How To Sharpen & Polish Your Airbrush Needle - Easy Airbrush Maintenance

In my latest video I show you how to sharpen or repair your airbrush needle.
I also show how I polish them too. I use a super simple tool for the job that works great every time. Check below for links for SharpenAir and Flitz
Get the SharpenAir here spraygunner.com?aff=10
Get SharpenAir here also ebay.us/VpQ2y1
Get Flitz Polish here amzn.to/3fQwWcC
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[@NAMVETSTARLITE]

MASTER, THANK YOU THE SHOGUN OF ALL PAINTING. HALF MY MODELING TIME IS STAYING ORGINAZED.

[@Nutyp3092]

Seriously appreciate these videos. So much information and you dont rush any part of it. Really helpful especially for those of us that are barely getting into spray painting.

[@DaneSaysStuff]

A comparison on the cheap one would have been cool. Box stock vs. fully disassembled and cleaned, needle polished, and everything lubricated properly.

[@bobbytoombs818]

Very cool, great video like always 👍

[@insane18700]

Keep up the great content please. Very helpful for the beginner like myself just starting with airbrushing.

[@barbatosrex9473]

Thank you my friend.

[@ricketron]

This is awesome info to have, thanks! I've only recently got back into airbrushing after some years away from it, and I just noticed the other day that my Neo's needle has a little bend/burr at the tip. I'd much rather spend some money on a tool instead of just replacing (and wasting) perfectly repairable needles. I'll be grabbing one of these very soon. Appreciate you taking the time to make this video!

[@TheIcemanModdeler]

Very cool thanks for sharing, haven't had time to paint, been working on a character i plan to 3dprint, once that's done will get back to painting.

[@paulsmodels]

Thanks. Great ideas to try out.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Yep, the Flitz works great, nice vid!!!!!

[@bigchef2112]

Very cool. I need to add that my my order. I’ve just been using a polishing pad to clean up. Thanks!

[@barbatosrex9473]

Great piece of equipment to have on your bench. Thanks for watching

[@jedimastag]

dude your hobby model guru. Lol i cant even skip thru your videos because they are so packed full of knowledge

[@skip-o-maticsmodelmania5774]

As a novice at airbrushing this was great info for me. Thanks for showing.

[@barbatosrex9473]

Any time. Thanks for watching

[@3dpaintpouringbyjimanthony952]

Best teacher on airbrushing. Thanks.

[@Sharkey007x]

thanks for this!

[@juniorworkshop1918]

Good video thanks for sharing 👋👍👍

[@jslute]

I had no idea this was possible.Cool!!

[@VideoCesar07]

Glad to see a purpose built device for polishing AB needled. So far I have been using steel wool to clean and polish mine once a week, sometimes more depending on how much cleaning it needs. Before this I saw some videos in the past of people putting their AB needle in a drill and then running it at high speed over sandpaper to polish the needle and the tip. Bubby of mine who is a pro AB artist, and many other users elsewhere said it was a terrible idea if you were not very aware of how the pressure, speed and angle. You could easily end up bending or even wearing away and reshaping your AB needle. Gonna have to check this product out someday. Thanks!

[@stephenbridges2791]

Excellent idea about the Flitz polish. I hadn't thought of that. I put my needles in a drill press. Polish w/ 6000, 8000, 10000, & 12000 polishing sticks. The press helps keep things round, etc. Why I never thought of Flitz, is beyond me. I borrowed your recipe for cleaning solution, just yesterday. Cool techniques you have.

[@barbatosrex9473]

Thanks buddy and thanks for watching. Flitz polish is also good for polishing the plastic kits too, especially car kits

[@christophermartin2031]

Good video , being a ex butcher & Bonner the one direction is to reduce the micro burr on the edge. Maybe it's the same for needles, thanks for sharing your method with us .

[@inspectorcal]

note, thats not dirt coming off your needles when polishing, its the actual metal. the polishing compound is mildly abrasive and you are removing microns of metal off your needle.

[@Southtown_Paint_Appz]

Man I love your informative vidz!!! So blessed I found your channel my brotha!

[@barbatosrex9473]

Thanks buddy for the kind words. It's very much appreciated 👍

[@njcivicwagon1]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. Went in Spraygunner and ordered one.

[@ace-gc5xm]

love your video, I never knew about the back flush airbrush by unscrewing the head to clean. been doing that now the last few airbrush session

[@nscaledelights]

Great video keep them coming!!!!!!

[@xRepoUKx]

Thanks for posting this, I've been looking forward to it. I'd love one of these as I'm a bit accident prone and the Badger needles load in from the back only, so there's always a danger of catching the needle on something. Unfortunately, the SharpenAir are the equivalent of $78 delivered in the UK which is a lot when compared to the cost of a replacement needle.

[@andregrafia1914]

Excelente video

[@barbatosrex9473]

Thank you. I'll be doing a video on how to polish the needle this week

[@jeffsimon3114]

The PS290 is a fan spray airbrush and comes with a blunt needle similar to a full size spray gun. No need to sharpen it.

[@pc124122]

Perfect timing! I definitely need to sharpen my needle soon.

[@BennyCFD]

What are you doing wrong to dull your needle. They don't wear out or dull with regular semi-careful use

[@pc124122]

@@BennyCFD mine got bent when someone bumped the table lol. It’s minor but definitely affects the spray

[@BennyCFD]

You must be doing something seriously wrong if you're dulling your needle..................

[@KrippledKracka]

Would have been nice to see a before and after of your spray patterns prior to sharpening, to kind of prove / show how this will affect future sprays.

[@jfranklin7680]

Well those manufacturers just earned my business because of you lol.

[@Wheatley101]

Hey Rex!! Considering you're a guy who likes your airbrushing, I can't recommend higher the Harder &Steenbeck Infinity CR Plus!! It's so easy to clean and has changed my hobby dramatically. Keep up the good work buddy.

[@barbatosrex9473]

I'll be getting another H&S, the one I had my finger didn't fit right on it. The cup was too close to the trigger for me. I swapped it out for the smaller cup but it didn't hold much paint. But I will be getting another very soon

[@Wheatley101]

@@barbatosrex9473 I hope the new one youre planning to get works out for you!! Mine was a huge improvement on the Iwata that I had before and was infinitely better than the cheap Chinese one I started on. That cheap one I started on was useful though in that it taught me that I LOVED AIRBRUSHING :)

[@douglyle6106]

Your videos are awesome. I've been having tip drying problems on my Badger 105 since day one, never had any trouble with my Aztec. I polished the needle with Wicked metal polish and now the tip doesn't dry up after a minute of spraying. Going to try that Flitz if it's our local store. Thanks again for videos.

[@BennyCFD]

I've had my Badger 105 for almost 18 years. Never sharpened or polished and it always works like new.

[@douglyle6106]

@@BennyCFD my Badger 150 is still going after 20 years. Only had to replace an o-ring and a needle once. Bent the needle. Duh! I think Badger's quality isn't as top notch today. That tip drying was very annoying and polishing it helped a lot.

[@ulisesfreytes7287]

Hi mate. Great videos! Have learned lots. Questions: where did you get the organizers where you keep your glasses and the unit to its left? Thanks.

[@LadyBorgia]

You can get those on Amazon or the sewing or craft store. Sometimes the dollar store has them too. My Mom is a pro miniature artist and has TONS of them for storing her miniature, readable books she creates and she picks them up for me for my artistry business for various storage. Many have movable partitions so you can change the size of the compartments. The bigger unit and similar units are available on Amazon too.

[@icemanfan2957]

I'm curious if a different polish would work, such as the Meguiars Pro Speed Compound? The reason I ask is, I worked in a body shop and I already have some on hand.

[@Invaderzim2004]

would this work on an Harder & Steenbeck 0.15 needle without damaging it?

[@sahhull]

I polish my needles with green knife sharpening compound and a small piece of leather. I run/spin the needle between my leather covered fingers

[@animalyze7120]

Polishing compound on a dremmel buffing tip will get you a super sheer luster on those cheapo needles after which they will be good as any brand, it's the one trick many don't know about the cheap brushes...Pitted needles. Great video

[@barbatosrex9473]

I just got a Dremel Stylo which I will be reviewing soon, I'll do that as part of the test

[@LadyBorgia]

I've heard quite a few people using their Dremmel. I'll have to check it out with the Flitz when it arrives.

[@kennethroberson6399]

I'll have to try flitz. I've been using toothpaste with pretty good results!

[@barbatosrex9473]

Flitz is great as I use it to polish my plastic kits too.

[@rider660r]

Wenol is a lil better to use on metal. I used Flitz all the time on my melding helmet lenses (Speedglass lenses aren't cheap) and I think it also helped protect them better from spalls,etc then the lenses were from factory. I polished mine tonight,done one by hand and chucked the other 4 needles up into a cordless drill. So much better an quicker that way. You don't have to use so much of either polish and save a lil more $,you could have done all those needles with the 1st blob you applied.

[@JuRu-1337]

Its nice how do you polish your needles but what is with the counter part? You change the needle slightly but don`t change the Nozzle.

[@allanlowe9346]

Another great vid. Wish we could get this stuff in Australia as the freight costs from US make it too expensive. Will any metal polish do the same as Flitz? Also, Id love to see you do a build or two of cars to see some of your techniques. Cheers mate

[@barbatosrex9473]

Sure most metal polish gels should work fine

[@tomcatkzn]

Am surprised you don't use any lubrication during sharpening as when shapening a knife.

[@michaelschiba4283]

does it matter...paste or liquid?

[@jamesclark3552]

How can you tell what size the needles are?

[@LadyBorgia]

I was going to try a tube of the Flitz after looking at various polishes and I happened to come across this video. Thanks for the video (I know the effort as I'm on here too.). I just ordered it. I'm probably going to get the SharpenAir as well (or just put it on my Christmas Wish list.) Any idea how long they last? I've heard a lot of people talk about them, but have never heard about their longevity.

[@barbatosrex9473]

Should last at least 5 years. Based on my sharpening stones I use for my knives. The Sharpen Air uses the same style stone

[@LadyBorgia]

@@barbatosrex9473 Ok great! Thanks!

[@robertmann7277]

Do you recommend cleaning a BRAND NEW needle ( one's that's never been used )

[@paulmcwilliams1709]

I'd love to own one of these SharpenAir needle restorer, unfortunately everywhere I look for one, they are out of them! I can't find one anywhere. So I'll do without it I guess.

[@davidks1498]

Thanks , after watching your video I've cleaned my needles and I couldn't believe the crap that came off them.

[@barbatosrex9473]

It's amazing what you can't see

[@mynock5012]

Have you tried Hataka or Mig Ammo paints? I see those are very popular for military models which I'm trying to get into. Curious on your opinions on them

[@barbatosrex9473]

I have about 40 Ammo Mig paints. I will be testing them soon

[@mynock5012]

@@barbatosrex9473 Awesome!! Thanks for sharing all your expertise with us. Your videos are invaluable for a beginner like me

[@tukangngoprek9516]

Nama alat nya apa bos'qu klo di indonesia gak susah cari nya

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

Another qustion about the Sharpen Air, how does it deal with the different tapering of different needles? The PS290 has a very steep taper where as the Harder Steenbeck has a very much longer taper. Maybe the PS290 just doesn't need the sharpening and my qustion is moot....

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

Found the answer here: sharpenair.com/pages/instructions

[@memememe2674]

Is the top angle the same on all needles then? Do different makers and types of AB not vary the tips?

[@barbatosrex9473]

They're all slightly different but this tool adjusts for that

[@tomcatkzn]

Was wondering the same thing! Would hate to change the spray character due to change in angle on my favourite airbrushes.

[@statoilbensin2190]

Looking forward for the wash testing by companies other than Tamiya panel line accent colour. Wonder if you have ever tried Italeri's washes they are acrylic based I belive, but they are more for millitary stuff and not Gundam as I dont think Italeri is in the Gundam market.

[@barbatosrex9473]

Italeri is so tough to get here in the US. Do you know of a site that will ship here. I have some of their paint coming but the site here in the US only had 6 colors in stock

[@statoilbensin2190]

@@barbatosrex9473 I did not know that Italeri's paints was hard to get in the US. Here in Norway there products are availeble on most model kit retailers. Maybe you can try to visit their website, or maybe they have some of their products on Amazon. Maybe email them? If not I am not sure who ships in the US.

[@tennentssuppa]

I put a little bit of fine oil on my needle [Away from the point] when reassembling to lubricate the rubber seals, is that a bad practice?

[@barbatosrex9473]

No, that's a good practice. I do the same. I use Regdab needle juice.

[@heatherhardy5585]

Growing up we had Dachshunds named Wolfgang and Heidi

[@anotheruser9876]

Nice MOL model, BTW.

[@chauffeurmarco]

But this is for the 3.5?

[@reconmodelsvaughn469]

Everyone when you order your Needle sharpenair tell spraygunner which air brushes you they have some different ones that are custom for certain airbrushs make sure you get the Write one for your applications

[@elvisevanessa4713]

Exelent video!!!

[@barbatosrex9473]

Thank you

[@MRaadesign]

A needle that dull just needs to be replaced. Also you don't anything more than 600 grit sandpaper and a drop of water to get a fine tip back on a needle.

[@neekEy12]

hello, sir! i want to ask if it is still necessary to put lube coating on the needle after polishing? Paasche has this bottle of lubricant, but i want to also try using the Flitz as well. is it OK to use both or should i only use one of them? thank you so much! God bless

[@barbatosrex9473]

Polishing is a good habit. But the lube is good for the moving parts af the airbrush like where you push in the button and pull back

[@neekEy12]

@@barbatosrex9473 makes perfect sense! thank you so much! i was instructed before to coat the lube on the needle so it seems i was taught wrong. wishing you all the best and thank you for sharing your experience and skill to the community! nothing but the best for you and the Channel!

[@ThisNamesNowTaken]

I know I’m a bit late commenting but i just checked out this sharpener from the ebay link you have and this sharpener sells for $55. At that price you might as well purchase 3 or 4 new ones from your site.

[@ulfhethnar3687]

New to airbrushing. How often do I need to sharpen my needle?

[@barbatosrex9473]

I find twice a year is good for the average user. 4 times a year if you use your airbrush on a weekly basis

[@vladimirpalik6697]

I'm a simple man - I see polish in the title I hit like xDDDDD

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

EDIT: This comment was not correct "There are 2 models, 1 for most brands - 1 for Paasche and Devillbis"

[@billallen7192]

This is only partially correct. I just visited SharpenAir.com They have a Paasche specific model, and the original model which covers all of the other airbrush brands.

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

@@billallen7192 Yeah I misread, there is only the two versions. Thanks for corecting it. It just seems too good to be true, to me that every needle have the same taper. On Sharpenair instructions they give instructions on 0.5mm needles as if all are the same. When I look at iwata and H&S needles they seems to have very different shapes. Hope I am wrong : ) Would be nice not having to buy new needles

[@billallen7192]

@@esbenrasmussen4289 No problem. I can understand why they released an Orange version as that is SpayGunners colour. The green, the pink, I guess just aesthetics. I bought an H & S Evolution 2 n 1 used. The 0.2 needle and nozzle were trashed. Couldn't do much about the nozzle! However the SharpenAir at least took the needle back to the point where it is a serviceable backup. So at least the needle could still be used. I think SharpenAir is a great product. Based on this awesome video, I also purchased a 50g tube of Flitz as well!

[@jimmartin7881]

Any link to the 15 dollar airbrush, I'd like to get my nephew one? Did you do a review on it?

[@barbatosrex9473]

I would get either one of these for a little bit more cash but a much better airbrush amzn.to/3fUpyNo without an air hose amzn.to/3z1gAoV with an air hose included here is the actual cheap airbrush I used www.ebay.com/itm/324239201833 For less than $10 more you can get what I feel is a superior airbrush

[@jimmartin7881]

@@barbatosrex9473 Thanks a bunch!

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

When I clean my PS290 I find that I can clean it 95% by just running thinner through it. But I am torn between pulling the needle out from the back, or unscrewing the head and pulling it from the front. Pulling from the back protects the threads of the head by leaving it in place but has the disadvantage of pulling a little paint through the needle chuck seal. Pulling the needle from the front reverses the pros and cons. I am interested in hearing from you and others who have used this airbrush for longer than me.

[@barbatosrex9473]

I've always pulled out the needle from the back. It cleans itself really well just flushing it with thinner so I don't fear getting the internals dirty by doing that. I recently tore down the airbrush for a complete cleaning and it was super clean inside. So cleaning it using the flush and needle pull out the back is fine. No worries

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

@@barbatosrex9473 Thanks, yeah that was my initial impression, really impressed by the quality. My spray work has improved by a factor of at least 2. And I got it for 120 USD plus taxes in EU. Also another improvement I made was getting stronger lighting at the correct angle, that made it much easier to see when I reached the correct wetness of paint.

[@barbatosrex9473]

@@esbenrasmussen4289 I tell my viewers all the time that the Procon airbrushes changed everything to me. Made a world of difference. On the lighting side, BenQ sent me an LED light to test out. It cost over $200!!! . Cant wait to see how it performs

[@esbenrasmussen4289]

@@barbatosrex9473 Exactly, that is why I think I have thanked you 3 times in different comments, just so overwhelmed by the finish of my paint jobs. Can you talk about the difference between the Procon 270 and the H&S. I have H&S Evolution Silverline 0.2 0.4mm I think lighting is probably the most overlooked thing for beginners, aLooking forward to the lighting review. Have you thought about collecting questions from the comments and doing dedicated Q&A videos.

[@barbatosrex9473]

@@esbenrasmussen4289 Q&A vid is something I'm working on. I loved the spray quality of the H&S but my finger was too close to the cup. The smaller cup helped but it held very little paint. I'm going to purchase another H&S soon, I think the Ultra

[@bradleyjones5932]

how does the needle in a air brush become dull/blunt , when it only has air & paint going over it ?

[@barbatosrex9473]

Just by taking it out and putting it back in when you clean it slowly dulls it.

[@bradleyjones5932]

@@barbatosrex9473 , wow, good to know, new to this hobby and about to get my first air compressor & air brush, keep up the great vids🤩😎👍👍🦘, they are helping me a huge amount ,with what tools and other items i need to get started, also needing to find a good starter kit.

[@kevinm3751]

The sanding block is for the .5 needle because it only needs to go through step one. After that you use the sanding sponge to finish. At least that is what I was told with mine.

[@cabrerahobbyworks148]

I was reading the instructions and the .5 needle is supposed to only go in the first hole or you change it’s geometry. For what I read, this is only for repair. If your needle is not bent there is no need to “sharpen it” I have polished my needles and have seen no perceivable difference in performance. My airbrushes are Iwata hi line.

[@BennyCFD]

I agree.......This is for people who need to spend money...............

[@Brent-Nelson68]

Polishing the needle make a difference. For one, when using acrylics, it reduces tip dry as the needle surface is much smoother, so pigments won’t stick to it as quickly. Secondly, with the needle being polished, the spray pattern will be tighter as the pigments won’t bounce off the microscopic scratches.

[@boxbuyer2008]

Maybe try a pin vise for the needle polishing.

[@reconmodelsvaughn469]

Ok the sharpenair It has different sharpeners for different air brushes Companies the black one the Is generic one that does most air brushes the Orange one I think is for Iwata but the colors is how you tell what sharpenair you have not for looks I have 3 different sharpenair and they are very different. Ask the guys at spraygunner ask for Alex or Gary .they have the best products and prices in the states

[@statoilbensin2190]

Cool wonder witch one is for Harder and steenbeck?

[@billallen7192]

SharpenAir has only two models. The second version was specifically designed for Paasche airbrush needles. The Paasche version also happens to be for the DeVilbiss Dagr airbrush. The original SharpenAir is for most everything else. The colours do not indicate anything about the internal sharpening stones (2 x 600 grit, 2 x 1200 grit) or the angles that they are set at. The Orange model was done for SprayGunner, as that is the site's colour scheme. The green and pink versions were just a change up from the standard black housing. I tried to find pictures of the Paasche model to see if there is anything on the case that distinguishes it from the original, but had no luck.

[@reconmodelsvaughn469]

@@billallen7192 call Gary at spraygunner I never said anything about the Sharpening stones it's the It's whole that is different for each style of air brush you have I have 3 different models they cover all my airbrushs I have about 40 different types of airbrushs with different sizes of Needles .I spent almost a hour going over all the sharpenair Gary was using the colors to figure out the sharpenair I need for all my airbrushs I have 3 different sharpenair or you can talk to Chad at sharpenair he's the owner. All I was saying is this video is not correct

[@billallen7192]

@@reconmodelsvaughn469 I took your advice and got in touch with Chad Elliot through SharpenAir on Facebook. You can see his response to me there. He basically said that there are only two models. He developed the second model for Paasche and DeVilbiss Dagr because the thickness for those airbushes' needles was to thick for the openings on the original SharpenAir. So, the only difference with the Paasche model is that the openings for the needle are larger. Everything else internally is exactly the same. You can read his response to me on the SharpenAir Facebook page. The colours are purely to offer people choices.

[@reconmodelsvaughn469]

@@billallen7192awesome thanks ..i have 3 i was told they were all Different from spraygunner. And he was using the colors to tell Which model you need he went over a over about the colors i don't know if he was new i have lot of Air brushes so i was on the phone with him for almost a hour. I will look so that means that I have 2 of a kind I have only open the black and have only use it. The other 2 still in the box but I have only use it for my bager and iwata it doesn't work with the my at all paasches . I was told that it was the Multi purpose one I know Chad i will talk to him to make sure I have what I need I do know that they are making other models I was going on the information that the guys at spraygunner I should have talked to Chad to make sure I had the correct sharpenairs information. Military models is my job and hobby

[@5poundsofpresha]

Well if I'm goin right to left theres no need to number.....

[@TheUpsetter]

I get all my needle sharpening equipment from my local darts team, they might be low life junky scum but they know how to keep their needles sharp.

[@HandFromCoffin]

You have to say "FOCUS YOU F#$%" this it will focus.

[@BennyCFD]

I've been using my Badger 105 patriot for 18/19 years and I'm still using the same needle, and I've never had the need to sharpen it or polish it. I have no idea how people dull the tip. I pull mine through a piece if fine steel wool once in a while to get old paint off of it. I have no idea where all this wear and tare comes from. It barely moves only a very small small fraction of an inch inside of the airbrush. I've had a very small bend in the tip once in a while and just roll it under my finger on a piece of glass and it straightens out.

[@cabrerahobbyworks148]

Agreed. Been airbrushing for 30 years. I have fixed bent needles with two pieces of wood and under a microscope they look perfect. I don’t understand the sharpening. Don’t you change the factory geometry? An polishing. I’ve done it and just don’t see any difference. I have four airbrushes all Iwata hi line including a custom micron.

[@somechinesedude5466]

If its just needle, why not replace it if its too broke to use anymore

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

@@somechinesedude5466 I use Iwata, and a 1950s era Thayer and Chandler AA. I bought a new needle and cap for the T&C in the mid 80s... My Iwata customized HP-BCS was new about 10 years ago. I paint models.. I clean the needles carefully and they seem to keep on working just fine.

[@The901meister]

@@cabrerahobbyworks148 Been airbrushing for about 50 years and have never damaged or bent a needle. You do indeed change the geometry between the needle and nozzle by removing material from the tip of the needle. Needles are cheap, just buy a replacement. I stopped using Badger products years ago because the needles would arrive bent from the factory. I'm loving the Grex brushes I purchased in the last few years. If you clean your needles with acetone or lacquer thinner they don't need polishing. I also have a bottle of glycerin for lubing the needle.

[@brianhurst3653]

Seems nice, but damn 50-60 bucks

[@x13roger80]

Not all needles are the same angle😂

[@ramza813]

eh I just buy a new needle. easier :D

[@jj-icejoe6642]

60€ ? Really ?