Thread: Circular vs straight brush strokes

Originally Posted by Utopian

Sorry, but I don't agree. If you are using a circular stroke, then you are putting a constant stress/pulling in one direction during the entire time you are doing that circular motion. If you do back and forth strokes, then you are changing up the direction of the stress/pulling.

Ok then why when you want to break a "Strand" of something do you move it back and forth applying stress from both directions to create a weak point and finally a fracture...

Second by your logic if I go both Clockwise and Counterclockwise using the circular pattern I am achieving the exact same thing



Just to get totally pedantic about something totally ridicules

I agree 100% with BobH. Don't mash the knot! I can see the validity of changing the stress with a back and forth stroke, but like Glen says, all soap containers are round. Aren't clockwise then counter-clockwise circles kinda doing the same thing? If circles are bad then someone needs to explain how to load Cella soap in the little red container with back and forth strokes....

Pete <:-}

You guys are all nuts!

The only way to load your brush is using a Foucault's Pendulum setup. Rig up a bit of string from the top of the house, hang your brush off that so that it just touches the soap. Set it swinging, allow the earth to rotate for 24 hours and viola! ... a loaded brush the way nature intended!

If you have the time, this too is the only way to lather your face with the loaded brush - just lie down under the brush pendulum setup and allow the rotation of the earth and the swinging of the pendulum to impart the lather to your face.

Make sure you hydrate the brush adequately as it tends to dry out over a 24 hour period.

James.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Ok then why when you want to break a "Strand" of something do you move it back and forth applying stress from both directions to create a weak point and finally a fracture...

Second by your logic if I go both Clockwise and Counterclockwise using the circular pattern I am achieving the exact same thing



Just to get totally pedantic about something totally ridicules

Glen, I grew up on a farm and "cut" a lot of barbed wire that way. I thought of that even before I wrote the above but was trying to understand the logic of the brush vendor. Don't worry, I was not arguing for Robin!

Anyway, while still trying to come to terms with what the brushmaker said, the breaking you described is only accomplished when you are focusing the bending at one specific location rather than along the entire length. I envisioned the issue had to do with pulling the end of the hair out of the knot rather than to a breaking of the hair somewhere along its length.

Gentlemen,

Since my last post early in this thread, I have returned to face lathering, my first love. I load the brush in a circular motion on soap or hard cream and just dip it into soft cream. Only the tips are used in both loading and lathering. No mushing the brush. I then lather in intervals of circular movement, paint brush movement, and variations thereof. Listen, nothing but variety for this Hollywood face.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Glen, I grew up on a farm and "cut" a lot of barbed wire that way. I thought of that even before I wrote the above but was trying to understand the logic of the brush vendor. Don't worry, I was not arguing for Robin!

Anyway, while still trying to come to terms with what the brushmaker said, the breaking you described is only accomplished when you are focusing the bending at one specific location rather than along the entire length. I envisioned the issue had to do with pulling the end of the hair out of the knot rather than to a breaking of the hair somewhere along its length.

I have tried to figure it too

Besides just lack of brush care period

it seems to me that the two things that would effect wear the most,,, is the actual "Edge" of the handle where the knot meets it, and the texture of the Cup/Scuttle/Mug

Using the pumping motion when loading and smashing the brush might be worse but it also lessens the swirling time by a substantial amount so maybe it is a trade off

I only know that my two oldest Badger brushes in the den do not shed, and show no signs of damage, and I am pretty abusive by reading this thread


Once again just for clarification I think the whole issue is ridicules, and I am awaiting a square soap/container better yet 8" x 3" to get better surface contact while loading...

My brushes start out the morning in a cream pitcher from Goodwill, soaking till I need it. I am a circular loader of soap/cream and a circular and back and forth whipper of lather. Looking for an acceptable rectangular container to do only back and forth whipping for lather (feel it "gets" there faster.) Brush is washed in the creamer under running water with an up and down motion till the water runs clear. Then squeezed damp dry and hung bristles down to air dry.

When you bend metal back and forth, the crystals compact and become brittle, and will eventually crack from the movement. Any metalworker will tell you that annealing the metal will loosen up the structure, allowing for more bending. Springs use a different structure and therefore can take more flexing without becoming brittle...do you think your shocks compress less often over 50,000 miles than a brush in a lifetime?

Take a hair off your head, soak it thoroughly, and see how many times you can bend it back and forth 2" from where you're holding it before it breaks. I'll look for your answer next year.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Ok then why when you want to break a "Strand" of something do you move it back and forth applying stress from both directions to create a weak point and finally a fracture...

Second by your logic if I go both Clockwise and Counterclockwise using the circular pattern I am achieving the exact same thing



Just to get totally pedantic about something totally ridicules

You can also stress break a piece of wire by clamping one side of the break (pliers, holding with a bit of a kink) and rotating the other side.

This might be a good way to measure the stress on a bristle, i.e. get two bristles, secure them apply a given amount of force to said bristles and rotate one, whilst to and fro-ing the other.

we would need to find some way of ensuring that the forces and speeds were indicative of how real shavers use their equipment so I suggest founding a research institute for such matters.

Other areas i suggest that we propose funding for would be:

- Hanging hair test - standard hair.
- Finding the best hone for any given razor, or even the "miracle hone".
- An enthusiasm V experience gauging tool.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

- An enthusiasm V experience gauging tool.

I'm quite confused by this one. Is it of an "adult" nature or what?