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latex rubber and brushes

updated thu 23 sep 04

 

Cat Jarosz on tue 21 sep 04


Hi all... I have aol so may have missed a mention of using Murphy's oil
soap to dip your brush in BEFORE you use the latex... This is something I
picked up from Ken Sudsberry...( spelling ) of Penland NC area. He uses latex
for glaze{ layering - resist } decoration on a lot of his functional type
pots and sinks. I can also attest to its working pretty well as my
favorite brush is still alive 15 yrs later and I have used this method on
occassion with that brush... Not a HUGE test as in using it daily for yrs and
yrs but you could never tell that brush had been hurt by latex what so
ever...

ps this has been brought up before on clay art and the NON USA residents
don't have this brand of oil soap in their countries. I am not sure what
you could use as a replacement. They have a web site _www.murphyoilsoap.com_
(http://www.murphyoilsoap.com) I checked the container and it does NOT
have a listing of ingredients. Here's hoping this tidbit helps
someone. Cat in NC mountains or whats left of them after Ivan...

V)''(V woof & >^..^< mew , Chicks with beards rule !!!
(_o_)
\||/

Pam on wed 22 sep 04


latex and acrylic mediums, and probably liquid wax also, wash out of
synthetic brushes far better than it does natural bristles. Natural
bristles are made of scales covering a core, and latex gets deep into the
underside of the scales, where it cannot be washed away as well. This is why
soaping them first helps, the soap keeps the latex from getting deep into
the bristle. A synthetic bristle, on the other hand is a smooth surfaced
fiber, with no places for latex to hide. This is also why a synthetic will
not hold as much paint, which is the downside. So, save your good natural
bristles for slips and glazes and oxides. Get a good synthetic like Simmons
"White Sable" for your detailed resist work.
pam
who used to sell brushes in another life, but now just uses 'em