Can a natural bristle brush soak too long?

[gpjoe]

...any detrimental effects from soaking a natural brush for hours?...conversely, is it bad to just grab a dry brush, run it under hot tap water, and load the brush?

Just curious. Most of us soak our brushes, but is it necessary?...and can it be over-soaked?

I'm guessing the answer is that it really doesn't matter either way.

 

[TinkersDam]

...any detrimental effects from soaking a natural brush for hours?...conversely, is it bad to just grab a dry brush, run it under hot tap water, and load the brush?

Just curious. Most of us soak our brushes, but is it necessary?...and can it be over-soaked?

I'm guessing the answer is that it really doesn't matter either way.

I have heard of people soaking boar brushes overnight as part of the break-in process, so I'm guessing a few hours of soaking will not hurt it.

 

[SalS]

Once they are broken in and the new boar brush funk is gone, I can’t see a reason to soak it. The bristles saturate almost immediately. I haven’t used a brush in a while but the last boar brush I had got a good soaking because it was pretty smelly out of the box.

 

[AndyPanda]

Badger brushes do not need to soak for any length of time - maybe 10 seconds just long enough to get them wet.

Boar brushes need to soak a little before you use them about 5 minutes or more. EDIT: just saw the post above mine that came in while I was typing this one -- apparently opinions vary -- I find the boar brush feels better when I soak it for 5 minutes than if I just get it wet and use it. It may be down to lathering technique - I shake almost all the water out of the brush before I load it, then add water gradually as I face lather. Someone who does the sloppy wet brush load method probably wouldn't have the same need to soak. /EDIT

When I first bought a boar brush, I read lots of posts talking about multiple overnight soaks to break them in faster. It really helped get rid of the funky smell and helped the break in (split and soften the tips).

 

[Jay21]

Once osmosis equilibrates, water will stop entering the brush. So, in that respect, you can’t over soak them. I’m just guessing here, but I think the repeated cycle of wetting, mashing soap on your face, and drying would be more harmful than letting your brush soak in a mug while you make breakfast and then have a shower.

 

[Fourbtgait]

...any detrimental effects from soaking a natural brush for hours?...conversely, is it bad to just grab a dry brush, run it under hot tap water, and load the brush?

Just curious. Most of us soak our brushes, but is it necessary?...and can it be over-soaked?

I'm guessing the answer is that it really doesn't matter either way.

Ummmm, old age forgetfulness setting in?
I’ve had my share….

 

[Lightcs1776]

I’ve allowed a brush to soak all day, not soak at all, and soak while in the shower. All three work, but I find letting it soak while in the shower is great, as is letting it soak for a few minutes. Dry isn’t as good at the start of the shave in my opinion, soaking it longer didn’t improve the brush,an ability to lather or feel on my face. Again, just my opinion. As with just about all in shaving, opinions will vary.

 

[nav]

Over soaking can make the bristles softer and reduce backbone. Not a big deal for me.

Under soaking is detrimental in my experience with badger and boar.

I get more bristle loss when under soaked.
I soak the entire knot, right up to the handle otherwise I notice a couple of bristles fall during the shave, which doesn't happen with sufficient soaking of the entire knot.

 

[gpjoe]

Ummmm, old age forgetfulness setting in?
I’ve had my share….

I wouldn't say old age...yet.

Very often I shave in the mid-afternoon. I'll drop my brush into a mug of room-temperature tap water...and then get distracted or occupied with another task. By the time I get around to shaving it might be a couple of hours.

 

[NorthernSoul]

As a general rule, boar brushes need a few minutes soaking at least. If you don't soak them long enough, the brush will be more prone to shed bristles, IME.

Soaking a boar brush for a very long time won't really harm it, there's a limit to how much water can be taken up by the bristles. Still, if you want more backbone, you might want to soak for a shorter time.

Badger brushes don't really require soaking, the bristles just need to be run under the faucet for a short time to get wet before lathering with them. You can soak the bristles for a little while if you want to.

As a rule, it's best not to soak the brush handle. Just soak the bristles in a mug or bowl and keep the handle out of the water.

 

[brucered]

I wouldn't say old age...yet.

Very often I shave in the mid-afternoon. I'll drop my brush into a mug of room-temperature tap water...and then get distracted or occupied with another task. By the time I get around to shaving it might be a couple of hours.

I've gotten distracted or decided not to shave, after staring the soaking process. I just come back, shake it out and put it away. No harm, no foul.

I wouldn't make it a regular routine, but I don't think it does any harm once in a while.

All my brushes get a warm water mug soak before I shower: badger, boar, synthetic. 10min.

 

[Edgelord]

I would say no, with the caveat of getting a wood handle wet.

I have avoided wood handles so far, so… this is not first hand knowledge.

 

[gpjoe]

I would say no, with the caveat of getting a wood handle wet.

I have avoided wood handles so far, so… this is not first hand knowledge.

Agreed.

Rudy has posted more than once that soaking a brush with a wooden handle (submerged) can be detrimental to the brush...all of mine are a form of plastic or acrylic.

 

[brucered]

Agreed.

Rudy has posted more than once that soaking a brush with a wooden handle (submerged) can be detrimental to the brush...all of mine are a form of plastic or acrylic.

I heard if you soak the entire brush for 24 hrs in boiling hot water and baby shampoo, then put in the freezer for 72 hrs, it speeds up the break in process.

 

[gpjoe]

I heard if you soak the entire brush for 24 hrs in boiling hot water and baby shampoo, then put in the freezer for 72 hrs, it speeds up the break in process.

Hilarious.

I loved reading those "boar break in" threads.

 

[Jay21]

Hilarious.

I loved reading those "boar break in" threads.

Wait until you read some audiophile posts about breaking in their gear. Mostly it’s vacuum tubes, but some swear they need to break in their cables!

 

[Omega48]

Never seen a badger or a boar with an umbrella.

 

[gpjoe]

Wait until you read some audiophile posts about breaking in their gear. Mostly it’s vacuum tubes, but some swear they need to break in their cables!

Been there...headphones, over at Head-Fi.

My favorite was all of the "golden ears" telling us that they could hear a huge improvement by replacing the 3-ft cable from the wall plug to their $5000 amp with a custom made $1500 power cord...while cleverly ignoring the miles of aluminum utility cable coming to the home.

I've got a TV repairman case full of audio tubes for my headphone amp (Woo 6) and they all sound the same to my ignorant ears.

But my all-time favorite was the outfit that sold paint, in a bottle that looked like green nail polish, that you could apply to the solid state chips in you amplifier to achieve sonic perfection.

 

[Jay21]

Been there...headphones, over at Head-Fi.

My favorite was all of the "golden ears" telling us that they could hear a huge improvement by replacing the 3-ft cable from the wall plug to their $5000 amp with a custom made $1500 power cord...while cleverly ignoring the miles of aluminum utility cable coming to the home.

I've got a TV repairman case full of audio tubes for my headphone amp (Woo 6) and they all sound the same to my ignorant ears.

But my all-time favorite was the outfit that sold paint, in a bottle that looked like green nail polish, that you could apply to the solid state chips in you amplifier to achieve sonic perfection.

I spent several years over at head-fi myself. The cable madness is something else. I use cheap cables and used the savings to buy more music.

You ever read about putting the amp on a bamboo slab and thrn putting rocks or crystals on top of the amp? Those posts made me split my sides.

 

[gpjoe]

I spent several years over at head-fi myself. The cable madness is something else. I use cheap cables and used the savings to buy more music.

You ever read about putting the amp on a bamboo slab and thrn putting rocks or crystals on top of the amp? Those posts made me split my sides.

I hadn't heard that one, but I haven't visited Head-Fi in many years. That's ridiculous.