Thread: Brush Prep

I have 3 shaving brushes, and, honestly, I like them all.

I use the soft badger brushes for creams, and the stiff boar bristle for soaps.

My question is about preparing my selected brush to shave, because I am reading posts that mention soaking the brush before use.

My normal process has been to pick the brush according to the lather medium, run it under hot water for a second or two, give it a quick shake, dip it in the stuff, transfer to the bowl, and start whipping up lather.

What would I be trying to accomplish by soaking my brush for several minutes versus just wetting it under the spigot for a few seconds?

Soaking allows the hairs to soak up water and become a bit more limber. This cuts down on breakage of hairs and gets the water into the hairs enstead of just getting them wet. My understanding is when the hairs soak up water they will keep from soaking up water while lathering so the lather will stay wet on the brush and not dry as quickly.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Soaking allows the hairs to soak up water and become a bit more limber. This cuts down on breakage of hairs and gets the water into the hairs enstead of just getting them wet. My understanding is when the hairs soak up water they will keep from soaking up water while lathering so the lather will stay wet on the brush and not dry as quickly.

This is my understanding too. It's the reason that brushes are made from badger hair too. Most animal hair repels water whereas badger hair soaks it up.

This is also why you don't need to soak synthetic brushes as they don't soak up the water.

Give it a try and see if you notice any difference in the lather or in the way the brush performs. You might be surprised.

People use both methods to wet a brush successfully. The only thing to do is try soaking and see if works any better for you. The exception to soaking a brush is the synthetics.

Bob

I think the boar brushes need soaking the most followed by the basic pure badger. I've never found soaking a silvertip to do anything besides maybe making it warmer. Badger in general instantly takes in the water.

Originally Posted by BobH

People use both methods to wet a brush successfully. The only thing to do is try soaking and see if works any better for you. The exception to soaking a brush is the synthetics.

Bob

+1 I never soak my brushes. I always do what you do, run it under warmish tap water and start face-lathering (I mainly use shave-sticks as it allows me more time on my face).

Gentlemen,

I soak my badger brush in the scuttle while taking a shower. After about 15 seconds the brush has done all the soaking it's going to do, really, but this way I keep the brush warm. Then a few gentle shakes and I just start the lather in my scuttle and finish with extended face lathering. I use the similar method with synthetic brushes. The synthetics don't need soaking, but I just like a warm brush.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen,

I soak my badger brush in the scuttle while taking a shower. After about 15 seconds the brush has done all the soaking it's going to do, really, but this way I keep the brush warm. Then a few gentle shakes and I just start the lather in my scuttle and finish with extended face lathering. I use the similar method with synthetic brushes. The synthetics don't need soaking, but I just like a warm brush.

This is pretty much my method as well. The longer it soaks, the warmer it gets within the core of the brush.