Thread: Drying brush after use

What the hell are you guys talking about??? Oh, yeag, brushes. I figure a little abuse is good for the brush. With any and all of my brushes, after the final rinse, I squeeze and give it a slight twist (wringing action). Then I shake if vigorously until I can no longer feel any droplets hitting my hand. Then, I give it a one minute hair dryer session, alternating between WARM and COOL. Then I wipe down the handle and stand it on it's end. No stands. I have one, don't use it. I tried the "hang it up side down so that excess water will drip out"...and never saw one drop.

Maybe a bit overboard, but my brushes dry and never smell of mildew or mold.

RT

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I find you have to squeeze it whilel your rinsing it to get all the soap out of it. Once I'm sure all the soap is out I give it a good shaking then it goes into the stand bristles down like everyone tells you to do.

Exactly the same for me.

My grandfather never left his brush upright, nor did he hang it, but left it lying in its side until it was dry.

Although excess water after the shake off will evaporate and not drip, I suspect that it would evaporate last at the knot if left standing and this is what would age the knot, weaken the glue and ruin the brush (probably after years of mistreatment) that would otherwise outlive you.

X

Originally Posted by xman

I suspect that it would evaporate last at the knot if left standing and this is what would age the knot, weaken the glue and ruin the brush (probably after years of mistreatment) that would otherwise outlive you.

I guess this is what I am trying to clear up. Everyone seems to be posting that what they do works fine, whether it be dry it hair side down, hair side up, or sideways. Still no consensus on whether it would even work well enough to thoroughly dry the brush.

I give mine a rinse, some shakes, and a bit of a squeeze then stand it on end. No problems, and it dries fine.

I've had my Savile Row brush for four or five years now. I'm a squeeze shake and stand up kind of guy. The thing is holding up fine and hasn't started to loose hair yet.

...if you shake it more than twice, you're playing with it.

Originally Posted by Locarius

Still no consensus on whether it would even work well enough to thoroughly dry the brush.

It will. The point with the capilary action is that it keeps the water penetrating downwards to the knot of the brush...

Nenad

Originally Posted by kyle

...if you shake it more than twice, you're playing with it.

hahaha I was waiting for that comment.
I rinse, squeeze, shake and stand on end. Works for me so far. But than again I only have a $5 brush so I'm not too worried.

For years I did exactly as described with no noticeable ill effect to my brush. Then I noticed in old photos of barbershops that the brushes for each customer were stored handle up, bristles down, in the shaving mug. Now I've been doing it that way for years and still no problems with my brush.

I rinse shake it out and hang it upside down to dry. No problem so far.
P.S. Brush is about 40 years old and has always been treated like this.