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So, I just got some Blick master series sable brushes. Ive heard good things about them, most often comparisons to W&N #7's for about 1/3 the price.

So, FedEx dropped them off today, and out of the box Im really underwhelmed. The tips wont hold a point unless theres ALOT of paint on the brush, and even then, after just a stroke or two the tip splays out.

Is there some conditioning trick to getting them to take a proper point? I know a lil hair gel can help them keep a point after alot of use- but these things are frayed right out of the box :(

If there isnt Im going to send these things back and get a single W&N #7, or maybe jus stick with the synthetics Ive been using for years and havent had any issues with.

Mistress of minis wrote:So, I just got some Blick master series sable brushes. Ive heard good things about them, most often comparisons to W&N #7's for about 1/3 the price.

So, FedEx dropped them off today, and out of the box Im really underwhelmed. The tips wont hold a point unless theres ALOT of paint on the brush, and even then, after just a stroke or two the tip splays out.

Is there some conditioning trick to getting them to take a proper point? I know a lil hair gel can help them keep a point after alot of use- but these things are frayed right out of the box :(

If there isnt Im going to send these things back and get a single W&N #7, or maybe jus stick with the synthetics Ive been using for years and havent had any issues with.

Hah I also bought a Blick sable on the recommendation of folks here... it has become my junk metallic brush. It just doesn't compare to the WN S7 or the Raphael 8404's... which I order from aswexpress.com; I have a boat load and I've never received one that didn't have an excellent tip.

See if you can find some "mustache wax" at a drug store. (Seriously, that stuff is made...)

Dab a little on your fingers and use it to clean and shape your brushes after use, and it usually helps them keep a good tip. You can also use it to re-hab brushes that have gotten a little unruly.

Eldanar wrote:See if you can find some "mustache wax" at a drug store. (Seriously, that stuff is made...)
.

Going OT here.. but mustache wax? I'll have to try that for my hair someday xD

Eldanar wrote:See if you can find some "mustache wax" at a drug store. (Seriously, that stuff is made...)

Dab a little on your fingers and use it to clean and shape your brushes after use, and it usually helps them keep a good tip. You can also use it to re-hab brushes that have gotten a little unruly.

Im just not sure reshaping a brush that has a poor shape when new is going to be very effective. I guess I dont have anything to lose, but Im going to wait and see if I can send these things back. Since the 2 and 2/0 didnt even ship with tubes over the bristles its possibly just a result of poor packaging.

Either way Im disappointed, been holding off on alot of detail work as these brushes are supposed to hold a wicked point. Which I guess is sort of true- its just that I only need one point- not several on the same brush.

I'm surprised there was not some sort of protective cover around the brushes. Nevertheless, I've found the wax to be very useful.

If they sent them without plastic tip coverings they ought to accept them back as that's very poor packaging that I wouldn't expect if I were paying for a half decent brush.

I don't have experience of the particular brushes you ordered but like Gunzhard I use Raphael 8404 and W&N series 7 and they really do keep an amazing point, especially the Raphael's, though they have a long set of hairs which are a little more awkward to get used to.

I have purchased the same brushes from Dick Blick and while they were exactly as you described first out of the tubes, once they were actually used they performed wonderfully and have continued to maintain their point through many, many painting sessions. I would say that you got a bad brush, and if it did indeed come without a protective tube over the tip of the brush then you need to ask for your money back.

Whats sort of ironic about all this is I finally decided 'Gee, its about time I get serious about painting and get the some proper fancy sable brushes since my skills are at the point theyre worth it. I mean, Ive been using Loew & Cornell synthetics for YEARS, I mean the same brushes since 2006. I figured if I got 5 years out of a cheapo brush it was time to up the quality lol

@UselessswizarD, I'll give them another go and see if they can take a point, but the attempts Ive already made were frustrating :(

well this is going to seem disgusting... but when I have a brush that is splayed, I just take a litle saliva on my fingers, and then I use it to form the tip of the brush. It works like a charm for me.

Jensvejmand wrote:well this is going to seem disgusting... but when I have a brush that is splayed, I just take a litle saliva on my fingers, and then I use it to form the tip of the brush. It works like a charm for me.

Thats not disgusting at all, tbh you will find a fair amount of painters will do this (and i mean painters who use small brushes not brushes for painting say walls lol).

The saliva does help as iv had a few GW brushes that the point has splayed a bit and after washing the brush after every colour i always run it between my lips, helps keep the shape

johnscott10 wrote:

Thats not disgusting at all, tbh you will find a fair amount of painters will do this (and i mean painters who use small brushes not brushes for painting say walls lol).

The saliva does help as iv had a few GW brushes that the point has splayed a bit and after washing the brush after every colour i always run it between my lips, helps keep the shape

well its nice to know I am not the only one doing this xD

Jensvejmand wrote:

well its nice to know I am not the only one doing this xD

Absolutely not Most painters I know do this, I have repoint with my lips after every dip the brush gets in the cleaning water. You can get a better controlled point quicker with your lips then with your fingers once you get the hang of it, just don't go shoving it all the way into your mouth or re pointing while there is still paint on it, it is rarely nice :(

If the brushes were shipped with no protectors you should deffo be asking for a refund or replacement, they really should know better if it is an art supply company!

The masters brush cleaner and conditioner is what I use to maintain tips after I clean the brushes with it, works like hair conditioner and if you point them and leave them to dry for a few days, they should hold their tip after you clean them off. Only problem will be if the cause is in the ferrule, in which case fixing them is likely not going to happen :( I went for S7 personally, I figured a really good sable is one of the few things in this hobby where the price really does reflect the quality (looking at you GW), and they were definitely worth the investment. Have not even needed to try my 00 and 000 as the 0 has such an amazingly good point.