-up. 1Shot high temp first or low temp second are hotter solvents and should remove residue. Anything stronger may melt the plastic quills.

[Scarlett Rickard]

Hi Kent, thank you for your help. I should make it a bit clearer - it's not soap I use, but detergent to wash the turps out, I then grease the brushes so they are never kept dry. I wash my brushes thoroughly, it's only recently that I have had this problem. I have been using some old(ish) 1 hour size (I usually use 4 hour) and for some reason I'm struggling to remove it completely from the brushes.

It doesn't feel 'dried in', it's more like a slightly oily feeling on the brush so it's not as flexible as usual. It seems as though turps isn't completely removing all ingredients of the size.

I have heard gilders say in the past that size is bad for sable quills, but I haven't had any trouble until I used this 1 hour stuff.

I will follow your advice and try the One Shot stuff - my quills are real feather quills and they seem amazingly resilient, I've been using the same brushes for years and they are getting better all the time.

Thanks again! - Scarlett

[Leo Calleros]

A friend of mine had the same problem with two of his favorite brushes that he used to apply size to a sign and it would not come off. I took them home and used a little acetone on hem and it instantly took all the size off. Good as new. Just be careful not too let it ride too far up the ferule cause it might deteriorate the glue used to hold the hairs in place. In my case, that didn't happen, but better safe than sorry.

[Kent Smith]

Real goose quill brushes should be tied within the quill and not glued so the paint flows well. They will be less effected by hotter solvents although some lacquer thinners and acetone can damage a quill too. When you use that type of solvent, immediately wash in spirits then oil the hairs well into the quill to keep them from getting brittle from drying the natural oils out too quickly.

[Leo Calleros]

That is exactly what I did. The acetone immediately took the glue off so I dipped it in brush oil right away to keep it from drying.
I can see how that stuff will make a brush brittle very fast if you dont condition the hairs right away.

I tried all kinds of other stuff to try and take the size off and acetone seems to be the only thing that worked so far.

[Scarlett Rickard]

Brilliant, thanks so much for your help, I'll give it a go and see what happens. I don't think I'll be using that old 1 hour size again!

All the best
Scarlett