Restore hardened brush ?

[mark mcfarlane]

I was organizing my brushes and found a very old 3" brush for oil-based paints. I'm not sure when it was last used, maybe 5-10 years ago.

The bristles are about 3 1/2" long and the bristles in the center are rock hard for the first 2 1/2 inches. The bristles around the perimeter and the last 1" of all the bristles are soft and flexible.

Is this brush salvageable or do I need to send it to a landfill and replace it?

Thanks,

Mark

[roger wiegand]

I've had success with the nasty, stinky solvent-based brush cleaning solvents. No idea whether they are still available, but they saved a very good natural bristle brush of mine that was entombed in varnish for a period of years. I soaked it for about two weeks and it ended up just about as good as new. Well worth the $5 in product and hour or so invested. A good quality brush comb is very helpful.

I'm not sure I'd spend the time or effort for a $20 brush.

[Jim Becker]

I also don't know that I'd make the effort unless that was an incredible brush that was worthy of salvage and you were focusing on applying oil based products by brush. As Roger eluded to, some of the old time, but very effective brush cleaning solutions may be hard or impossible to come by at this point, too.

[mark mcfarlane]

Thanks Roger and Jim. I was just trying to save the brush from a landfill. Nothing special about the brush, it does look to be natural bristle.

I normally apply GF Arm-R-Seal with a foam brush for the first couple of coats and Sunday discovered I was out of 3" foam brushes which got me rummaging. I did find a good 3" brush that worked fine, but I also found the hard brush... I guess I'll pitch the old brush in a week if no-one chimes in with a currently available product that has actually worked for them.

[Tom M King]

I would try something you have on hand, like maybe acetone to just soak the bristles in, or even vinegar for a week.

[Howard Pollack]

Ammonia has been said to work well for this. -Howard

[Tom M King]

I use one of these stainless steel brushes almost every time I clean a brush, whether in a sink for water based, or with solvent.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Anvil-St...-ANV/309996579

[mark mcfarlane]

I would try something you have on hand, like maybe acetone to just soak the bristles in, or even vinegar for a week.

Thanks Tom. I could try acetone outdoors in a glass jar. Any idea what would be safe to cover the setup with to minimize evaporation? Would foil be safe, or just plastic wrap?

[mark mcfarlane]

Ammonia has been said to work well for this. -Howard

Thanks Howard, I have some on hand...

[mark mcfarlane]

I use one of these stainless steel brushes almost every time I clean a brush, whether in a sink for water based, or with solvent.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Anvil-St...-ANV/309996579

I used to use a dual stainless comb/brush for cleaning but I read somewhere that the metal brushes can damage the bristle flagging, and that article (from Purdy) recommended using a stiff plastic brush instead of metal to prevent damage to the flagging.

I'm not sure if this is really a problem, I've done the stainless brush thing for years but never inspected the flagging before and after...

[mark mcfarlane]

from: https://www.purdy.com/painting-resou...re-and-cleanup

Can you use a wire brush to clean a paintbrush?

Do not use a wire brush on a paint brush. While it will help remove the dried paint from the tips of the bristle, it also knocks off the flag (splits) at the end of the bristles. Using a paint brush comb to clean the paint from the inside of the brush will increase the life of the brush. To get the outside of the brush clean, try using a stiff nylon-bristle paint brush. This will be less destructive on the ends of the filaments.

[Tom M King]

I only use the stainless steel brush where there is anything starting to harden. That's usually higher up on the bristles, and on the edges of the brush. I never dip any brush in deep enough for anything to hit the ferrule, and if I'm painting overhead, the brush is cleaned often during the job. The brushes will wear out before cleaning them like this has damaged anything. I clean them before there is anything close to the ends being hardened.

The bristles on those little stainless brushes, sold in the paint aisles of the big box stores, slant one way. Only go one way with them, or it will both fray the steel bristles, and damage the paint brush.

I don't think it will take long for the Acetone to work. I was thinking longer term for something like vinegar. The Brush Cleaner in a can should work, if you can find it, but probably a good part of the cost of the brush.

[mark mcfarlane]

I only use the stainless steel brush where there is anything starting to harden....

Thanks Tom.

[mark mcfarlane]

Results: The Acetone worked amazingly well dissolving the dried paint 'inside' my brush. Brush appears unharmed. I probably used a pint of acetone, so $3 of acetone, 4 hours of soak time with some work with a steel brush every hour. I think one more hour in some fresh acetone and this brush will be almost as good as new, I may have to trim a couple bristles. I was a little aggressive with the steel brush/comb and damaged a few bristles.

I destroyed a plastic flask in the process. I did the final clean in a glass container and it faired unharmed. The junk in the plastic flask may be dissolved plastic, it may be precipitated paint. I used kitchen plastic wrap to seal the brush/flask container and left it in the shop sink.

IMG_5375.jpg

Thanks everyone for the help.

[Tom M King]

Like one of my Grandmothers used to say: Sometimes, guesswork is as good as any.