Why Chinese Brushes Shed and How to Prevent It

Many beginners in Chinese calligraphy encounter the frustrating problem when their Chinese brushes shed bristles. What causes Chinese brushes to shed, and more importantly, how can we fix and prevent this issue? Today, Qi Ming will share some practical insights based on personal experience.

Why Do Chinese Brushes Shed Bristles?

Reason 1: Manufacturing Issues

The first cause of brush shedding relates to the manufacturing process itself.

If you’ve read my previous article “How Traditional Chinese Brushes Are Made: Complete Manufacturing Process,” you’ll know that one critical step in brush making involves binding the brush head. This means tying the prepared bristles together with thin thread, as shown below:

This is what a properly bound brush head looks like.

Binding the brush head requires extremely careful attention to detail. However, even the most skilled craftsmen cannot guarantee that every single bristle gets caught in the binding. This means that when you first open a new Chinese brush, some loose bristles will naturally fall out.

So it’s completely normal to see some floating bristles shed during your first few uses. However, if your brush continues to shed bristles after ten or more uses—especially if large amounts fall out each time—this likely indicates a quality problem. Such brushes are considered defective products, and you should feel confident requesting a replacement from the seller. For customers who purchase Chinese brushes from Qi Ming Wen Fang, if you receive such a defective brush, please contact our customer service immediately. We will provide a free replacement without hesitation.

Shedding from a newly opened Chinese brush (loose bristles falling out) is generally normal.

Reason 2: Improper Use and Maintenance

The second major cause of brush shedding involves improper use and care, which breaks down into two situations.

First, incorrect brush breaking-in methods.

Some calligraphy enthusiasts, after purchasing a new Chinese brush, don’t know the proper way to open the brush head. (For detailed instructions, please refer to my previous article “How to Break in a New Chinese Calligraphy Brush.”) They mistakenly soak the brush head in boiling water to soften it. This approach severely damages the brush head. Especially when the entire brush head is completely submerged in boiling water, it causes the glue binding the ferrule to the brush head to dissolve. This weakens the adhesion at the root of the bristles inside the ferrule, leading to significant shedding.

For a freshly opened Chinese brush, you can also use your fingers to remove loose bristles. If you have a soft, old toothbrush available, you can gently brush from the base toward the tip to remove floating bristles.

Second, failing to clean the brush thoroughly after each use.

Many calligraphy practitioners have this habit: after using their Chinese brush, they simply set it aside without cleaning. This practice seriously damages the brush. Ink contains adhesive substances, and if you leave ink on your brush for extended periods, the ink will harden and stiffen the bristles.

When you try to use the brush again, it becomes very troublesome. Some people simply dip the hardened brush forcefully into ink, trying to “force it open.” This damages the root of the brush head. If you’re using low-quality ink, the corrosive effect on the brush is even worse, weakening the brush’s performance and causing bristle loss.

Some people do wash their brushes but fail to clean the base of the brush head thoroughly. The residual ink at the base forms clumps, causing the brush to split easily. If the base remains dirty over time, this can also lead to shedding. (I’ll explain below what “properly cleaned” means.)

By the way, some calligraphy enthusiasts like to put the cap back on while the brush is still wet. This creates a damp, enclosed environment that also damages the brush.

How to Prevent Brush Shedding

Here I’ll share my illustrated guide for breaking in and maintaining Chinese brushes. If you follow these steps carefully, you generally won’t encounter major problems.

Unlike my previous video about breaking in new Chinese brushes, here I’m opening it directly by hand. The principle is the same as in the video. Many beginners might be hesitant to do this, but as long as you start slowly from the tip and work your way down, you won’t damage the brush.

This is particularly important: the water temperature must not be too high. Generally, water temperature below 30°C (86°F) is appropriate.

When you use a paper towel to absorb water from the base, if the ink marks left on the tissue are quite faint, this indicates the brush is fairly clean. At the same time, using a paper towel to absorb excess moisture helps the brush dry faster.

Many calligraphy enthusiasts may not have the habit of pre-wetting their brush. Actually, using a completely dry Chinese brush for writing results in slightly poorer ink absorption. Before using your brush, first wet it (then blot dry with a paper towel), then dip it in ink. This will improve ink absorption and retention.

Above is my analysis of the causes of Chinese brush shedding, along with instructions for proper use and maintenance. I hope this information helps you in your calligraphy practice.