Just a quick question. If I fill my sink with hot water and leave my brush to soak in that while I take a shower, will that loosen the glue holding the bristles to the handle? Should I stop doing this?
Soaking a Brush?
- Thread starter burningdarkness
- Start date
OldSaw
The wife's investment
Lots of guys soak their brushes this way. I don't think it will hurt anything.
J
Jarmo P
Why would you want to soak your brush in sink? If it is badger and I am a face latherer, those hairs are quite gentle after a few min in sink while I moisten my face same time to get ready for shave.
My first brush was a really REALLY scrathy boar "brush". I got my face red just by trying to apply it to my face. Almost allergic reaction. The Omega Boar 48 I have but don't use, is not bad either, just way too big.
But after my brushes, EJ best badger, Tweezerman or my best brush, a locally bought Duroy have been in sink the time I get my whiskers softened for the first pass, so are they soft too and ready to be applied to my mug quite shaken and loaded with soap with no irritation what so ever.
My first brush was a really REALLY scrathy boar "brush". I got my face red just by trying to apply it to my face. Almost allergic reaction. The Omega Boar 48 I have but don't use, is not bad either, just way too big.
But after my brushes, EJ best badger, Tweezerman or my best brush, a locally bought Duroy have been in sink the time I get my whiskers softened for the first pass, so are they soft too and ready to be applied to my mug quite shaken and loaded with soap with no irritation what so ever.
It probably depends on the quality of the brush. I wouldn't do it with a tweezerman.
- Thread starter
- #5
I also leave my shaving mug in the sink to heat up so my lather stays warm longer, so I just toss my brush into the mug while the sink it filling.
J
Jarmo P
Well, my tweezerman is not scratchy at all. A bit stiff compared to those 2 I mentioned and does not perhaps hold the lather as well, but still a gentle brush.
And never was smelly.
Actually I like it too. Used it in my 3 brush rotation just today with good results.
Mine might be from a good bunch, since never I have experienced as smelly brush as my EJ one compared to TW. The small EJ starts to be broken and not so smelly anymore, but has taken something like 10 shaves and still it is a bit smelly. Soaking a smelly new brush in sink is a a quite turn off if you are having an otherwise nice shower ?
And never was smelly.
Actually I like it too. Used it in my 3 brush rotation just today with good results.
Mine might be from a good bunch, since never I have experienced as smelly brush as my EJ one compared to TW. The small EJ starts to be broken and not so smelly anymore, but has taken something like 10 shaves and still it is a bit smelly. Soaking a smelly new brush in sink is a a quite turn off if you are having an otherwise nice shower ?
I soak mine during showering and have never experienced any issues. As for the why's, I do it for two reasons: to fully saturate the brush with water and to preheat it for the shave. Sticking a cold brush in hot lather sort of defeats the purpose me thinks 
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I soak mine in the shave mug, with the knot/glue above the waterline. Shake out and go!
NANP™
NANP™
Mantic soaks his in all of his videos...that's good enough for me!
I soak my synthetic even though I do not think it soaks up any water.
I soak my synthetic even though I do not think it soaks up any water.
I think some of you guys are a bit much with this. I run hot water from the faucet over my brush for 20 seconds and I still have to shake out the excess water and I have enough lather to shave five times. if you have a badger brush soaking it is just overkill.
- Thread starter
- #11
The point for me isn't to get it soft. Rather, it's to make the brush as warm as possible so the lather stays hot.
I would leave only the bristles in the water. Thanks the advantage of using a scuttle. You can leave just the bristle shafts covered with water and keep the knot and handle out.
Best,
Best,
Yes, but the brush gets only so hot. leaving it soak in a tub of water doesn't make it any hotter then running hot water on it and the hair doesn't retain the heat any better either. Either way the lather gets cold within seconds of hitting your skin. Using a scuttle is the best way to keep the lather warm.
My experience differs regarding the soaking. (I don't own a scuttle but wish I did. Maybe soon.) I believe the brush does absorb enough heat to provide warmer lather (in technical terms, acts as a "heat sink"). It's warmer for me initially and on the second pass than when I just wet the bristles before use. I'm sure the scuttle works better, but the effect of soaking, at least for my brushes, is real.
I have been soaking my brush in the sink as I shower. I forgot to do it the other day so while I was doing my post shower thing I just ran some hot water over it for less than 2 minutes. Well I have to say I do not remember the shave being any different, so I may cut down on the whole water/heat soak time as it does not seem to produce different results for me.
I fill my bowl with water then put it in the microwave for 2 minutes while I shower. I soak my brush in the water for about 30 seconds, dump the water, shake most of the water out of the brush then mix up my lather.
My $3.99 Target rice bowl retain the heat and keeps my lather warm through 2 passes, head and face. That's what works for me.
My $3.99 Target rice bowl retain the heat and keeps my lather warm through 2 passes, head and face. That's what works for me.
I have a deep stoneware dog bowl (haha, yes) and a latte mug. Fill both and nuke them. Before showering, I transfer some of the mug water into the bowl and replace with some tap to cool the mug water just a bit (I don't want to soak the brush in near-boiling water). Soak the brush - bristles only - while I shower. Lather is still muy warm during the last pass.
This is on the days when I bowl lather. Lots of times I just soap later on my face.
This is on the days when I bowl lather. Lots of times I just soap later on my face.
I fill my Moss scuttle with hot water and set it, with the brush in it, under a gentle stream of running water to keep it warm while taking a shower. Never had any lost hairs.
I have found that storing the brush upside down results in less hair loss than storing it upright. YMMV
I have found that storing the brush upside down results in less hair loss than storing it upright. YMMV
I've soaked all of my brushes and have never had a problem.
I used to do the soak my brush in my latherbowl in a sink of hot water during my shower thing, but then I read a post here about soaking the brush in a coffee mug instead using water from a hot kettle (I think it was one of Joel's posts). Basically, fill the mug with very hot water from the kettle, just to a bit below where your brush's handle starts, then put your brush in the mug as you shower/prep. I tried it, and its so much beter than the sink-alone method.
With the sink method, there just wasn't any lasting heat to the lather. Using a coffee mug with hot water from a hot kettle, there's a core of heat in the center of the brush that lasts. Its so much nicer that it's got me seriously considering a shaving scuttle for more concentrated, contained heat for my brush and lather.
With the sink method, there just wasn't any lasting heat to the lather. Using a coffee mug with hot water from a hot kettle, there's a core of heat in the center of the brush that lasts. Its so much nicer that it's got me seriously considering a shaving scuttle for more concentrated, contained heat for my brush and lather.
