Everyone's had a bad hair day, but what do you do when it happens to your favorite quill, or in this case, your favorite flat? I've heard of fixes such as hot oil and lightbulbs. What is the real story?
[ November 16, 2008, 09:37 AM: Message edited by: Barb. Shortreed ]
Posted by Mikes Mischeif (Member # 1744) on :
Add 1 Viagra tablet to 5 oz. of water. Let brush soak one hour.
Brush should remain stiff for 3 or 4 hours.
It may experience side-effects such as drips, runs and brush hair loss. But you should see signs of great performance and added customer satisfaction.
(actually, I dunno)
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
grasp the brush firmly by the ferrule with the pointing finger and thumb, flip it clockwise towards the trash can and go out and buy another one.
just kidding steve, i have no idea how to rescue that one.
where the heck is terry teague when you need him???
mark
Posted by timi NC (Member # 576) on :
Steve,...I showed a couple of folks at pats meet my technique which is as follows,....
First I have a small soup can stove for heating size from a military surplus store that folds up to about the size of a bar of soap.The solid fuel for it is also available at military surplus stores.I also have a scrap of aluminum sign blank that I bent twice at right angles so that it will stand on it's own over the lil' stove, about an inch or two abave the flame.I also use a small amount of mineral oil & a brass toothed brush a little larger than a toothbrush.
When I have a brush such as the one in the picture in your post,I set up the stove & light it after I place the piece of aluminum over it,so that the metal will heat from the stove. Then I put a small amount of oil on top of the bent metal piece(after making sure it is level so none will drip over the edges & catch fire) about the size of a quarter (1" circle).As the oil heats it will seperate somewhat & as it gets to the right temperature you will see a minor reaction,....time to blow out the fuel underneath! I try to make this almost too hot to touch but not hot enough to burn or damage the hair in the brush.That part you will have to play by ear,....
Once the oil & metal are nice & hot I gently touch the oiled brush to the metal & oil to make sure it isn't too hot & will damage the brush hair,by quickly stroking it thru the oil.Once I'm sure the metal & oil aren't so hot they will damage the hair I take the brass toothed brush & comb the hair of the brush on the hot metal & oil till it straightens out to the desired shape.Often as not if the brush is bent as bad as the flat in that picture,it will take two or three times to straighten the hair to the point that it will hold the shape desired once dipped into thinner. The whole process is somewhat like the manner the ladies used to iron their hair to make it straight back in the pcychedelic 60's.
Hope this helps ya!
PS,...I have never tried this on synthetic hair brushes so be forwarned!
[ September 27, 2001: Message edited by: timi NC ]
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
Sit there and stare at it until it straightens up! or gets out!
Only kidding.
I like idea of the foam box. (pencil box) with top and bottom oil filled foam. Placing the brush with the Furlow(Sp),housing laying flat to the surface (It is a (flat-brush))right?
Most times I find that any natural hair item will relax again over time.
Other times I pallet them with paint and straighten as much as possible.
Then allow to dry for a while but not to the point of 7 days but only for an hour or two or three.
Rinse with Lacquers and re-oil and place back into the box. Always working the hairs to re-conform.
Repeat this project until the hairs are back to normal.
If not then burn the damn thing and buy a NEW ONE! Lots of Laughs
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
I've had good luck with hot soapy water...work it in till the hairs are limp...then rinse. A little of your wife's hair conditioner to displace the water and gently squeegee it out by pulling between 2 fingers ...also shaping it at the same time. Lay it somewhere where it won't get disturbed while it dries.
Werks fer me.
PS I've heard of ppl getting the hair damp, then ironing it flat.
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
i had to check this post again for the replys.
should have known timi and si(you old brush slingers!) would give good tips.
as joe rees says in his song..."Letterville Rocks"
mark
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
Grumbacher makes a brush soap and it works with water simular to how Si does it. After which I would put it between the pages of an ol'book. I've straightened out many a brush this way in the past. I wonder these days if Rapid-Remover after the soap and water as R/R conditions the brush as well.
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Hehehehehehe...time for Roger to run a test! Posted by David Fisher (Member # 107) on :
More useless info timi. I think your solid fuel heater is called a Trangia (phon. Trang-ee-ya) Handy little gadgets huh. David
Posted by Mike Lavallee (Member # 320) on :
I seem to remember seeing in signcraft, or was it in sign school? hmm, anyway I was told to heat up some transmission fluid and soak the brush in it. after a few minutes take your fingers and squeeze the oil out and lay it flat. I have no idea if the tranny fluid is the key.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
My votes on the soap...btdt... Let that brush lay for a couple a weeks and when you wash it out with hot water follow it up immediately with alcohol (to remove any water residue)then rinse with mineral spirits followed by a good dose of brush oil (lard oils my choice)
Even with all that chances are the poor ole brush may never really be the same again.All this monkeying around seems to take the "snap" out of a good brush.
But if it was a rag to start with...who cares!
[ September 28, 2001: Message edited by: Monte Jumper ]
Posted by ray hill (Member # 2289) on :
I use soap and water, like alot of the other guys. But instead of laying the brushes flat out, I soak it good in oil, and let it hang. Gravity...
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
monte please explain btdt.
hey spyke, you keep on and we will make a signpainter out of you yet!!! LOL
junk dat brush mayor! haahahhaha
or another suggestion, send it back and enclose a note saying...
"Look what happened to my brush, now what are you gonna do about it ?"
Posted by Steve Shortreed (Member # 436) on :
Thanks for all the tips. Lots of ideas to try. That photo of Adriennes reminds me of my vasectomy. Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
sorry steve, you mispelled... brushsectomy
i hate it when i have to correct someone.
Posted by AdrienneMorgan (Member # 1046) on :
"What the.......how'd this THONG get in here....?"!!!!
Ok...I promise, this is my last one...I'm going to my room now.... hehe A
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
ADRIENNE !... i am starting to sound like Rocky!
it worked timi...
Posted by Dave Hodge (Member # 1415) on :
Steve - we use sable brushes in the main here. Teasing the filling straight in really hot water works well with those. Then pull gently through a paper towel to dry off excess water and allow to dry naturally - then re-oil and shape. I've not tried it with the few squirrel quills I got from your side of the pond,but it should work ok. It does with my own hair when it's sticking out all over the place after a restless night.
Posted by Nevman (Member # 332) on :
My pappy would take the bent brush and oil it up real good and shape it, then put it in the freezer for a few days. Alway seemed to work for him.
Posted by Linda Silver Eagle (Member # 274) on :
I was told about 20 years ago to use vaseline. Clean the brush and glob it on, stroking it to reshape it back to useable position. Let it sit. (this guy did a a lot of acid too...heheheh)
Wonder how that would do with the freezer method?
Posted by Terry Teague (Member # 796) on :
I've seen this before and it usually happens when someone thinks they can leave a lettering brush standing in thinner. To fix: Hold brush in boiling water for a minute, spin out excess water and then with a little water palette brush across a bar of ivory soap until well loaded with soap and not to wet, shape brush and leave alone for a few days then wash out soap, spin dry and oil well.
[ September 28, 2001: Message edited by: Terry Teague ]
Posted by Sue Avery (Member # 686) on :
Hi Steve,
I have wounded many a brush because I will work till the inspiration ar the strength one goes away. However, this remedy always revives my brushes.
Start with a clean oiled brush. Tear off a strip of news paper about 1/2" + twice the length of the brush hairs by about 6". Fold it in half so that it's still 6' long.
Open the paper back out and place the tip of the brush on the fold line.
Now shape very tightly with your fingers. Flip the loose flap of paper over the hairs to cover. As you roll the hairs in the paper, keep it as tight as you can. Wrap a piece of twine around the upper edge to keep in place and lay flat in your brush box.
Check your brush in 2 or 3 days.
This always makes the brush even more obiediant than before.
Good luck, Sue
Posted by Kathy Joiner (Member # 1814) on :
Steve, this is the way it is done down in the swamps of Louisiana.
On the first night of the full moon (this Tuesday)go outside at precisely midnight. Boil 2 pints of dog urine. Add the left foot of a crow, a chicken tongue, 2 frog hearts and the liver of a black cat. As soon as it comes to a boil again, close your eyes and throw in the brush. In one minute remove the brush with a pair of tongs.
All the hair will fall at your feet. Stomp them and look up at the moon and say, "I will never forget another brush on soak again."
Kathy Joiner AKA Margarite DeVille Who Do Da Voodoo
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
Kathy Would you drink that brew after the fact?
And if so, does the Brush hairs stand on end? or does yours?
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Posted by AdrienneMorgan (Member # 1046) on :
My oil painting insructor in College had a way of teaching us how to care for our brushes.... If he walked by and found you leaving your brush in the can of thinner unattended, he would simply take the brush out of the can, and stick the handle into one of the holes in the accoustic ceiling tiles above the student's head.
Posted by Kathy Joiner (Member # 1814) on :
Stephan, I drank it once and bit a gator.
Adrienne, I knew professor Drip.
Posted by Mike Languein (Member # 319) on :
So, Adrienne - this answers a lot of questions. *Ahem* Just HOW MANY of those big old brushes fell down and banged you on the noggin? Hmmm?
[ September 29, 2001: Message edited by: Mike Languein ]
Posted by AdrienneMorgan (Member # 1046) on :
Not a ONE... I never leave them in thinner at all now....
[ September 29, 2001: Message edited by: AdrienneMorgan ]
Posted by Preston McCall (Member # 351) on :
Getting a bad curl out is easy: WD40....warm it up and soak it for a day wrapped in aluminum foil horizontal and again wrapped in black paper left in the sun to heat it up... rinse with mineral spirits and thouroughly spin dry between the palms...leave in mineral spirits horizontal.
Now folks, how do you get a split-tail fixed???
Posted by Kevin Smith (Member # 1667) on :
My virgin post.Been signwriting for 46 years:always keep acrylic writers in soap (stroke wet brush back & forth over cake of soap, removes any paint residue from bristles, then shape brush,full of soap,into an exaggerated flare) When oil brushes misshape,same procedure, leave until formed,then lovingly stroke car grease into the hair (after washing out the soap naturally)
Hope this helps Kevin Smith 15 km in to the beautiful bush Mudgee NSW Australia
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
When you folks speak of water and soap, are you actually doing this to quills? Do you ever submerge more than the exposed hair to water? If this works I might try it, but it almost sounds like abusing children. I did try the rapid remover for cleaning and ruined a couple brushes. I wonder if the soap would be like the sizing on a factory new brush? Remember the days when the brush salesfolks started telling us "You lick 'em, you buy 'em?"
Posted by Mike Lavallee (Member # 320) on :
hey linda, I think I've used that remedy before for something...just can't remember what though?? OH WAIT! never mind! ;P
Posted by Julian Braet (Member # 238) on :
Steve, you didn't say what kind of hair the brush is. Looks like either a mix of squirrel and ox, or something.Like me, you've been around long enough to have a few of these beaties still in your kit. Well any way ,here goes. The soap method might work. The other way might be to apply some "Gum Arabic",shape the brush, let it dry. After it' completely dry, I use a pop cicle stick on it's edge to clean out the gum. If it gaines it's correct shape,I apply some "Xcaliber" bush preservative.If not ,I help out the economy and buy a new one.
