Yeah, @kim.ben might be onto something. Could it also depend on the brand of paint or how old the graphite is?

Wait, you had to deal with that all the time?

That coat hanger line is too real. I've met a few guys who think guessing is a professional skill. It's a special kind of confidence to be that wrong.

Two years of wrong stems" really hits home. I spent a good six months convinced my punty attachment issues were just bad luck, not my own rushed technique. Sometimes you get so deep into a habit you need someone else to point out the obvious fix. Mark's advice about the steady pull is key, it's amazing how much a little patience changes the whole piece.

Serious question" is doing a lot of work here. It's a brush, not a space shuttle. You found one that scrapes the gunk off better, cool. The poly ones are fine until you hit a broken tile edge and shred it, then you're fishing plastic out for an hour. They all have a place, but no brush is magic.