Caring for an Inking Brush

[Grosby]

I've had two Winsor and Newton Kolinsky Sable #2 brushes sitting in a drawer here for a couple of months now. I haven't opened them and tried them out yet because I've heard a great many stories of how easy it is to ruin these brushes, which given the cost is something I'd understandably want to avoid.

I've read a reasonable amount on caring for these brushes but I don't feel I've come to a clear understanding of how to properly care for them and so I'm hoping someone here can perhaps clear up a few things for me.

1) People say that you should never let the ink dry on the brush, that this will completely ruin it. If I'm inking for five minutes or more (that is, dipping the brush, inking lines, dipping the brush, inking lines...) wont some of the ink (like in the middle or at the highest point) start to dry on the brush? If you're sitting there inking for an hour, should you be cleaning your brush at intervals or anything like that?

2) How long typically does it take for ink to dry on the brush to the point that it's "damaging"? Less than a minute or much longer?

3) It seems many people agree that to clean a brush all you need to do is swish it in a glass of water and then wipe on a white cloth and repeat until it wipes with no ink. Does anyone disagree with that and think that soap or something else is necessary for proper care?

4) When you clean your brush, should you be aiming to get much of the ink 'colour' out of the brush or no, there will always be 'colour,' a darkening, left behind even if you're correctly caring for the brush and that all you need to worry about is getting it so that it leaves no mark when wet and then wiped on a cloth/paper?

5) Kolinsky #2 seems to be one of the most popular brushes and so I would guess some here have experience with it in particular. How far would you dip the brush in with the #2. I understand never to go to the ferrule at any time but where would you aim for, about half way in? And with these brushes, does the ink bleed/soak up further than you dip?

That's all, I think, these are the last uncertainties I have. Thank you to anyone who can answer them.

[seili]

I can't say I'm an expert on this as I haven't worked up the nerve to use my expensive brushes either. But, I have found that India Ink (I use Dr. Martin's) will start to dry on the brush/clog it up (this on a cheaper synthetic brush) about 1/2 hour to an hour in, depending on how often you're dipping into the well. I usually clean my brush around this point, else I start getting uneven and blotchy strokes. I don't like to clean with water in between because I hate even the thought of diluting the ink unless I'm doing washes...

I've also found that water usually isn't enough, especially once your brush has clotted. I've tried a couple of soaps and what works best is actually a natural dye-remover bar of soap used to get stains out of laundry (not the chemical stuff, though). I've also heard that shampoo works wonders on the natural brushes. I don't typically kneed the soap into the brush, I rub it on my hand first, then swish the brush in it like it's a medium and running under the water it gets 99% of the ink out (except what is deep clotted from before I knew to do this).

I have soft water, too. I'm not sure if it makes a difference with purified water vs. city water...

I doubt my methods are orthodox, but anyway, hope this gives some help.