What nozzle cleaning technique are you using?

my Evolution Silverline doesn't seem to be in that compatibility list
sry friend. I don't have H&S. I have 2 iwatas which are praying to get some brothers and sisters in the future. lol

But people here will know what is good for your airbrush.
 
my Evolution Silverline doesn't seem to be in that compatibility list

Actually, it should fit but the one in your link is more expensive because CR Plus, Chrome coated. Try the following link, same thing just without the coating and cheaper.

https://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Harder-Steenbeck-126783-0.15-0.2mm-Fineline-Air-Cap.html

Do you mean cleaning your nozzle or needle? I don't think you can clean your nozzle while working... because that will require you to take the nozzle out. The fineline air cap allows you quick access to the needle - that is usually what you need to clean when you are working.

Edit: If you don't have the nozzle cleaning kit, try buying cheap needles for Chinese airbrush and use those needle to clean the insides of your nozzle.
 
If any of the Evolution and/or Infinity nozzle air caps are compatible with the Silverline, then any other cap that's also compatible with the regular Evo or Infinity should be compatible with the Silverline too. Logically for any of them to be cross-compatible, they'd all have to use the same threads, dimensions, nozzle spacing, etc..

To clean tip dry off the outside of the nozzle/needle, I usually use a q-tip. I moisten it with thinner/reducer, hold it perpendicular to the needle, and twirl the cotton "outward" along the nozzle/needle tip. I've tried toothbrushes, and found them to be ineffective, but an artist's brush sounds like it would work well if you selected the right type. The earplug idea sounds interesting and worth a try, though in my experience methods that push the accumulated paint forward are better than ones that push it back. Methods that clean by pushing back can end up packing the "removed" paint into the air gap between the air cap and the nozzle.

To clean the inside of a nozzle, I use a wood toothpick whittled to a needle point and soaked in thinner/reducer. I cringe hard whenever anyone suggests using a metal tool to do this (or even interdental brushes, as they usually have twisted wire cores), as that sounds like a perfect way to cumulatively damage the nozzle, either by scratching the inside, or flaring/distorting the tip. I wouldn't even use the ABs own needle to do this, much less a cheap Chinese needle that won't match the nozzle taper and might have any random amount or degree of surface finish snags.

Regardless, as others have said: you shouldn't have to manually clean the inside of the nozzle unless you're actively seeing signs of a clog stuck to the wall in there. Under most normal operation, flushing and spray-out with reducer/cleaner is all the nozzle needs to stay clean.
 
If any of the Evolution and/or Infinity nozzle air caps are compatible with the Silverline, then any other cap that's also compatible with the regular Evo or Infinity should be compatible with the Silverline too. Logically for any of them to be cross-compatible, they'd all have to use the same threads, dimensions, nozzle spacing, etc..

To clean tip dry off the outside of the nozzle/needle, I usually use a q-tip. I moisten it with thinner/reducer, hold it perpendicular to the needle, and twirl the cotton "outward" along the nozzle/needle tip. I've tried toothbrushes, and found them to be ineffective, but an artist's brush sounds like it would work well if you selected the right type. The earplug idea sounds interesting and worth a try, though in my experience methods that push the accumulated paint forward are better than ones that push it back. Methods that clean by pushing back can end up packing the "removed" paint into the air gap between the air cap and the nozzle.

To clean the inside of a nozzle, I use a wood toothpick whittled to a needle point and soaked in thinner/reducer. I cringe hard whenever anyone suggests using a metal tool to do this (or even interdental brushes, as they usually have twisted wire cores), as that sounds like a perfect way to cumulatively damage the nozzle, either by scratching the inside, or flaring/distorting the tip. I wouldn't even use the ABs own needle to do this, much less a cheap Chinese needle that won't match the nozzle taper and might have any random amount or degree of surface finish snags.

Regardless, as others have said: you shouldn't have to manually clean the inside of the nozzle unless you're actively seeing signs of a clog stuck to the wall in there. Under most normal operation, flushing and spray-out with reducer/cleaner is all the nozzle needs to stay clean.

When it comes to the H&S Nozzle tool, it was designed by them and for their products. As long as you are using it for the .2mm and greater as it specifies, there are no problems.
I can tell you that every time I’ve had paint flow problems, one quick twist and my problem was gone.
 
When it comes to the H&S Nozzle tool, it was designed by them and for their products. As long as you are using it for the .2mm and greater as it specifies, there are no problems.
I can tell you that every time I’ve had paint flow problems, one quick twist and my problem was gone.

The H&S tool is a special case exception. It's a tool made by H&S specifically for H&S nozzles, so you know it's going to be exactly the right shape and have certain standards in place on both the design and the manufacturing end. Plus the design of H&S nozzles would allow one to design a tool that would socket into the back of the nozzle to auto-center the metal cleaning needle and prevent one from pressing it in too far or hard (I don't know if the H&S tool actually does this, but I'd be surprised if it didn't, given how easily it could be done, and H&S's generally clever attention to detail in their brush designs). You're not going to get any of those things with a rando Chinese needle or an interdental brush with twisted wire ends "hidden" in the tip.
 
The H&S tool is a special case exception. It's a tool made by H&S specifically for H&S nozzles, so you know it's going to be exactly the right shape and have certain standards in place on both the design and the manufacturing end. Plus the design of H&S nozzles would allow one to design a tool that would socket into the back of the nozzle to auto-center the metal cleaning needle and prevent one from pressing it in too far or hard (I don't know if the H&S tool actually does this, but I'd be surprised if it didn't, given how easily it could be done, and H&S's generally clever attention to detail in their brush designs). You're not going to get any of those things with a rando Chinese needle or an interdental brush with twisted wire ends "hidden" in the tip.
It does auto center and prevent splitting. I had a post years back where a .2mm nozzle from the factory wasn’t working. I used the tool and applied more pressure, some brass came out on the tip of the tool. It didn’t split it, it actually fixed the nozzle and it’s still in my brush.
Now,I wouldn’t suggest someone put that much pressure on a known good nozzle, but from my experience, unless you were really pushing on it, the nozzle will not split.
As stated before though, that tool is not designed for the .15mm nozzle, so if someone does us it on one, it may be to their own peril. [emoji15]
 
To clean the inside of a nozzle, I use a wood toothpick whittled to a needle point and soaked in thinner/reducer

Horror story... Once the wooden tip broke inside the nozzle when I was twisting... I got it out eventually but ordered the H&S maintenance kit the same day.
 
Horror story... Once the wooden tip broke inside the nozzle when I was twisting... I got it out eventually but ordered the H&S maintenance kit the same day.

When using a toothpick, I insert it enough so the tip is poking out the nozzle end, then orbit around the inside perimeter to scrub. I don't insert it all the way to filling the nozzle/hole and spin it, which is what I'd guess you must have been doing. Doing that with wood, you'd be asking for the tip of the tool to either break off or be cut off by the edge of the nozzle hole.

And even with a soft tool like a wood toothpick, the metal at the tip of the nozzle is so thin that depending on the airbrush brand you could still flare it (you'd have to push pretty hard with an Iwata nozzle, but I dunno about H&S).

I suppose I should have been clearer about that when recommending toothpicks: orbit, don't ream.
 
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When using a toothpick, I insert it enough so the tip is poking out the nozzle end, then orbit around the inside perimeter to scrub. I don't insert it all the way to filling the nozzle/hole and spin it, which is what I'd guess you must have been doing. Doing that with wood, you'd be asking for the tip of the tool to either break off or be cut off by the edge of the nozzle hole.

And even with a soft tool like a wood toothpick, the metal at the tip of the nozzle is so thin that depending on the airbrush brand you could still flare it (you'd have to push pretty hard with an Iwata nozzle, but I dunno about H&S).

I suppose I should have been clearer about that when recommending toothpicks: orbit, don't ream.

Nupe, didn't do anything like you described. I would never use force or try to ramp a toothpick into the nozzle because with H&S nozzle, it will simple compress all that dry paint towards the tip of the nozzle and make matters worse.

Just gently insert the toothpick, turn it around gently and snap! I believe it was because I bought the cheapest toothpick there is, some recycle bamboo toothpick that cost a quarter for like a thousand sticks.
 
Nupe, didn't do anything like you described. I would never use force or try to ramp a toothpick into the nozzle because with H&S nozzle, it will simple compress all that dry paint towards the tip of the nozzle and make matters worse.

Just gently insert the toothpick, turn it around gently and snap! I believe it was because I bought the cheapest toothpick there is, some recycle bamboo toothpick that cost a quarter for like a thousand sticks.
I use regular wooden toothpick, but I did cut mine with exacto. I didn't have problems with my toothpick. Pictures are sharp like my minds is :laugh:

regular vs cutted comparison. I use toothpicks at last stage. It is more just in case. But I don't need them any more from the day I started soaking nozzles.

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I guess this wouldn't work on small nozzle?
 
I use regular wooden toothpick, but I did cut mine with exacto. I didn't have problems with my toothpick. Pictures are sharp like my minds is :laugh:

regular vs cutted comparison. I use toothpicks at last stage. It is more just in case. But I don't need them any more from the day I started soaking nozzles.

I guess this wouldn't work on small nozzle?

After I stopped using those cheap toothpick - also the H&S tools don't work with other nozzles, I become even cheaper and more environmentally friendly. I went for free lol. Basically I did what you do in principle but I only had to do it once. Using the plastic runners from the model kits, I made something that resembles the H&S tool. They are flexible and soft, no issues with them thus far.

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There is this cheap made in Taiwan call Modo. Soaking it in thinner or even mineral spirits wont help because when it starts to dry, it wont dissolve properly anymore, it becomes small little particles instead. Actually it wont dissolve very well to begin with but it is dirt cheap so I still use it for somethings but only with a 0.5mm nozzle no brand airbrush.
 
I use to use sharpened tooth picks in my nozzles but after a piece broke off inside my Micron's nozzle and I could not get it out and had to replace the nozzle, I stopped doing that. I now use a long cheap rigger brush to get in there.
 
If using a sharpened piece of wood (and yes, I do this too) use a piece of bamboo - if you can. The wood toothpicks, or cocktail sticks (depending on your location around the globe ;)) can vary tremendously from piece to piece. It is very easy to have what happened to Andre, happen - a small piece breaking off, and getting stuck in the nozzle. Bamboo has much tougher, long fibers, making it much less prone to this sort of breakage. They make skewers for grilling that are perfect for this application... it is also much easier to carve to a long taper without breakage than the normal toothpick.

If using a toothpick, and something like Andre's experience should befall you, you can try allowing the nozzle to soak in mildly soapy water, maybe for a few days, an then try poking the stuck piece out with an old needle. Sometimes they will soften, and push out almost like putty...
 
I only ever soak my nozzle, use a long bristled artist brush to work the paint from inside the nozzle. I do have an old generic .15 needle to team if necessary, only had to use it once
 
If using a sharpened piece of wood (and yes, I do this too) use a piece of bamboo - if you can. The wood toothpicks, or cocktail sticks (depending on your location around the globe ;)) can vary tremendously from piece to piece. It is very easy to have what happened to Andre, happen - a small piece breaking off, and getting stuck in the nozzle. Bamboo has much tougher, long fibers, making it much less prone to this sort of breakage. They make skewers for grilling that are perfect for this application... it is also much easier to carve to a long taper without breakage than the normal toothpick.

If using a toothpick, and something like Andre's experience should befall you, you can try allowing the nozzle to soak in mildly soapy water, maybe for a few days, an then try poking the stuck piece out with an old needle. Sometimes they will soften, and push out almost like putty...

I always stayed away from bamboo because I thought they were too hard for the task. And soaking the nozzle after the wood got stuck in did not help as the wood was usually wet anyway. Even waiting for it to dry out did not help. I even tried burning it out.
 
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