Caring for cat's tongue brushes

Annette Ellingwood · 07-17-2003, 01:20 PM

Does anyone have a good method for keeping a point on a cat's tongue brush? I have made up my own but it works best on a large brush I have and not as well on the small cat's tongue.

(I wash it with soap and water, rinse it well and then shape it with butter and put it in the refrigerator where the butter firms up and holds its shape. I work the point again during the day when I go into the fridge. I rinse all the butter out before I paint and the bristles are supple)

Maybe my little one just isn't well made. Is there a great name brand out there I should know about?

Mike Dodson · 07-17-2003, 02:20 PM

Annette,

I wash mine with soap/water then I dip in vaseline. I then pull the excess out with my fingers and bring back to shape. Once I use it again I wash it in my Silicoil jar of mineral spirits. I've been doing this for several years and it has worked well for me.

Mike Dodson · 07-17-2003, 02:23 PM

Annette,

My brushes are Renaissance cat's tongue made by Silver Brush. These are the best that I have found. Ruby Satin brushes (synthetic) are also very popular.

Timothy C. Tyler · 07-17-2003, 07:43 PM

Mike, you wash the vasoline out before using them?

Mike Dodson · 07-17-2003, 08:42 PM

Yes. Why not?

Timothy C. Tyler · 07-17-2003, 09:20 PM

Your post above was not clear. Then your brushes have MS in them before you paint? or do you do all this the night before?

The reason I ask is because one can read about artists putting all sorts of stuff into their lovely brushes, and they go right into painting the next day w/o removing "Mother's special helper" from their brushes and then into the painting the secret sauce goes. I think it's important that folks realize that you remove it from your brushes completely before painting. Not everyone knows that.

Mike Dodson · 07-18-2003, 12:14 AM

Tim,

I was thinking from the way you asked the question that maybe it would be o.k. to leave it in the brushes (I'm not sure).

I have always just washed them out with mineral spirits not knowing if the vaseline would be harmful if left in.

Anyway, I have had success with maintaining the shapes of my cat's tongue brushes this way and I use them quite ofen. Is there a particular brand you prefer?

Timothy C. Tyler · 07-18-2003, 02:15 PM

Mike, Shanks uses the same as you-that's good enough for me.

As for the oils and soaps and conditioners, I'm with you, get it all out of the brush. The painting MUST always be worth more than the brushes.

Annette Ellingwood · 07-20-2003, 11:28 PM

Mike,

Thanks for the fast and helpful reply. My husband will appreciate the cat's tongue brushes full of butter no longer being in our fridge!

I'll give the Renaissance brushes a try.

Annette

John de la Vega · 09-07-2003, 11:51 PM

Dear Annette,

I don't suggest you use soap and water on your cat tongues (unless they are synthetic, which I gather they're not).

Yes, even though Shanks uses Silver Renaissance cat tongues and I've used them, and probably recommended them to you, I now like the Rekab 600 Series better, numbers 4, 6, and 8. The number 6 is an exquisite cat's tongue sable filbert that performs beautifully and holds up extremely well, is also less expensive than the Renaissance. I mostly use several 6's. Best price/availability: The Italian Art Store, (800) 643-6440. By the way, with these you won't have to worry about maintaining the point. Just rinse thoroughly in Gamsol and very gingerly squeeze the paint out with your thumb and index finger several times as you dip the brush.