Thread: painting Vs. Swirling and Scrubbing

Been wet shaving, on and off, for about 50 years. I have always used swirling followed by painting strokes to build a lather on my face. I use a swirling motion to load a brush with soap from a hard puck. I do not use a scrubbing motion as that implies using a lot of pressure as in mashing the brush into your face. That to me would be damaging to the brush. Personally I think the advice not to use swirling motions is a CYA thing for people who insist on mashing a brush into their face while swirling and then complain that the brush is faulty when it starts shedding. You need very little pressure on the brush regardless if you are loading soap from a hard puck or building a lather.

Personally, I think the notion that soaking a brush in hot to very hot water for an extended period of time is harmful to the brush. It may overtime soften the glue holding the knot allowing the brush to shed hair and also possibly have the knot fall out. I just lightly swirl the tips in water, shake the excess out and go from there adding water as need by swirling the tips in water and shaking the excess out when needed.

I think thoroughly rinsing the brush, a gentle squeeze, shaking out the excess water and few quick passes of the tips across a towel before allowing it to dry thoroughly goes a long way to keeping the brush in good shape.

It is a little more than you asked for but there are many things that contribute to or detract from the longevity of a brush. In the end it is only a brush and you can always get another one.

Bob

I'm a one soap, one (OK, two) razor, one brush guy and from experience I know I get around 8-10 years' good service from a single silver-tip knot.
For me, a good swirl and scrub is one of the most satisfying parts of a shave; if that's wrong, I don't wanna be right.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I scrub and swirl and paint and dab and ...whatever it takes to get a good lather on my face. I rotate thru 6 or 8 burshes and figure that i wont ware one out too fast using that many so i will go about it however i feel works. Now i dont smash the bristles flat. That will cause breakage.

Ok, maybe its 12 or 15 brushes.

Not enough brushes dude......

Originally Posted by BobH

Been wet shaving, on and off, for about 50 years. I have always used swirling followed by painting strokes to build a lather on my face. I use a swirling motion to load a brush with soap from a hard puck. I do not use a scrubbing motion as that implies using a lot of pressure as in mashing the brush into your face. That to me would be damaging to the brush. Personally I think the advice not to use swirling motions is a CYA thing for people who insist on mashing a brush into their face while swirling and then complain that the brush is faulty when it starts shedding. You need very little pressure on the brush regardless if you are loading soap from a hard puck or building a lather.

Personally, I think the notion that soaking a brush in hot to very hot water for an extended period of time is harmful to the brush. It may overtime soften the glue holding the knot allowing the brush to shed hair and also possibly have the knot fall out. I just lightly swirl the tips in water, shake the excess out and go from there adding water as need by swirling the tips in water and shaking the excess out when needed.

I think thoroughly rinsing the brush, a gentle squeeze, shaking out the excess water and few quick passes of the tips across a towel before allowing it to dry thoroughly goes a long way to keeping the brush in good shape.

It is a little more than you asked for but there are many things that contribute to or detract from the longevity of a brush. In the end it is only a brush and you can always get another one.

Bob

Yeah, I tend not to be a soaker either - at least not in hot water. I find 1-2 minutes is usually more than enough in just tap water. My horse hair brushes take no soaking at all. Just virtually dip and go.

I'd still be trying to build a lather, without swirling, scrub, and paint. How else can you agitate a brush to introduce air into the mix of soap n water.

It's a sales add for Simpson brushes....that's all.

I've got vintage, new, and reknotted brushes, and don't see them wearing out any time soon.

Originally Posted by outback

I'd still be trying to build a lather, without swirling, scrub, and paint. How else can you agitate a brush to introduce air into the mix of soap n water.

It's a sales add for Simpson brushes....that's all.

I've got vintage, new, and reknotted brushes, and don't see them wearing out any time soon.

I have started beating my lather like I would beat an egg... maybe I am taking it too far.

Originally Posted by outback

I'd still be trying to build a lather, without swirling, scrub, and paint. How else can you agitate a brush to introduce air into the mix of soap n water.

It's a sales add for Simpson brushes....that's all.

I've got vintage, new, and reknotted brushes, and don't see them wearing out any time soon.

Surely if it were a sales ad then he would be encouraging people to swirl and use up more brushes - not less?

been beating my brushes up for almost 50 years, and in the beginning it was some of those crap Old Spice brushes came with the kit, still have them, I moved on later in life as money got better and I started getting better brushes, beat the hell out of them. no brush has fell apart besides ones that broke when dropped. like was said just reknot if one falls out. I used to years ago soak in hot water and they held up, I used to just set them on the counter upside down instead of hanging.

I have done everything wrong for all this time. a good brush will be alright, I,m not saying knots haven't fallen out from not enough glue, or that hairs haven't come out over time, but as a whole I don't adhear to that painting advise, I bought my brushes to use, some have even been turned into utility brushes for clean up Tc

Originally Posted by Vlasta

Surely if it were a sales ad then he would be encouraging people to swirl and use up more brushes - not less?

Well....it got your attention, right.!
Got ya thinking about brushes, yes..
Maybe you might check into one of his brushes, maybe not. But it turned your head that way, got ya Thinkin.

Very subtle. Indeed.....

Swirling is always part of my regime and always has been and I've never had any issues with any brush. The trick is to not smash the brush as you twirl which is what many with less experience do. That's what damages brushes. If you're gentle there are no worries.