Brush Drying, Stand or Hang?

[stryker4526]

So what's the deal with drying brushes? Is it better to hang them, bristles facing downwards? Is it better to stand them on their ends, bristles reaching for the sky? Is there no difference whatsoever as long as you shake the water out?
Help a guy out here!

 

[slamjet]

I hang. It seems to dry faster for me, but then, that might just be me.

 

[Pete_T]

I used to hang them, but I just let them stand now. As long as you shake them out you'll be fine.

 

[celestino]

No difference! Do what you prefer.

 

[lowjax]

I hang mine. Both ways are fine as long as they are shaken dry.

 

[stryker4526]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I was originally worried about water getting down into the knot/handle, but then I thought, "wouldn't soaking them do more damage in that case?" So I just didn't bother with a stand for my most recent brush, which was too fat to fit in my current stand.

 

[JHCC]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I was originally worried about water getting down into the knot/handle, but then I thought, "wouldn't soaking them do more damage in that case?" So I just didn't bother with a stand for my most recent brush, which was too fat to fit in my current stand.

Depends mostly on the handle material. Anything moisture sensitive (wood, horn, ivory) should dry hanging, so that there can be no water seeping into the handle; cumulative damage over time can be a bad thing. On the other hand, anything that's not moisture sensitive (plastic, marble, most metals) could be dried either way.

Water seeping into the knot used to be a lot more of a problem when the majority of knots were glued with moisture-sensitive glues (this is why Rubberset came up with their process for setting bristles in vulcanized rubber). Since knots are now glued with epoxy, that's not an issue any more. There's still a possibility that moisture sitting inside the knot could degrade the bristles, but that's a bit of a stretch, and I wouldn't worry about it.

Keep in mind, though, that nice brush stands are a good excuse for another AD...

 

[PMT]

Hang mine

 

[cessnabird]

I set my brushes on their handles to dry. Capillary action and gravity by hanging in a stand both work pretty well. Make sure you lightly dry the tips on a dry towel and store in an open area for a day or so before parking your brush back where it lives.

 

[stryker4526]

Well so far my AD has been limited to soaps and creams, and I'm heading it off at the pass now that I have three creams (even though I don't really like one of them) and five soaps.
So even though I do want to try ALL the scents out there, I'm putting my foot down on this buying of soaps and creams.

 

[johnh]

Stand mine -- on the window sill in the bathroom - the sunlight works really well on them.

 

[mdunn]

An immortal question without an answer.

I stand mine on their base and witness the dual miracles of capillary action and evaporation.

Never had an issue. It's down to preference, there is no right or wrong on this one. (unless you sell shaving brush stands

 

[Magnaminous_G]

I hang my brushes from a stand at home. When I'm traveling, I stand them up on a surface. Either way, it dries out, although logic would seem to dictate that a hanging brush would dry better, since when you stand it on it's base, water goes down... back into the knot. But I have not seen any scientific study, and when I come home at the end of the day, the brush is dry either way.

 

[JHCC]

Yeah, it's all pretty much of a muchness.

 

[ThePatrician]

I hang my brushes from a stand at home. When I'm traveling, I stand them up on a surface. Either way, it dries out, although logic would seem to dictate that a hanging brush would dry better, since when you stand it on it's base, water goes down... back into the knot. But I have not seen any scientific study, and when I come home at the end of the day, the brush is dry either way.

+1 to this. I use the small cheap plastic brush stands that everyone seems to sell. I am always able to fit one somewhere in my bag or luggage when I travel, so I can even hang them up when I travel.

A quick five-second swirl on a towel before hanging my brush up almost completely dries it, and when I come back later it's totally dry.

 

[Omp]

I stand one and hang the other. I think that brushes look nicer when they are standing but I have a nice looking stand for one of them, so I hang it.

 

[~Rocco~]

Following in my dearly beloved grandfathers footsteps, I prefer to hang my shaving brush with it's bristles downwards.

 

[Toothpick]

i asked this question once and was told the same answers. it's just a personal preference and both ways work fine. i've only stored my brush (for over a year) standing on its handle. After i was reminded of the term capillary action i've stopped worrying about it.

 

[GFlanagan3]

I dry and hang at home , dry and stand away from home. Like other deep questions of the universe I have simply stopped worrying about it and accepted.

 

[Foyle]

It doesn't matter. They'll dry the same either way. I hang mine only because I have a nifty stand to hold my brush and razor.