Letting my brush soak

[doctordial]

I don't know if this is in the correct forum, but here it goes. Is there any harm in letting your brush soak more than five minutes? I heat up water in the microwave and put in my brush scuttle. Sometimes I'll go and do something else and for get that my brush is soaking. Is there any harm in letting it soak for more then five minutes? I also like the warm lather I get when I let my brush soak in warm water.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

There is no problem as far as I am concerned but I would not submerge any part of the handle. Other than boar brushes, which I seldom use, I never soak my brushes, as for me it serves no purpose.

 

[brucered]

No harm in soaking the knot for a reasonable amount of time (shower length etc).

As for soaking it in hot water you have microwaved, I wouldn't do it.

If it's too hot to hold your hand under/in, it's too hot for your brush.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I would limit the temperature of the water to no hotter than you would use to wash your hands.

 

[gpjoe]

I asked the very same question not long ago:

Can a natural bristle brush soak too long?

...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...

www.badgerandblade.com

The only real "danger" would be the knot (possibly) loosening from the handle if you submerge the brush past the handle in very hot water for an extended period...at least that was my take-away. I usually soak my boars in cool water for a bit...boars seem more thirsty. Badgers and synths are wet-and-go.

 

[awk_m4]

A recent observation. I’m finding that when my Badgers lose a hair or two, it’s during those shaves where I didn’t soak the brush. I find soaking in lukewarm water for about a minute or two does the trick.

 

[TSENG]

I personally prefer warm water no hotter than 45°C.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I do find a few of my boars benefit from a longer soak, depending on the knot. I like hot tap water, which in my old house in winter there is no danger of doing any damage.

 

[drydown]

A recent observation. I’m finding that when my Badgers lose a hair or two, it’s during those shaves where I didn’t soak the brush. I find soaking in lukewarm water for about a minute or two does the trick.

I understood that badger hair doesn't absorb water (like boar does), rather holds it between the hairs. Probably it absorbs a little bit on the surface, but no 'deep soaking' happens. In my experience badger does not soften more when soaked longer.

But I do the same to soften potential residue from soap or scale from hard water so that the hair does not break.

 

[Alex Jr]

A recent observation. I’m finding that when my Badgers lose a hair or two, it’s during those shaves where I didn’t soak the brush. I find soaking in lukewarm water for about a minute or two does the trick.

I’ve noticed that too. Coincidence or not, I don’t know.

 

[WThomas0814]

Boars get soaked in hot tap water about 2/3 up the bristles whilst I shower, then gather my kit. Call it 15 minutes.

Badgers (which I rarely use) get put in a mug of hot tap water after my shower, while I gather my kit. Maybe 5 minutes.

Synthetics (which I rarely-er use) get dipped in a mug of hot tap water when I'm ready to load the brush.

 

[WThomas0814]

A recent observation. I’m finding that when my Badgers lose a hair or two, it’s during those shaves where I didn’t soak the brush. I find soaking in lukewarm water for about a minute or two does the trick.

Exactly. I think the fibers need to be softened by the warm water or some will break.

 

[Guido75]

Pretty much all my brushes irrespective of hair type get soaked in cold water for about two to three minutes while I am busy with my preshave. After that I load my soap for face lathering or go straight to my bowl for bowl lathering. During lathering I do my brush twice in cold water. Always the same routine really. Occasionally lather is below par but that’s a rare event.

 

[purecro]

I always soak all my brushes, syntheitc, badger, boar, in ice cold water (ice with cold water in it) whilst I shower before I shave. I enjoy cold water shaves so I even have ice water in my shaving mug for dipping my brush and a sprayer with ice cold water in it. Its my routine and enjoy it.

I will say I try to soak up to or close to where the knot comes out of the handle but that is about it.

 

[Dtownvino]

If you have a wooden handle, the knot will expand and could crack the handle.

I wouldn’t do it.

 

[Soaps & Scents]

I always let mine soak in warm water while I'm showering (I'm a shower shaver) and I've never had any issues. I only soak the bristles and I only use enough water in the bowl so that it does not reach the knot or handle.

 

[Phil Harmonica]

If you have a wooden handle, the knot will expand and could crack the handle.

I wouldn’t do it.

Never had it happen in over sixty years of shaving.

 

[Dtownvino]

Never had it happen in over sixty years of shaving.

Happened to a member on here not that long ago @dmshaver I believe is who it was.

 

[Goblin]

I don't know if this is in the correct forum, but here it goes. Is there any harm in letting your brush soak more than five minutes? I heat up water in the microwave and put in my brush scuttle. Sometimes I'll go and do something else and for get that my brush is soaking. Is there any harm in letting it soak for more then five minutes? I also like the warm lather I get when I let my brush soak in warm water.

When I use natural hair brushes I usually soak them for a good 20 minutes or so at a minimum. I put the brush in to soak as soon as I get up, then have a coffee and do my email before I think about washing and shaving.

If a boar hasn't been used for a good long while, I will soak it overnight before use. Apparently this is what Italian barbers do.

As noted by another member - longer soaks seem to mean less hair loss (although I can only really speak for boars).

 

[musicman1951]

I only soak boars. I hold badgers and synthetics under fairly warm running tap for about 10 seconds. I'll have to try soaking a badger longer to see if it makes any difference, but my two most used brushes are SOC badgers and they never lose a hair - and I mean that literally. My Kent BK8 has given up 4-5 hairs over the past 10+ years.

Microwaved to what temp? It would be pretty easy to get to a temperature that would make me nervous, although I readily admit I don't know what the perfect temperature might be. I use 135-140 degree water in my scuttle and that's plenty hot enough to provide lather that gets warmer with each pass.