Airbrush cleaning kit

Caporegime
Joined
1 Dec 2010
Posts
52,101
Location
Welling, London
I have always used cotton swabs and tissue to clean my airbrushes, but thought I'd get an airbrush cleaning kit off ebay to give it a proper strip down. Problem is, I'm a bit confused as to what some of the tools do. Wondered if anyone more experienced could give me an idea.

Pic 1. Top one I imagine are like pipe cleaners, but what are those long metal sticks in the bottom bag. They are extremely bendy.

2qPaNMol.jpg

Pic 2. What on earth this is for I dont know. It's the sharpest thing known to man. Haven't got a scooby how this could have anything to do with cleaning an airbrush!

k8Db9H9l.jpg
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Feb 2003
Posts
2,813
Location
Sheffield
I'm not an airbrush user but I do have £1000's worth of spray guns, and I would never use anything metal to clean them.

Soft brass brushes are supposed to be OK for extreme cleaning, but I wouldn't even risk that. Plastic only for me.
 
Commissario
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
32,997
Location
Panting like a fiend
I only use cotton buds, H&S soft/nylon cleaning brush, and sometimes a toothpick or the needle to help clear the nozzle.

The spikey bit is a reamer for the nozzle. IIRC only really meant for the worst blocks and you should use one made by the same company as the nozzle (so it fits properly).
I think I've only used our reamer once, normally if the block is really bad i'll leave the nozzle to soak in a small sealed tub of cleaner for hours/days so it has a chance to loosen up then try the the toothpicks and sometimes very very cautiously and gently the needle.

Another option is the liquid reamer sprays which are stronger versions of the normal cleaning fluid.

Don't ever do what I did, I put one of our brushes in the ultrasonic bath with a solution without reading the warnings*, my evo 2 in 1 body is now a bit tarnished :( (the ultrasonic solution is not good for plated metals).


*I was knackered and found that it been left dirty after it's last use weeks earlier so the paint had dried completely and it needed a really thorough clean, so thought i'd take a short cut:(
 
Back
Top Bottom