When I first started using brushes for shaving, I had a cheap badger hair brush. I would presoak it in warm water for several minutes to soften the bristles. I then moved on to synthetic brushes. I still presoak them, but as far as I know, it's not needed. Am I the only one that does this? Is doing so in any way detrimental to the brush?
Presoak Synthetic?
- Thread starter wormspank
- Start date
I do as well. Not sure if it does much but I soak all of my brushes for at least a few minutes.
So long as your water isn’t hot enough to damage the epoxy, why not? If you move to boar brushes, your current eccentricity will be a well-honed good habit.
Not so much to soak the bristles but to warm them up, so yes.
I do the same thing for the same reason. Probably not needed, but it’s just become an enjoyable part of my routine 
It's not detrimental to the brush, and if you like a warm brush you can certinaly keep doing it. Is it necessary with a synthetic? Not at all.
I fill the sink with hot water for a face towel anyhow so I dump my razor and brush in there as well as my bowl. Regardless if we talk synthetic or badger.
EclipseRedRing
I smell like a Christmas pudding
I used to soak all my brushes for a few minutes, and included the synthetics out of habit despite it not being necessary. I now no longer even soak my badger brushes as I perceive no benefit to so doing.
I soak it too.
It shouldn't hurt the brush. I may warm the brush up some, but synthetics don't absorb water, only hold it using surface tension.
I do too. I realize soaking a synthetic is not necessary, but it's kind of muscle memory to plop my brush in my cup prior to getting in the shower.
Nah stat soap scum coating is so caustic it kills on contact…I don't clean my sink often enough to do that!
And since I use a washtowel to soak my beard I can use it after shaving to clean the sink
I still want to add a nano coating to the ceramics to make it super slick though. Just flush the thing
I put it in to presoak just out if habit, but when I take it out I'll flick off most of the glob of water, then just dip my tips in again quickly then go load. Like a digestive in hot tea.
Whether it is good or not, I'll still like the feel of a warm brush / lather on my face.
Well, soaking a badger or synthetic is an incredible waste of time, but I can't imagine anything wrong with doing so. It's hard to believe that 10 seconds under the running faucet wouldn't make the brush just as warm as a 2 minute soak.
But do soak your boars.
But do soak your boars.
