Can you guys recommend some replacement brushes for me?

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**Ouze**

Well, i've been using the GWS brushes for a while here, and I'm pretty happy with them (except for the strands sometimes falling out, they're ideal for me). That being said, I'd kind of like to get some replacements, as these are starting to get a bit worn. Specifically, I'm looking for sable brushes, and i want 5 of them - something for eyes, something for small details, a general purpose workhorse, something for larger basecoating, and maybe a good brush for washes. Any (very specific, please) recommendations? I tried the PP hobby brushes and found them to be pretty eh. I'm also not looking for the very cheapest brushes on the market, I want something that will last a long time.

**Vimes**

Well, as far as hobby suppliers go Army Painter has decent brushes.

I personally prefer DaVinci Sable brushes, though. I use size 00 (tiny detail work), 0 (detail work and cleaning up small mistakes), 2 (main workload), 4 (medium size basecoats and heavy washes) and 6 (big size basecoat) for most of my work. The 00 is mostly out of habit, though, since the only real difference between 0 and 00 is the reservoir since the point is pretty much the same.

And most brushes should last a long time if properly taken care of. I usually wash my brushes after each session with a bit of soap and make sure there´s no paint up to the metal. I often change water and keep my plastic protection on the brushes so they don´t rest on the bristles.

**Ouze**

Yeah, I initially got "cheap" brushes from my local art supply store. Typically they'd last about a month until the bristles curled* no matter how good I washed them with pink soap or stored them. I've since discovered good brushes are actually cheaper; the GWS ones have lasted me about a year now I'd guess, and I also am careful to keep paint out of the ferrule, keep the plastic caps on, and occasionally give a good wash with pink soap.

So I'll look into Davinci, as well as anything else you guys suggest. Also, special thanks for including the sizes!!! I don't really know what they mean, other then more 0's are smaller. So that's very, very helpful to me.

*because they were golden taklon or equivalent, which I now avoid.

**cainex1**

if you have an AC Moore or Michael's nearby they both usually stock windsor newton kolinsky sable, they aren't the series 7 but they are a high end as you will find without a specialist store. Also, they have treated me very well, paint just flows off the things and I haven't had any trouble with stray hairs or curling

P.S. I reccomend a 00 a 1 and a 3 for infantry scale and a 6mm for vehicles

**MajorTom11**

Windsor newton series 7 also very good

**fiddler6291**

I use both the DaVinCi and Windsor series 7 brushes. IMO they are both very good brushes quality wise, with the daVincis being cheaper.

**Catyrpelius**

My "good" brushes are Windsor Newton Series 7 Minature Brushes, I love them and they last forever. I also use a selection of random brushes that I've picked up over the year at various FLGS and hobby shops.

Basically any real Sable brush is going to last longer then anything else.

**Ouze**

What sizes do you guys recommend for the Windsor & Newton Series 7?

Also, what's the difference between the standard, and the miniature ones?

**MajorTom11**

Just the size and point are more analogous to gw style. I most often use a 000, a 0, and a 1. Larger than that, like a wash brush or tank brush and I don't think such high quality makes much of a difference.

**Gunzhard**

Ouze wrote:What sizes do you guys recommend for the Windsor & Newton Series 7?

Also, what's the difference between the standard, and the miniature ones?

On the Winsor & Newton S7 brushes you really will never need anything smaller than '0'. It is tempting to buy the smaller ones, but the tips are just so excellent on the 0 and 1 that you will not need smaller, and in fact the larger ones hold paint a lot more efficiently. I almost always use a size 1.

**Curis**

Windsor and Newton Series 7. I have a 00, 0 and a 1, which are all increibly similar.

For bigger applications GW brushes are still cool.

Army Painter are horrific. The ones I've tried have bristles so stiff it scratches the paint underneath off.

**Natorum**

You could also try the Raphael 8404 series which are also very good sable brushes. They do however have long strands so can take a little getting used to, but I've found they improved my painting over the GW brushes I used to use.

**Synchro**

For best pricing on most any brushes, go to www.dickblick.com. I get most all my supplies there. I have a Michaels near by, but even with expedited shipping when I need something quickly, Blick beats them on price. They are usually 30-40% cheaper than Michaels. They have a ginormous assortment of brushes too. Stick to the round ones. Make sure you get a good tub of the cleaner conditioner stuff if you get natural hair brushes. Treat them nicely and they will treat you well for a long time.

**ArmorOfContempt**

It doesn't matter what you get, as long as you get a tub of this and use it regularly.

**Synchro**

Yep, that's the stuff. works great. cleans and conditions. great stuff.

**Gunzhard**

Masters soap does work great - but the brush does matter.

BTW: ASW Express is just now doing their crazy brush sale; Winsor & Newton S7 and Raphael 8404 are never exactly 'cheap' but these are probably the best prices:

http://www.aswexpress.com/discount-art-supplies/brushes-palette-knives-and-accessories/watercolor-brushes/raphael.html

http://www.aswexpress.com/discount-art-supplies/brushes-palette-knives-and-accessories/watercolor-brushes/winsor-and-newton/series-7-kolinsky/standards.html

**Synchro**

No question good brushes are the key. All I was trying to point out is with good brushes come taking care of them. I did not know about this stuff and threw out a few brushes years ago that in hindsight were perfectly good had I know about stuff like that and used it regularly. They were not cheap brushes either.

**ArmorOfContempt**

Gunzhard wrote:Masters soap does work great - but the brush does matter.

True, a bad brush is a bad brush, but a good, not great brush that is well taken care of is much, much better than a neglected brush of the highest quality.

**Izeya82**

I love my Windsor 7 brushes, only thing that has ruined mine is the kiddies =) but with pretty standard brush care they last a good while and easily worth the lil extra dough it cost.

**Ouze**

Thanks, guys. I've ordered some Windsor S7 brushes. Specifically, a 000, a 0, and a 1. I also grabbed some of that brush cleaner to see how it stacks up against my pink soap. Major Tom makes a good point - for washes and basecoating, I don't need great precision, so I'll probably stick with my existing brushes for that (they still work decently enough).