Polishing your airbrush needle?

GMorrison

 

 

EBergerud

I'd like to know. On YouTube people are demonstrating a very neat gadget for fixing badly bent needles and it works. It also costs $60. (Of course a Harder Steenbeck needle/nozzle is $50.)

 

 

 

 

And a Badger can be had for $ 70 with discount code.

 

 

I wonder how much a new needle cost!

You are welcome Hunter. 

plasticjunkie

Once in a while I use 0000 steel wool to lightly wipe the needle being careful not to stab my fingers with that sharp thing. The xtra fine steel wool removes any dried junk and leaves a polished surface. Been doing this since I bought my first airbrush back in the mid 1970s, a Badger that I still use now and then.

 

SaltydogII

Someone told me once that polishing your needle will make you go blind? Just sayin".

 

EBergerud

I'd like to know. On YouTube people are demonstrating a very neat gadget for fixing badly bent needles and it works. It also costs $60. (Of course a Harder Steenbeck needle/nozzle is $50.)

 

lol...

Once in a while I use 0000 steel wool to lightly wipe the needle being careful not to stab my fingers with that sharp thing. The xtra fine steel wool removes any dried junk and leaves a polished surface. Been doing this since I bought my first airbrush back in the mid 1970s, a Badger that I still use now and then.

I cleaned up the needle on my siphon feed single action Paache, I thought it made a difference, in all actuality just a good cleaning and practice made it "work" better. I agree that it is possible to change the profile of the needle which in turn creates more problems down stream. You also need to be VERY CAREFUL with the needle, that tip gets bent ever so slightly and your painting at odd angles to whete your trying. Drag it backwards over your finger, if you feel it catch, replace it.

You could read about my experience polishing needles here.  The risk is that if you overdo it you could change the profile and make things worse.

Don

Never have done that, but I'm interested to learn how you do it.

Mike