Caring for synthetic brushes

[Legacoid]

I currently have one synthetic brush (RR Snowman) that sees use at least once per day. I use soap sticks and face lather, splaying the brush on my face, then rinse it thoroughly and give it a few good shakes to get most of the water out of it. It then goes straight into its holder - hanging bristles down - to dry as much as it can before the next use.

I saw a post recently suggesting that shaking a brush regularly could eventually cause bristles to break off. I think this was in connection to natural-bristle brushes but I wonder if it also applies to synthetics? And over and above that, is there anything experienced synthetic users would recommend to keep a brush in good shape?

 

[ackvil]

I gentle shake will not harm any brush - natural or synthetic. I recommend wrapping your fingers around the bristles and gently squeezing them to get rid of excess water. I then give the brush two gentle shakes, rub it around on a towel, and then let stand to dry. You can dry the brush by standing it on its handle or put it in a brush stand. Both work. The keyword in brush care is gentle. Use the brush gently when you load it, make lather, and clean it up and it will last you for a very long time.

Here is a photo of a brush of mine that has been in continual use since 1993. It is in as good shape today as when I bought it.

 

[Badgerstate36]

If youre shaking it really violently, I could see it harming the brush over time but if you are giving it a few gentle shakes or flicks to dry it out, I dont see the harm in that.

 

[ajkel64]

Gently for everything. Be gentle and your equipment will give you years of use.

 

[nav]

For all brush types, I gently grab the base of the knot and then flick out the water. This protects the base of the knot from undue pressure. I then hang the brush on a stand.
All my brushes look as good as new.

 

[polanalyst]

Interesting post since I had only recently hung my synth on a stand and it seemed to take longer to dry than simply leaving it standing on its base. Should I continue to hang it face down or just leave it standing as normal?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FireDragon76]

No, I don't think shaking is harmful. I've seen no harm doing so really in the past, and I've used some brushes exclusively for years.

You want to get water out of the brush so that it can dry in a timely manner and keep mildew away.

 

[bluesman 7]

It's hard for me to imagine shaking a bristle or hair hard enough to damage it. Now I can imagine the whole knot coming out of the handle, but that's a different thing. Just sayin.

 

[mumB_L_E]

I, uh, violently shake my synthetic brushes after use. I have not noticed any damage yet, but have only used them for 1.5 years at most.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

There are as many differing opinions on this as there are brushes; I have never hung brushes to dry and have always stood them upright. Advice even varies from manufacturer to manufacturer as to correct brush use and care. Just use the brush in a reasonable way and do not worry about it. Use the brush, clean the brush under running water, let the brush dry naturally, then use the brush again. There is no need, in my view, for vinegar, conditioner, or any other specific care under normal circumstances. Any brush, even the most expensive, is made to be used and to provide enjoyment, it is not to be preserved for all eternity. By all means be gentle with the brush but not at the expense of enjoyment. If you ruin a brush through use then buy another, if you ruin ten brushes through use then perhaps you are doing something wrong. I would suggest having enough brushes to allow them to fully dry between uses.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Synthetics take a licking and keep on ticking. Plastic fibers are tough. My advice for synth brushes is that they do not make the best door stops. Do what you will but harm no brush.

 

[sobeshaver]

Brush it on a towel

 

[shave/brush]

I give mine 2 good snaps of the wrist and wipe it on a towel. My only concern is the knot coming loose.

 

[Legacoid]

Really appreciating all the views here! Today I kept my usual fairly vigorous shake of the brush but gave the base of the knot a bit of support as I did so, then gave it a little wipe on the towel. I haven't a clue if any of that is necessary but it seems like a reasonable compromise.

Here is a photo of a brush of mine that has been in continual use since 1993. It is in as good shape today as when I bought it.

View attachment 1038432

That is impressive!

 

[bluesman 7]

I hung a boar, bristles down, for five + years, then switched to a different boar that did't fit my fixture so I started just standing it on the handle. I couldn't tell the difference.

 

[ackvil]

I hung a boar, bristles down, for five + years, then switched to a different boar that did't fit my fixture so I started just standing it on the handle. I couldn't tell the difference.

Me, too. I bought a T&H Silvertip which is on the small side.

 

[BigJ]

Great advice!

When I started I dried my brushes upside down on brush stands. Then I realized that I could save the $ I was spending on stands to buy more brushes! The brushes don’t know the difference!