Thread: Some Brush Use and Care Tips From Thater

I like it, had some great reminders in there to keep us all on the straight & narrow

Jimmy,

A good piece. Thank you.

No, I don't wash my brushes either. Mine receive a thorough rinsing after use and let dry with the knot down. These days I mainly bowl lather and then go to the face, spending ample time lathering — lathering is the most enjoyable part of the shave, is what I say.

Thanks! This is good info, I am new to straights and am researching brushes to purchase I will keep this in mind to maintain my equipment.

The only time I've ever washed a brush was before selling it. It probably didn't need it then, but I wanted to make sure there wasn't any soap residue for the new owner. There are soaps that you can purchase for this purpose that come in tins just like a shaving soap, and which you just palm lather then rinse to remove the residue. Different manufacturers have different and sometimes conflicting information on care of their brushes. I believe Simpsons recommends only using painting motions on the face and warns agains swirling motions.

Really, there is not a lot of need to over think basic brush care. If you:

a) Rinse the knot thoroughly in water that is not too hot and could even be cold
b) Shake well to get rid of excess water and dry with a towel
c) Store it away to thoroughly dry before next use and I think if you have done the first two it doesn't matter much if it is knot
up or down
d) Do not mash the brush hard/near flat into the puck, bowl or your face.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Really, there is not a lot of need to over think basic brush care. If you:

a) Rinse the knot thoroughly in water that is not too hot and could even be cold
b) Shake well to get rid of excess water and dry with a towel
c) Store it away to thoroughly dry before next use and I think if you have done the first two it doesn't matter much if it is knot
up or down
d) Do not mash the brush hard/near flat into the puck, bowl or your face.

Bob

Agreed - only thing I would add would be to pinch the knot before you shake or fling the brush to remove excess water. You can loosen the knot from the base if you don't hold the knot in place I've read. Interesting, as I doubt this would happen, but I had to return a Rooney brush about a year ago when in fact the knot came loose from the base, started rattling around and I could even spin in.

I always pinch the knot while flicking the brush dry, then a dab or two on a towel and hand to dry.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Agreed - only thing I would add would be to pinch the knot before you shake or fling the brush to remove excess water. You can loosen the knot from the base if you don't hold the knot in place I've read. Interesting, as I doubt this would happen, but I had to return a Rooney brush about a year ago when in fact the knot came loose from the base, started rattling around and I could even spin in.

I always pinch the knot while flicking the brush dry, then a dab or two on a towel and hand to dry.

Yes, there is always the possibility of a knot coming loose. I chalk that up to an improperly glued in knot or possibly soaking a brush in hot water weakening the glue/adhesive bond over time. If you have both conditions at once you likely will loose a knot fairly quickly.

Bob

Most of this is common sense when you think about it. You clean it thoroughly after each use and you don't use any real pressure either in lather building or on your face to apply. Likewise you don't keep the brush in steamy conditions of let your wife use it to apply makeup.

Reminds me of some distant relation who referred to his brush as my birdee and used to knock it around as if he was playing badminton.

Originally Posted by evnpar

The only time I've ever washed a brush was before selling it. It probably didn't need it then, but I wanted to make sure there wasn't any soap residue for the new owner. There are soaps that you can purchase for this purpose that come in tins just like a shaving soap, and which you just palm lather then rinse to remove the residue. Different manufacturers have different and sometimes conflicting information on care of their brushes. I believe Simpsons recommends only using painting motions on the face and warns agains swirling motions.

Yes, Simpsons says 'painting motions'. I read that and said (to myself) they've gotta be kidding ! A CYA thing if I ever saw one. Glad to see Bernd at Shavemac says swirl, or twirl. The real world. Who doesn't love to swirl the brush on their face. Imagine loading a brush with painting motions. I'm not for sure, but I think the instructions that came with a Kent B-4 said the same as Simpsons. Sold the floppy thing years ago.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Agreed - only thing I would add would be to pinch the knot before you shake or fling the brush to remove excess water. You can loosen the knot from the base if you don't hold the knot in place I've read. Interesting, as I doubt this would happen, but I had to return a Rooney brush about a year ago when in fact the knot came loose from the base, started rattling around and I could even spin in.

I always pinch the knot while flicking the brush dry, then a dab or two on a towel and hand to dry.

I don't pinch when I flick. I've had two instances where that apparently created a problem. My 30 + years using Hoffritz for cutlery badger had the knot land in the sink one day after about 15 years of using it. I didn't know what to use so I got silicone and put too much in. Squeezed out around the base of the knot, Got most of it off, but some embedded between the outside hairs and looked unsightly. Still worked though.

The next was a Rooney Heritage that I bought from Jim when he had Vintage Blades LLC. The center of the knot, a bunch of hair moved as a unit, and ended up an eighth of an inch beyond the perimeter hairs of the knot. Really weird. Jim had me send it back and refunded the $. Other than that it has been smooth sailing.

Lost an Omega boar knot...hot tap water. It had a tapered inward knot base.
~Richard