Fineline Applicators 20 Gauge Applicators & Bottles – Empty, pack of 2

Best bottles for glue
I love these small bottles for my crafting glue. It is so easy to use and place the glue on little areas.

A decent applicator
These applicators work fairly well. I used paint, and the applicators allowed me to produce a consistent fine line. I like how the cap stops the paint from drying up in the thin filament. However it was difficult to apply enough pressure to the bottle to get the paint out of the applicator. I ended up using a large binder clip with a twist tie around the silver handles to keep the clip open a certain amount. Using this system, I would put the clip on the main bottle to create the pressure needed to apply the paint. This also allowed me to move my hand up closer to where the paint was exiting the applicator – using it more like a pen. Using the clip, it became very easy to paint my design.

20 GA is too fine for masking fluid. 18 GA slightly better. Best for inks, solvents, etc.
I purchased a set of two bottles with the 20 Gauge (GA) blunt-tip needles to use with masking fluid on another artist’s recommendation. The first bottle worked well for about a minute, but the needle quickly became clogged as the fluid started to dry in the tube. Getting the wire cap back in proved incredibly difficult! The second bottle that I received was clogged before my first use! Both tips were difficult to clean, but with some effort, I managed. Some cleaning ideas are included further down this review.Upon removing the needle from the bottle for cleaning, I discovered that these bottles use the same screw-on needle fitting as a Luer lock syringe and will accept other 1″-long, blunt-tip, Leur lock needles (note: the slip-on type is NOT compatible). I already had a dozen 18 GA needles of this type on hand that I had purchased on Amazon to refill pen cartridges with ink! Since these bottles are also offered with an 18 GA tip, I decided to test one of the bottles with one of the needles I already had on hand. I would expect that my results would be the same as if I had purchased the version that comes with the wider gauge installed, with the only real difference possibly being the cap that comes on the bottle.With an 18 GA tip, I found that it took a little longer for the needle to clog and I had enough working time to finish with the illustration I was working on before it did. As long as you tilt the bottle enough while using it, you can still achieve fine lines. In fact, I noticed little difference in the size of the line that came out of the bottle when it was tilted. While I’m not convinced that even the 18 GA needle is the best choice for masking fluid, as the needle tip still clogged after several minutes of use, it was more workable than the thinner gauge needle tip that came with the bottles I ordered.I don’t know if the cap made for the 18 GA bottle has a thicker wire for cleaning/closing the needle, or if that cap would reduce clogs, but I wouldn’t expect a significant improvement. I think that clogging is inevitable when using a bottle like this to apply any liquid that could dry inside of the needle. Those using calligraphy inks, liquid watercolors, airbrush paints, solvents or other thin liquids may find these bottles much easier to use in comparison.Cleaning tip: I found in the past that acetone nail polish remover helps breaks down masking fluid, so I soaked each of the tips I used in acetone for several minutes, before rinsing with clean water. After rinsing, I used the needle cap again to clear the tube enough to allow water to pass through. I then locked each tip to a Leur Lock syringe filled with clean water and gently pushed the remaining debris out of the needle tubes. This cleared the lingering bits of debris out of the needles. Once the needles were dry, I put them back onto the bottles and put the caps into place. It may be more practical to keep an extra set of bottles on hand – one for acetone to clean tips and one for water to give needles a final rinse – but as I didn’t have a spare bottle on hand (I’d filled both of mine), I found it necessary to improvise and the syringes worked fine.* Note: I would NOT try to force water through a plugged needle, as doing so may damage the needle and pose a safety risk, regardless of whether a bottle or syringe is being used. Always use caution when using using a blunt-tipped needle like those that come with these bottles. Simply having a blunt tip does not guarantee that injury can’t occur if care isn’t taken during use.** If you found this review helpful, please mark it helpful to let me know and help other buyers. Thanks! **

Fine tip
These bottles are perfect for glueing tiny paper pieces. Filling them is easy if you use say Scotch brand glue with a tip that fits into the opening. However I buy larger bottles of Art Glitter Glue and using a funnel to fill them is time consuming. I do highly recommend these bottles the tips are great for small pieces.