Good cleaning brushes?

[MAX1974]

Cleaning brushes - by which I mean more or less fine paint brush type brushes - are something I have been struggling with.  I have been using these inexpensive nylon (I think) paint brushes from the hobby store, usually dipped in IPA but sometimes I dip them in hexane if I'm trying to clean around the impulse jewel.  They work fine more or less, but the frustration is that they shed a bit and I get these fibers that are obviously a scourge.

I recently tried some brushes for electronics cleaning that have more of a plastic fiber but they are of course a lot coarser and difficult to find in a fine type application.  They're great for cleaning mainplate stuff or other relatively simple surfaces or spots, but almost useless for, say, finishing off a balance pivot after de-gunking it with one of those little green cleaning sticks.

Does anyone have a good go-to brand or product that does the trick with a minimum of the dreaded stray fibers?

[SwissSeiko]

I use makeup brushes. The one I've been using the longest is still is perfect condition, very soft, and doesn't shed. I think any brand will do. I stole mine from my wife.

[MAX1974]

Thanks for this great tip!  I purloined one of my wife's and was delighted to see under magnification that it was a lot like the ones I'd tried before except the fibers are appropriately fine for things like cleaning around the impulse jewel & other small pivots & jewels.  No more dreaded twisty fibers shedding off after the first couple of dips in IPA or hexane. Will be getting more.  

[Malocchio]

I use the cheapest brushes I could find at a hobby store. I cut them shorter to make them stiffer. Good for cleaning stubborn gunk from mainplates and mainspring barrels etc.

[nickelsilver]

I use brushes from Peka, the 831-4 and 831-6 (the 4 and 6 are width in mm). Not sure how available they are worldwide, but these have held up well for me. About 2 bucks a piece.

 

 

[fellerts]

I tried a bunch of "arts and crafts" brushes but found them to be too soft or too coarse for my liking. Then one day I stubled across what are called "eyeliner brushes" in a random cosmetics store. They seem to be mostly fashioned out of black and very fine but stiff nylon hairs and are often angled. The angle is perfect for getting into nooks and crannies. As far as I remember, the cheapest ones only cost a few € a piece. They seem to stand up to naphtha and IPA just fine and don't shed.

Edited December 16, 2024 by fellerts

[VWatchie]

On 12/16/2024 at 5:11 PM, nickelsilver said:

I use brushes from Peka

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Edited December 18, 2024 by VWatchie