Brushes & Tools
A good brush tip matters more than a tiny brush. Quality brushes, clippers, files and a hobby knife make both prep and painting cleaner and far less frustrating.
Best Drybrushes for Miniatures and Terrain
Find the best drybrushes for minis and terrain. Soft makeup-style rounds and stiff flats compared for smooth highlights without chalky, scratchy results.
Best Miniature Paint Brushes for Every Budget
The best miniature paint brushes reviewed. Kolinsky sable vs synthetic, sizes, point retention, and durable workhorse picks for tabletop painters.
Best Detail Brushes for Fine Miniature Work
Compare the best detail brushes for miniatures. Fine-point rounds for eyes, freehand, and edge highlights, with sable and synthetic picks that keep a tip.
Best Hobby Knives for Miniature Modeling
The best hobby knives for miniature work compared. Blade sharpness, handle grip, blade change systems, and safety picks for cleanup and conversions.
Best Sprue Clippers for Miniature Assembly
Compare the best sprue clippers for miniatures. Single-blade and flush cutters compared for clean cuts, spring action, and gentle handling of fragile parts.
Best Hobby Files and Sanding Tools for Miniatures
The best hobby files and sanding tools for minis. Needle files, sanding sticks, and sponges compared for smoothing seams, nubs, and resin prep work.
Best Mold Line Removers for Miniatures
Find the best mold line removers for miniatures. Dedicated scrapers compared with knives and files for fast, safe seam cleanup on plastic models.
Best Pin Vises for Miniature Drilling
The best pin vise for miniatures compared: chuck grip, spin comfort and bit sets for drilling barrels, pinning limbs and magnetizing bases.
Best Hobby Tweezers for Miniature Assembly
The best hobby tweezers for miniature work. Fine-tip, reverse-action, and angled picks compared for gluing tiny parts, decals, and basing materials.
Best Brush Soaps and Cleaners for Miniature Painting
Compare the best brush soaps and cleaners for miniature painters. Restore bent tips, remove dried acrylic, and make kolinsky sable brushes last for years.
How to choose
- Choose a size 1 or 2 brush with a sharp, springy tip.
- Keep old brushes for drybrushing and messy work.
- Use sprue clippers and a mold line remover for prep.
- Clean brushes with brush soap to keep points sharp.
Common questions
What brush size is best for miniatures?
A size 1 or 2 with a fine point does most work, including detail. Very small brushes hold little paint and dry out quickly on the tip.
How do I keep brushes from splitting?
Keep paint out of the metal ferrule, rinse often, clean with brush soap and never leave brushes standing bristles-down in water.