Drying brush

[aschueler]

So I have experimented and found my favorite brush so far to be semogogue boar hair. Surprised me, it was after using badger, then synthetic. Boar hair is great for me (I assumed like a lot of folks that badger hair would be best).

So the question is: I have just the one boar brush, and it really doesn't dry out after one day. I have alternated between the synthetic and the boar hair to allow the boar to dry, but does the boar brush really need to dry out before the next use? I would like to use it daily. Maybe I need two boar hair brushes?

Thanks

 

[Mick]

Natural hairs do need to dry out.

You need more brushes....

 

[Random Shaver]

does the boar brush really need to dry out before the next use? I would like to use it daily. Maybe I need two boar hair brushes?

Yes, it does, in my opinion. Showers and baths are mildew-prone areas despite them drying out every day. Similarly, your boar brush, if left constantly damp in the innards of the knot, will be a breeding ground for bacteria, not to mention the damage it will do to the knot itself.

I would use multiple brushes and rotate them so you can be assured that each is dry before its next use. For what it's worth, I have four I rotate through not only to give each plenty of time to dry out (an excess of caution on my part) but also to allow for some variety in my shaves (my primary concern).

And as far as "Maybe I need two boar hair brushes?", the answer is always yes!

 

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I have no problems with my boar brush drying within 8 hours or so (never really timed it). After I clean the brush out, I flick the excess water out and gently run it back and forth over my towel.

 

[mrb7]

Yes, it does, in my opinion. Showers and baths are mildew-prone areas despite them drying out every day.

[...]

And as far as "Maybe I need two boar hair brushes?", the answer is always yes!

Kinda depends on where you are. At my home in the SE its mildew city for anything you don't actively put in a place to dry. In my work housing in ND its absolutely completely dry overnight, even left in the shower. When I was working in AZ I swear you could hang clothes up on the line in the back yard and start taking them down by the time you got the basket hung. I think a brush would have been dry in an hour at most, even in the shower.


Two brushes? Why stop there?

 

[BSAGuy]

My boars take 48 hours to dry completely. Sometimes I put it in a south-facing window to dry.

 

[Eeyore]

I have no problems with my boar brush drying within 8 hours or so (never really timed it).

Depends on your climate. Here, except in summer, boar brushes take much longer for me.

48 hours is a safe period; and yes, you need more brushes

 

[jumper]

This is a polarizing subject and you will get lots of bad advice and read horror stories about stuff growing on your brush, or the need to have 10-20 brushes in rotation. Just, for a moment, think back when almost everyone used a brush and only had one. I'd really be sceptical of the opinions of anyone telling you that a brush which you use daily will grow any sort of mold or mildew. If you would like to rotate brushes, then do it and have fun. The simple fact is, if you use the brush daily, it doesn't have to be bone dry.

 

[mswofford]

This is a polarizing subject and you will get lots of bad advice and read horror stories about stuff growing on your brush, or the need to have 10-20 brushes in rotation. Just, for a moment, think back when almost everyone used a brush and only had one. I'd really be sceptical of the opinions of anyone telling you that a brush which you use daily will grow any sort of mold or mildew. If you would like to rotate brushes, then do it and have fun. The simple fact is, if you use the brush daily, it doesn't have to be bone dry.

Well said! Over 20 years ago I used a Burma Shave and VDH boar and didn't know you're supposed to soak them first. And I didn't rotate them either, I just used whichever one I wanted for days at a time. They survived quite well for 2 decades with no mold or anything else. I think the concern about drying applies to breaking in a boar brush which requires thorough drying between uses until the tips split.

 

[ThomasB98908]

This is a polarizing subject and you will get lots of bad advice and read horror stories about stuff growing on your brush, or the need to have 10-20 brushes in rotation. Just, for a moment, think back when almost everyone used a brush and only had one. I'd really be sceptical of the opinions of anyone telling you that a brush which you use daily will grow any sort of mold or mildew. If you would like to rotate brushes, then do it and have fun. The simple fact is, if you use the brush daily, it doesn't have to be bone dry.

++1 = I have 4 brushes,but will use one for 5 or 6 days before I want to switch out (just for the variety of it) and have never had a problem. Soaking the brush in HOT water before shaving will pretty much clean it out. My grandpa only had one brush and used it every day till he got in his early 70's and due to shaky hands had to switch over to an electric razor. I wouldn't worry too much about drying unless you are breaking in a new boar brush.

 

[Adam B]

For many years men owned one shaving brush and used it daily.

I have four brushes, and I do rotate, but I will not hesitate to use a brush multiple days in a row if I feel like it. They're tools, not holy relics.

After you're done rinsing the brush, shake out as much water as you can and strop it on a towel a few times. Then set it on its base to let the natural capillary action of the hair pull the moisture up and out of the brush.

I find that my brushes dry much faster standing on their handle than they do hanging bristle side down in a stand, in my experience. I have two stands and only use them for display purposes after the brushes have dried out.

Relative humidity will certainly play a role in how fast a brush dries, but even in swampland if you live in a house with an air conditioning system that works reasonably well, the relative humidity should be maintained at about 50%, give or take a few percentage points. Air conditioners remove a lot of moisture from indoor air.

 

[Vincentchou]

For many years men owned one shaving brush and used it daily.

I have four brushes, and I do rotate, but I will not hesitate to use a brush multiple days in a row if I feel like it. They're tools, not holy relics.

After you're done rinsing the brush, shake out as much water as you can and strop it on a towel a few times. Then set it on its base to let the natural capillary action of the hair pull the moisture up and out of the brush.

I find that my brushes dry much faster standing on their handle than they do hanging bristle side down in a stand, in my experience. I have two stands and only use them for display purposes after the brushes have dried out.

Relative humidity will certainly play a role in how fast a brush dries, but even in swampland if you live in a house with an air conditioning system that works reasonably well, the relative humidity should be maintained at about 50%, give or take a few percentage points. Air conditioners remove a lot of moisture from indoor air.

Thank you, Adam.
I am just wondering if I should purchase a brush stand.
Your valuable information saves my money.

 

[SamDE]

How much time are you allowing it to dry? After 20 or so hours, my 620 seems to be completely dry. After a shave, use a towel to squeeze the excess water out of the brush. No need to tug down on the hairs. Hang it upside down, and it should be dry the next day.

 

[Eeyore]

Relative humidity will certainly play a role in how fast a brush dries, but even in swampland if you live in a house with an air conditioning system that works reasonably well, the relative humidity should be maintained at about 50%, give or take a few percentage points. Air conditioners remove a lot of moisture from indoor air.

Not everywhere is America ... just saying

Allowing your boar brushes to dry completely adds in the bristles splitting. That alone makes it worth to let boars fully dry between shaves.

How long that drying takes depends on multiple things; where you keep your brush for drying (air flow), the dimensions and density of the knot, the climate you live in, and (ok, I'll give you Americans that ) whether you have airco or not.

 

[aschueler]

I didn't realize I was addressing a polarizing subject. My initial thoughts were more along the lines of people traditionally having a sole brush and not worrying about it, but since I live in northern Florida where it's surprisingly humid, I wanted to ensure it wasn't a major problem.

I do dry my brushes fairly well, shaking them vigorously (like it owes me money) in the shower, then towel dry, then hanging.

I did did order another boar hair, they are only 20-25 dollars, if they last several years it's worth it. Thanks for all the responses!

 

[DaltonGang]

I have found it a problem in Houston. Most here probably don't realize it might take several days for a Boar brush to dry out. I stick my finger in the middle of the hair, towards the base. The outer hairs and tips seem dry, but the inside is not. Even with some badger brushes.
I don't like letting brushes stay wet, continually.
What I did was take some heavy gauge copper wire, and form a hanger/hook, for the brush.
I use an oscillating fan while I sleep, so I hang the brush from that, getting constant breezy air, all night.
This helps the brushes dry faster.

 

[Jimsr]

Interesting thread. I have four brushes; a 25+ year old Eveready Pure Boar #350 that I used in the late 70's & early 80's, a Semogue 2000, Kent BLK 8, and my newest an Omega 10065 (I think thats the right #) boar. I never worried about the Eveready, rinsed it out, put it handle down on the sink and used it the next day and it's still in good shape. The Semogue is well rinsed, and shaken, and dried knot-down on the sink when in use. It generally takes about 23 hours to dry completely, but some times I will use my better half's hair dryer on low heat to help the drying. the BLK 8 and the smaller Omega are just hung out to dry knot down and usually are dry withing 12 hours.
Really, I don't worry about the knot completely drying as I rotate through the brushes a week at a stretch, using the Kent, Omega, and Semogue. I only occasionally use the Eveready now, but it's a nice memory when I do for a change.

 

[Jarick]

Boars are so cheap that it's not a big deal. You could either get a second to rotate them because they are so cheap, or you could just run one into the ground to see how long it lasts and replace when necessary.

 

[musicman1951]

With normal humidity I think you can dry the brush in 24 hours if you do two things:
1. Flick/whip the squeezed brush about 25-30 times with a good snap of the wrist.
2. Place it in an area with some air circulation (not in a cabinet).

Having said that, why would anyone want to pass up an opportunity to purchase another brush - especially since this gives you a reasonable excuse for the purchase? Most days I rotate between two SOC boar brushes.

 

[DaltonGang]

Next time, feel the inner hairs of your brush, after 24 hrs, and see if it's dry.