+1. This is what I do too for my boars and badger brushes. The only exception is that I don’t soak my synthetic brushes. I just run those under warm water for a few seconds before loading it up with soap.
Shaving Brushes: Soak, yes or no?
- Thread starter awk_m4
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I almost always use badger and it always gets soaked in hot water while I’m in the shower.
I give it five very light shakes keeping the brush very wet, then face lather, letting the hot water soaked into the knot to gradually work into the lather from the tips.
I give it five very light shakes keeping the brush very wet, then face lather, letting the hot water soaked into the knot to gradually work into the lather from the tips.
Yes.
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- #64
I see a lot of recent activity on this thread! I'm now in the habit of soaking all my brushes (Badger, Boar, Synth) for about two minutes while I shower. I've also experimented by just simply rinsing and starting the shave without the soak. My own personal findings are that when soaked the brushes generate a nicer lather which ultimately results in a better shaving experience. I'm sold on soaking.
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- #65
Jim that what generally did but I find my CH2 Synth generates a nicer lather when I soak it. Not sure if you would notice a difference but it can't hurt to try.
Paul
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- #66
Agree with @FarmerTan . From what I've learned from the good folks on this forum, the overwhelming consensus is to soak brushes first.
I've spent some hard earned money on my brushes and want to do my best to ensure that I get the most out of them by treating them with some TLC.
Thanks. I’ll give it a try.
I shave in the shower so if I'm enjoying the warm water it's only fair that my brush does too. Badger, boar or synthetic matters not a jot. I've tried the not soaking thing with synths and badgers and it just feels weird...
Does horse brush needs soaking?
I have a vintage old spice mug that I use for soaking my brush. The mug works for me as it doesn’t get the bristles completely wet,I have done it this way for as long as I have wet shaved.
I feel the same way about a shaving brush as I do about a natural bristle paint brush. We never allowed the paint to work all the way to the ferrule. I try to keep soap or cream toward the end of the brush, not the handle.
Once done I squeeze all the soap out, rinse thoroughly and spin the brush between my hands. I hang it with the bristles down and it rarely looses a bristle.
I feel the same way about a shaving brush as I do about a natural bristle paint brush. We never allowed the paint to work all the way to the ferrule. I try to keep soap or cream toward the end of the brush, not the handle.
Once done I squeeze all the soap out, rinse thoroughly and spin the brush between my hands. I hang it with the bristles down and it rarely looses a bristle.
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Mine seem to benefit from a short soak.
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- #74
In my experience I've experimented with not soaking boar brushes. In those cases what I notice is that more shedding occurs than when I soak them.
Paul
Paul
I always soaked my badger brush, because that's what I have seen other people do and it seems to work well; I don't soak my synthetic brush for the same reasons. However, I have recently come across some instructions on the Thater Brush website (thanks again @SmoothOperator for the link), which I translate from German here in part.
Wet the knot in warm water (max. 45 C), it should be soaking wet. Longer watering [soaking] prior to lathering should be resolutely avoided because
There are so-called instructions on the internet where the brush is being “loaded” with lather, i.e. completely infused with soap lather. Through strong pressure during lathering, it is then attempted to apply the lather to the face with the effect that lather is only applied to a low extent to the face and a large amount of lather in the lower part of the knot is literally massaged into the brush head [glue bump?].
The consequences:
The deeply deposited soap lather can hardly be washed out anymore, and in relatively short time lime soap* develops (blooming of salt crystals) which results in the horizontal rupture of the brush head [glue bump?] at the end of the knot. This is further accelerated when relatively little water is used during lathering. The soap adheres therefore stronger to the hairs and is difficult to wash out.
[...]
* Lime soaps are deposits that are formed by the combination of the lime dissolved in water with soaps.
[End]
Note: "brush head" the German word used here is "Pinselkopf", a compound noun where Pinsel = brush and kopf = head. I made a literal translation of that word, but I'm not too familiar with brush making terminology (German or English). The photo Thater shows on their Website shows a knot completely dislocated from the base, with a large deposit of soap crystals on that base and in the bottom ends of the hairs. I assume the glue bump is meant here and added that in []. Feel free to point out the correct terminology here.
Note that I tried to provide to the best of my ability a translation of the brush care recommendations on the Thater Website.
I tried this method today and my badger brush shed three hairs. It doesn't do that normally, sometimes it sheds only one. Also, I couldn't get a good lather because the knot absorbed way too much water.
Maybe the instructions are incomplete or unclear. Maybe shaking out the water before lathering, or keeping the brush standing upright for a few minutes before lathering (Marco method) would do the trick? I'm not sure, but I will try both variables the next time my badger brush is in rotation.
Wet the knot in warm water (max. 45 C), it should be soaking wet. Longer watering [soaking] prior to lathering should be resolutely avoided because
- It’s unnecessary.
- The already fine badger hair will get even more soft losing its tensile strength, the knot will yawn open, and soap will be massaged deep into the knot resulting in the development of lime soap*
- Due to the swelling behavior of the thousands of hairs in the knot the brush head [possibly the glue bump is meant here] may rupture.
There are so-called instructions on the internet where the brush is being “loaded” with lather, i.e. completely infused with soap lather. Through strong pressure during lathering, it is then attempted to apply the lather to the face with the effect that lather is only applied to a low extent to the face and a large amount of lather in the lower part of the knot is literally massaged into the brush head [glue bump?].
The consequences:
The deeply deposited soap lather can hardly be washed out anymore, and in relatively short time lime soap* develops (blooming of salt crystals) which results in the horizontal rupture of the brush head [glue bump?] at the end of the knot. This is further accelerated when relatively little water is used during lathering. The soap adheres therefore stronger to the hairs and is difficult to wash out.
[...]
* Lime soaps are deposits that are formed by the combination of the lime dissolved in water with soaps.
[End]
Note: "brush head" the German word used here is "Pinselkopf", a compound noun where Pinsel = brush and kopf = head. I made a literal translation of that word, but I'm not too familiar with brush making terminology (German or English). The photo Thater shows on their Website shows a knot completely dislocated from the base, with a large deposit of soap crystals on that base and in the bottom ends of the hairs. I assume the glue bump is meant here and added that in []. Feel free to point out the correct terminology here.
Note that I tried to provide to the best of my ability a translation of the brush care recommendations on the Thater Website.
I tried this method today and my badger brush shed three hairs. It doesn't do that normally, sometimes it sheds only one. Also, I couldn't get a good lather because the knot absorbed way too much water.
Maybe the instructions are incomplete or unclear. Maybe shaking out the water before lathering, or keeping the brush standing upright for a few minutes before lathering (Marco method) would do the trick? I'm not sure, but I will try both variables the next time my badger brush is in rotation.
Soaking a badger hair brush will prevent tip breakage. So yes. Soak it for at least a minute as per Scott from declaration groomings instructions. And not in super hot water...
It's because you soaked it in hot water. Soak it in warm or the glue will degrade
This thread has solidified my desire to never buy a second hand brush again lol. If guys are using badgers without soaking them they are basically guaranteed to succumb to more breakage.
