Best way to rotate 20+ brushes

[garyg]

I'm with Ron R - though the medicine cabinet door does hide mine. They are in no particular order and the choice of the day is made by simply moving through the shelves. When I do a full brush cleaning they get into a different order ..

 

[njpaddy]

Brushes were an expensive rabbit hole for me. Luckily I had to keep flipping them to afford to buy more. I currently only have 9 (10 if you count a synth that I only use as a keyboard cleaner). I keep 4-5 in my nightstand, and the others in a box in the basement. Every so often a brush from the basement replaces one upstairs, and the upstairs one gets cleaned and boxed. My choice of brush is spur of the moment. Sometimes it's based on the soap, other times it's just because I haven't used it in a while.

 

[sm29]

At home I use an 8 brush rotation with the same soap and at the end of the rotation I pick a soap for the next 8 days and keep the same brush order. It works for me.

 

[beg033]

At home I use an 8 brush rotation with the same soap and at the end of the rotation I pick a soap for the next 8 days and keep the same brush order. It works for me.

That's interesting. I wonder if you have more brushes that could not make into your rotation, or 8 is all you got? Using the same soap for 8 consecutive days is not something I would tolerate probably, but I might give it a try. Thank you for your input!

 

[sm29]

That's interesting. I wonder if you have more brushes that could not make into your rotation, or 8 is all you got? Using the same soap for 8 consecutive days is not something I would tolerate probably, but I might give it a try. Thank you for your input!

I have 8 brushes that I prefer, a synthetic Simpson Classic 1 that rarely sees any use and is exiled to a backup travel bag, a Wee Scot that moves between my travel bags, and occasionally comes out at home, a Simpson Major super in my main travel bag, and an old Parker badger that I had given to my father and have not used since I got it back.

I use my regular brushes in this order:

1. Rudy Vey Rubberset type Manchurian.
2. Rudy Vey / Shavemac 2 band 2018 LE.
3. Rudy Vey Persian Jar with Shavemac 2 band silvertip.
4. Shavemac Beagle.
5. Omega 011842.
6. Simpson Classic 2.
7. Simpson Duke 3 best.
8. Simpson Chubby 1 super.

As for soap, several years ago while on a trip, I found that using the same soap for several days really helped to dial it in. At the time I used a different soap every day when home. Now I mainly use MdC and most often pick it continually for each 8 day rotation.

For what it is worth five, six and eight day rotations have worked well for me. Seven did not feel as good because I did not want to use a brush based on day of the week. I also switch out blades after four shaves except for feather blades which I only like for three shaves.

Yes, I know I’m crazy with this hobby.

 

[Rhody]

I have about 10 in the medicine cabinet (a smaller subset of my entire “collection” that’s in a closet) in theory I’ll randomly rotate the 10 from deep storage and when I shave I randomly grab from one of the 10. That decision is guided by whether I remember to soak my mistura before my shower. If not I go synthetic.

 

[mattps1]

I have about 15 in the bathroom cabinet, 10 in a draw in bathroom (hidden from wife), and 5-6 spares in storage under bed.

I usually shuffle the brushes so only or so are visible, the rest out of sight out of mind.

I have multi brushes suited for different applications, there is method to the madness:
1) hard soaps + face lather either soft or scrubby.
2) long handled soft brushes or bowl lathering to creams.
3) scrubby brushes to work with hard soaps, but with long long handles to bowl lather
4) hybrid brushes that do all of the above
5) Italian brushes for Italian soaps, french brushes for french soap

This necessitates multiple creams, croaps, soaps of different densities, and bowls of different circumferences and depths to match the brushes

And then needing few of each so there is time dry between shaves. It's easy having many.

 

[Chard52142]

Hello,

I started wet shaving 10 months ago and I've lost my battle to shaving brush acquisition disorder. I now have around 20 brushes which have various knot types and sizes (badger, boar, horse, synthetic and from 19 mm to 26mm). I kinda regret I got this many brushes as it's a waste of money and time (to care for them and store properly etc). Now that I have them, I want to use all of them (don't want to lose money by selling for undervalue) but don't know what's the best way to rotate. Should I use them one by one meaning one shave with each brush until all of them are used then repeat the cycle? Or is it better to choose 2-3 of them and use them for a month and change next month, etc.? What's your opinions? Thank you.

Similar to you, I find myself suddenly with 30 brushes within a few months, courtesy of Yaqi's super-sale or free lucky draw and PIF...so tbh my collection did not cost me much...
Similar to @Ron R...I put all my brushes where I can admire them and rotate daily depending on 1st, color theme and 2nd, whim for badger, boar, or synthetic...it's easier for me to choose when all are on clear display...

 

[musicman1951]

I just grab the one that strikes my fancy that day. But if you don't want to follow my excellent example you could just go down the rows until you're back to the start. It really doesn't matter, so do what makes you happy. I would definitely opt for a method that removes stress from your life.

 

[beg033]

Thank you all for the excellent feedback. I now reduced my rotation to eleven brushes. Others are stored on a dedicated bookshelf in my office. I've put in some practice to also rotate the soaps and creams. For hard soaps, I face lather with my boars, for creams I generally bowl lather with my Silvertips. I use horse hair and synthetic brushes for all scenarios. I tend to use each hair type at least once, every week. I've discovered in this process that I'm a boar guy. If I go back in time I would probably get a few boars (a couple of omegas and semogues) and enjoy my life.

 

[beg033]

Similar to you, I find myself suddenly with 30 brushes within a few months, courtesy of Yaqi's super-sale or free lucky draw and PIF...so tbh my collection did not cost me much...
Similar to @Ron R...I put all my brushes where I can admire them and rotate daily depending on 1st, color theme and 2nd, whim for badger, boar, or synthetic...it's easier for me to choose when all are on clear display...
View attachment 1377505

Yaqi indeed offers excellent value. I have a few of their brushes and mostly are really good quality. I also took advantage of live discount on several occasions. Your collection seems very pleasant on the eye.

 

[RayClem]

Like you, I have around 20 brushes. I keep my badger brushes on one shelf and my boar, horsehair and synthetic brushes on another.

When I plan my shave, the first thing I do is pick my soap. I have around 75 soaps in my top tier that are available for selection. Other soaps are in storage. Once I pick the soap, I then select a brush I think will work well with it. I try to use all my brushes, but some may be used less frequently.

 

[Barbarian80]

I take my brushes for a ride every couple days. One or two i enjoy the least- they remain in my cabinet but they still come out once in a while for various odd reasons. I use them all, but i don't keep tally of when i used them, but they all pretty much get at least a 2 or 3 day dry off period in between uses.

 

[Dave himself]

Give me 19 of them then you'll only have to pick 1 problem solved

 

[Chard52142]

Yaqi indeed offers excellent value. I have a few of their brushes and mostly are really good quality. I also took advantage of live discount on several occasions. Your collection seems very pleasant on the eye.

Excellent! No wonder you looked so familiar... I've seen you at the live show frequently......just joking! Good on your though, nothing like a cheap but reasonably good brush. I like a variety of colours. Talking about the live show...it'll be on in 14.5 hours from now..hope to see you there...

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Give me 19 of them then you'll only have to pick 1 problem solved

Don't send 'em to me. I have more than enough already.

Well, let me modify that. I could use a few more Rudy Vey, Shavemac, Simpson Chubby Manchurian, and such.

It is fun to give 'em away.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Dominic]

I’ll keep an eye out for you in the B-S-T forum.

 

[Chesty]

I have a dozen brushes that have been acquired over the past six years. My original was a Perfecto Pure badger that I still use now and then just for old time's sake. Each brush has been a chance to try a different type or size and I have enjoyed them each for at least some time. They get used as I choose to use them with no particular pattern. I know the price points that I won't exceed and I know that there are a lot worse things that I could do with my money. Sometimes the guilt is a bigger issue than the brushes.

 

[Filudo]

I have a few, more than I ever expected, and have said no more many times and just this past week I got another.....since I needed to reach a certain amount to get free shipping..... just got a little travel brush (I gifted the last one to my bro).

 

[beg033]

To update you all on my newly established rotation system:

Through a comment (on Mark Szorady's YouTube channel) by the gentleman named Lance Cooper, I found an app on Android called Random Name Picker, which I found to be a perfect fit for rotating wet shaving gear. I will copy his message here:

Hi Mark, I use an app called Random Name Picker on Android and put all the soaps, razors and blades I have. The app will then choose a random one from whatever category I want and take it out of the list, this way I cycle through all of my soaps, razors and blades until the list is finished and I start again, some of the combinations can surprise you!

As mentioned by Lance, I made individual lists for my brushes, soaps, blades, etc. This works perfectly and it is a sure way to use each piece of your equipment equally. I don't think we all love and use all our equipment to the same degree, and it makes you really think if you'd want to keep all that equipment in your rotation. It also takes away the burden of deciding what you're gonna use in your next shave, and the element of surprise is a bonus. Sometimes you'll get awkward combinations you've otherwise never picked, but it's a lot of fun.