How to dry a badger brush properly?

Hi guys, first post as a SRP newbie and I was just wondering what kind of methods or useful tricks other members use to dry their badger brushes after use. I can never seem to get it completely dry after use and it can sometimes get damp and smell. On dry days it can air dry properly but on cooler days it doesn't get completely dry. I'm tempted to run a hair dryer on it for a few seconds but I feel it will do more harm in the long run. The brush is a white Thater with the wet shaving kit at SRD, I'm certain its user error rather than the brush.

My method at the moment is to warm rinse clean, shake and squeeze the water out then brush it over a dry towel, then hang it upside down on the holder in a bedroom.

Help! Any ideas? Btw I live in Canberra, Australia

I shake mine out over the sink. I hang it in a brush holder for 24 hours. I have a rotation of brushes so I don't use the same one for days afterwards. I've never had a problem with a Thater or any other brush but I'm not using the same brush daily. Best bet is get a second brush and give each a rest for a day between shaves. I have never squeezed or towel dried either. I would be leery of damaging the bristles. :thinking:

Hi fudd-

I suspect that you are in need of some better air circulation where ever it is that you hang your brush. I clean and dry my brushes exactly the same way as you describe. I live in a high humidity area myself yet the brushes are dry within perhaps six or eight hours. Perhaps a small fan set up to circulate more air would help.

Cheers,
Tack

Both great ideas thanks guys, I do live in a small unit with some poor circulation, I might try leaving a window open or a fan. The brush is great btw but a second one couldn't hurt :-)

What I do is just leave the scented shaving soap in the brush until the next day so it will soak up the odor of the shave soap instead of smelling like a wet badger... if you do that every day for the first week or so, you'll get rid of the stink and it won't hurt your brush one bit.

I bought a hoffritz, 30+ yrs ago,my first badger brush,I used that brush every day for over 20 yrs,I shook it out and hung it to dry with never an issue.My son has it now,is in perfect condition.

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Originally Posted by fuddstar

Hi guys, first post as a SRP newbie and I was just wondering what kind of methods or useful tricks other members use to dry their badger brushes after use. I can never seem to get it completely dry after use and it can sometimes get damp and smell. On dry days it can air dry properly but on cooler days it doesn't get completely dry. I'm tempted to run a hair dryer on it for a few seconds but I feel it will do more harm in the long run. The brush is a white Thater with the wet shaving kit at SRD, I'm certain its user error rather than the brush.

My method at the moment is to warm rinse clean, shake and squeeze the water out then brush it over a dry towel, then hang it upside down on the holder in a bedroom.

Help! Any ideas? Btw I live in Canberra, Australia

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Pretty much the same here, except that I don't brush it over a dry towel. I guess one of the issues shavers debate the most is whether or not to hang the brush upside down. I do and think it gets dryest and keeps its shape that way. Others will dispute this. Now that the subject was brought up I guess I'll go back to not re-using it during cold weather before it is completely dry. I didn't give it much thought this winter, but I have other brushes and it makes sense to use them.

I shake it out real vigorously and then hang it with the bristles down. My brush is 10+ years old. Dries within a few hours.

I shake the brush a bit to release the water and than just hang it up after that.. Seems to do the trick

I just tie a slip knot in a piece of cord and hang it by the handle upside down from a towel rack. Swinging in the air dries it.

God created this world so that water runs downhill,hang the sucker and forget about it

If you shake it out and towel dry it, you don't need to hang it upside down, it will dry faster with bristles up. If it is not dripping wet it does not need to be upside down.

Hi gents, just a quick update. I've opened the window in the room where the brush dries, rinsed the brush after use and shaken (not stirred) it dry, and given it an extra days rest between shaves with a second brush on the way and its drying really well now. As a consequence my lathering is also improving too, but that's another thread. So thanks so much for all your advice it's really paid off I'm glad I asked the question :)

As others are noting, it doesn't seem like you have a process problem, but an environment problem.

Shake and put him away whit the hairs to mother earth,leave the door open or window, for circulation. The next day he is fine dry and ready for use again.

Properly is a Dirty word. Ask 10 guys how to properly do something and you may get 10 proper answers :p just saying......
I rinse my brush thoroughly with hot water first and finish the rise with cold water. I then shake the brush vigorously until dry and blot the knot on a dry towel. Some people will say the only 'proper' way is to hang the brush in a stand with the knot upside down. Since i personally tend to spend all of my money on new razor acquisitions i have never invested the $20 it cost to buy a brush stand.... Brush stands look nice if you ask me but when it comes to drying brushes i don't find a difference. My brushes dry just fine with their ass on the ground, they don't need to be hung from the ceiling.

Lots of good advice here. I shake my brush like a mad man in the shower to avoid the water/and leftover soap from flying all over the sink/mirror

I'll tell you the best way to dry a badger. Very carefully.

The summer I graduated from high school I worked for a painter, painting houses. He was an old school guy that could he lay down some perfect paint. He made us buy our own brushes, so we would take care of them. I still have mine today. He was a stickler for neatness and a clean brush and we would clean our brushes repeatedly, after each use and at the end of the day.

I clean and dry my shaving brushes much the same way as I was taught, except I use a microfiber towel. The microfiber towel absorbs much more water and keeps your razor and edge clean and your hand and razor dry during shaving and for storage.

I rinse the brush well in warm water, dip the brush in water then with the bristles pointed up squeeze the water out of the brush. This will flush any soap out of the base where it accumulates, rinsing under a faucet will not get to it. Repeat this 4-5 times to get all the soap out.

Shake and squeeze as much of the water out without pulling on the boar or badger. Then with the micro fiber laying on the counter doubled up, blot the brush by taping the brush on the cloth, so that you are tapping the brush ends on the cloth about a quarter of an inch. The force will drive the water down into the cloth.

Then drape the cloth over your hand, as if you were about to shake hands, I use my left for this and flag the brush across your index finger in a sideways motion, hitting your fingers with a half to three quarters of an inch of the tip of the brush. This will drive the water down and on to the microfiber cloth. After about 10 swipes move the cloth so a dry part of the cloth covers the edge of your hand and repeat... This will remove most of the water quickly. Flagging the brush on your hand without the cloth will tell you when it is dry, usually after 3-4 times for me. Shape the brush with your hand and hang with tips down in a stand.

I find using a Lucite stand to hold the brush while shaving instead of plopping in a bowl or scuttle of shaving cream keeps the soap from the base and makes clean up a bit easier, Lucite washes up easily and rust free. I use a double boiler type scuttle, so warm cream is a non-issue.

If you use a microfiber, blot and flag your brush, it will be almost completely dry when you hang it for storage and be thoroughly dry, the next day.

^^^^^^^^ lot of work to dry a brush:)

Not really, takes 30 seconds

You guys should check out some older posts by ForestryProf on the issue of brush drying, hanging and capillary action. He's a man whose knowledge of such matters I have a lot of respect for. The basic gist is that a good rinse to remove the lather, a good shake to remove the bulk of the water, and then leaving it sitting bristles up is all that is necessary, as capillary action in those circumstances is stronger than gravity and evaporation will take care of the rest. Of course, a brush stand is OK too, but the bottom line is that they are unnecessary when it comes to encouraging water from the bristles.

Of course, like all things related to drying, a well-ventillated space comes in handy for the evaporative effects.

James.

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Originally Posted by Jimbo

You guys should check out some older posts by ForestryProf on the issue of brush drying, hanging and capillary action. He's a man whose knowledge of such matters I have a lot of respect for. The basic gist is that a good rinse to remove the lather, a good shake to remove the bulk of the water, and then leaving it sitting bristles up is all that is necessary, as capillary action in those circumstances is stronger than gravity and evaporation will take care of the rest. Of course, a brush stand is OK too, but the bottom line is that they are unnecessary when it comes to encouraging water from the bristles.

Of course, like all things related to drying, a well-ventillated space comes in handy for the evaporative effects.

James.

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All good info,and capillary action is a real thing as far as the hair itself go's,my concern is with water at the base of the knot,gravity comes into play with that.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

All good info,and capillary action is a real thing as far as the hair itself go's,my concern is with water at the base of the knot,gravity comes into play with that.

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Well that bit I know nothing about at all. I've had this same brush since around 2005 and all I do is rinse, shake and sit upright and so far all is good. I wonder whether the shaking forces any water at the knot base up into the bristles, and thence capillary and evaporation takes over? I don't know, just thinking out loud.

James.

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Originally Posted by Jimbo

Well that bit I know nothing about at all. I've had this same brush since around 2005 and all I do is rinse, shake and sit upright and so far all is good. I wonder whether the shaking forces any water at the knot base up into the bristles, and thence capillary and evaporation takes over? I don't know, just thinking out loud.

James.

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Your most likly correct,I have made 100s of badger brushes over the yrs,have never had one die that I know of,hang them,stand them upright,the ideal might be to make a brush centrifuge:) now thats an idea:)))) out to the shop for me:)

I have made a major discovery,getting all the water out of your brushes will never be a problem again:)
WALLA,my wifes lettice spinner,Enjoy:)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/DSC00962.jpg

I am new to this but for what it is worth I rinse, shake and hang.