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So not a question of immediate consequence for me. All my brushes are new and spangly, on account I paint fairly rarely.

But yesterday afternoon was one of those rare occasions. With the brushes all being spick and span, the job was a relative doddle. Yet it got me thinking....at what point do others replace their brushes?

Make and type doesn’t matter to the question, but may to your answer.

When I need to. Once the bristles wear out and can't be rescued by trimming down, they get relegated to weathering, base painting and drybrush use, and I get new ones.

Once they start splaying and can't be rescued by liberal use of Master's soap.

Masters Soap?

Sorry, bit of a pleb when it comes to painting!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/30ml-Masters-Brush-Cleaner-Preserver/dp/B006FHLG7I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=72SX1ZHB1XAS&keywords=masters+brush+cleaner&qid=1553969949&s=gateway&sprefix=masters+brush+cleaner%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1

Use it to clean brushes properly and it also helps condition tips and keep them pointy. Drastically increases the life span of a brush so pretty much a must-use when using expensive brushes.

Like they said, when the pointiness abandons you, whenever that may be. The brush is still useful for other purposes. I bought a bunch of relatively cheap synthetic pointed brushes, and they've been working well. Don't buy the GW brush, and it's probably a bad idea to get any brush expensive enough that you actually worry about it wearing out. It might be a while before you get to the point that you actually notice any difference with an expensive brush. I don't yet.

Yep, same as above when they need it. Though my brushes go through a cycle of being used normally, being used for washes, being used for drybrushing, being used for stippling and then being used for glue as they get more and more knackered out.

Other some Drybrushes (I use GW) and some larger flat bases brushes, I buy Windsor & Newton "Cotman" round brushes. They are synthetic, so are relatively cheap, £4-£5 per brush in the UK. Because they are synthetic you can also clean them with isopropyl or similar.

I've gone through a few, and how long they last can vary, but my current size 1 for example has lasted months, I do a lot of painting.