In Reply to: care & feeding of brushes posted by Catharine Kennedy on July 27, 19102 at 04:17:12:
As you work with lettering brushes paint will work its way upon into the ferrule (the metal part above the hair)and it is almost impossible to clean all of the paint out of this area. If the paint is allowed to dry there and builds up with each use eventually it will harden around the hairs and as you use the brush the hair will break and shed off.
Using oil after each use slows this process down and prevents the paint from drying completely in the ferrule. I suppose that it also keeps the hair a little more supple. Be sure that you rinse the oil out of the brush before use.
To lengthen the life of your brushes be sure that you don't leave paint in the brush and then go do something else. Anytime you are going to not be using the brush (even to take a coffee break) clean it and oil it. It's not a bad idea to clean the brush occasionaly if you are using it for a long period of time just to be sure that the paint doesn't get a chance to dry in the heel.
And never put the brush hair down in a can of thinner and leave it. The hair will bend and you will be able to paint around corners.
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