Pre-Soaking The Shaving Brush

[tjsgarden]

Hey Guys and Gals
Lately I have been curious about how and why we pre-soak our brushes.
I know some people soak all the way up to the handle and others soak just the tips. I have heard opinions to soak 30 seconds up to 10 minutes or more. I tend to soak boars and badger about half way up the knot for 3-5 minutes and synthetics for maybe a minute.
What are your ideas and why? Is there a reason to soak more or less of the length of the knot?
Thanks for ideas.

 

[samhain666]

and synthetics for maybe a minute.

??? Synts don't need soaking and dry quickly, that is the whole point

 

[NorthernSoul]

Badgers can just be put under a running faucet for a few seconds, they don't really need to be soaked very long. You can soak them for a minute or two if you want to.

Boars need to soak for several minutes in order to soften. A boar brush can steal water from the lather if it is not thoroughly soaked before use. Sometimes, people prefer to soak only the tips because this may give more stiffness (aka backbone) to the knot.

Synthetics don't require soaking. The bristles don't absorb water. They hold water by surface tension. So, just dip them in water or put them under a running faucet for a few seconds.

 

[emwolf]

I soak my badger to warm up the brush. A good badger retains heat very nicely, IMO.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I used to soak my badger brushes because I read it was the right thing to do. Now I do not do so because I tried soaking and not soaking, and like many things that are apparently essential to a great shave, it made no difference at all. I understand the theory, and maybe it is more useful for boar, but for me it simply offers no benefit. I prefer to shave in very cold water so warming the brush is of no interest. As for soaking a synthetic, that seems even less useful as my experience shows that it is far better to begin the lathering process with a barely damp synthetic, and in any case I doubt they absorb water.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I shower before I shave. I usually remember to soak my badger brushes while I do. But if I don't, I soak them while doing my pre-shave prep.... so only a minute or two. Everything works out fine.

The above comments about boars and synths seem right on to me. I keep telling myself, I need to use my boars, but I've been so taken with my SV Manchurian brushes, that's all I've been using since I got them.

 

[tjsgarden]

I appreciate all of the replies.
I am thinking about soaking approximately 1/2 to 2/3 of the knot because I don't want the base of the handle to get very wet.

 

[Goatrope]

Hey Guys and Gals
Lately I have been curious about how and why we pre-soak our brushes.
I know some people soak all the way up to the handle and others soak just the tips. I have heard opinions to soak 30 seconds up to 10 minutes or more. I tend to soak boars and badger about half way up the knot for 3-5 minutes and synthetics for maybe a minute.
What are your ideas and why? Is there a reason to soak more or less of the length of the knot?
Thanks for ideas.

I shower before shaving so I soak my badger brush in a bowl of hot water while showering. Usually no more than 5 minutes.

Badger bristles supposedly retain heat and water which helps with working up a lather with your soap/cream.

 

[BigJ]

Good advice above!

I prefer badgers these days and don’t bother to soak them before hand.

In earlier days I used boars which needed presoaking, generally while I was in the shower.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Maybe these will help.

Soaking A Brush

Is soaking your brush before you shave bad for your brush? I don't put the handle under water I just stand the brush upright in a bowl with warm tap water with 50% or so of the hair in the water. I do this first thing in the morning while I shower have breakfast etc. Can this be bad for the...

www.badgerandblade.com

Why Soak the Brush?

I've been using a shaving brush for 40 years or so, and until I came to this forum I had never soaked the brush prior to using it. After reading post after post about soaking the brush, I started doing it. But I find that it limits the amount of soap that the brush will hold, and it doesn't in...

www.badgerandblade.com

Soaking Synthetic Brushes

Ok I know its probably weird but it just feels strange not to have a brush soaking on the bench when I’m getting ready for my daily shave. I realise it probably does nothing at all but its become habit as I used to only have badgers..who else soaks their synthetics?

www.badgerandblade.com

Brush Soaking

Just curious, how many of you soak your brushes? I just leave it in the sink full of hot water while I shower. Then when I get out, I give it a squeeze and it's on to the puck for a lather load, and then face lathering. Been doing it this way for about four years, never had a shedding...

www.badgerandblade.com

Soaking Badger brushes?

I currently use a Vulfix 375 in super. I am expecting a simpson Duke 3 in best tomorrow. I usually soak the Vulfix for 5-6 minutes in warm water while I shower, however, I have read a number of threads this evening suggesting quality badger brushes do not need to be soaked prior to use as they...

www.badgerandblade.com

To Soak or Not to Soak? An Experiment

How long do you soak your shaving brush before using it? Do you put it in tepid water while you shower? Or do you just swirl it around for a while right before using it? Does it matter? I used to put my brush to soak while I showered, but sometimes I would forget. It didn’t seem to make...

www.badgerandblade.com

Soaking a badger

When soaking a badger brush what is the general consensus: whole or just the tips? Does it vary if you're face or bowl lathering, using creams or soaps?

www.badgerandblade.com

How do you soak your boar brush?

I wonder if I'm the only one that does this. When I soak my brush (Omega 10051 boar, plastic handle) I squeeze the submerged bristles to expel any excess air. If I just place the brush in a mug or the sink it doesn't seem to absorb much water. The bristles are quite nicely broken in but a couple...

www.badgerandblade.com

Pre-Soaking Badger Brushes

I was wondering if you pre-soak your badger brushes that are mounted in a wooden handle? Something tells me no but thought I'd ask.

www.badgerandblade.com

Is brush soaking really necessary?

I've seen most people soak their brushes for a time before diving into the soap or cream. I don't remember seeing that anyone soaks a synthetic and I don't know about horse hair. Anyway, I find that just a quick dip in water usually gets my boars and badgers wet enough and if I need more water...

www.badgerandblade.com

Soak your brush during shower or after you get out?

Hey all! I shave after I shower, and I use a Vulfix 1000a brush. I wanted to know if it would be wiser to soak the brush during the shower; as opposed to after I shower for a minute or two. I have read that even pure badger brushes retain a lot of water so a quick soak will suffice. But, I...

www.badgerandblade.com

How long do you soak your boar brush?

I recently picked up a Semogue 1305 boar brush and I am really enjoying it. This is the first quality boar brush that I have purchased. I read a post that you can adjust the backbone of a boar brush by adjusting how long you soak the brush in water. I was curious if any of you have played...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[nemo]

I don't soak my brushes and don't feel it helps. Also I don't want a bunch of excessive water in the knot as I think it could possibly compromise the knot's glue job or lower bristles if they remain wet too long. I've found no benefit to soaking except for the very tips of a stiff boar brush.

 

[DEgeezer]

I soak my brushes, be they badger, boar, or synthetic in warm water, simply because I like to shave with warm lather.

 

[Goatrope]

I don't soak my brushes and don't feel it helps. Also I don't want a bunch of excessive water in the knot as I think it could possibly compromise the knot's glue job or lower bristles if they remain wet too long. I've found no benefit to soaking except for the very tips of a stiff boar brush.

What he said...

I'm still a wetshaving noob, so I defer to the wiser pros here. I will be switching to a synthetic brush so soaking may be unnecessary.

 

[tjsgarden]

Maybe these will help.

Soaking A Brush

Is soaking your brush before you shave bad for your brush? I don't put the handle under water I just stand the brush upright in a bowl with warm tap water with 50% or so of the hair in the water. I do this first thing in the morning while I shower have breakfast etc. Can this be bad for the...

www.badgerandblade.com

Why Soak the Brush?

I've been using a shaving brush for 40 years or so, and until I came to this forum I had never soaked the brush prior to using it. After reading post after post about soaking the brush, I started doing it. But I find that it limits the amount of soap that the brush will hold, and it doesn't in...

www.badgerandblade.com

Soaking Synthetic Brushes

Ok I know its probably weird but it just feels strange not to have a brush soaking on the bench when I’m getting ready for my daily shave. I realise it probably does nothing at all but its become habit as I used to only have badgers..who else soaks their synthetics?

www.badgerandblade.com

Brush Soaking

Just curious, how many of you soak your brushes? I just leave it in the sink full of hot water while I shower. Then when I get out, I give it a squeeze and it's on to the puck for a lather load, and then face lathering. Been doing it this way for about four years, never had a shedding...

www.badgerandblade.com

Soaking Badger brushes?

I currently use a Vulfix 375 in super. I am expecting a simpson Duke 3 in best tomorrow. I usually soak the Vulfix for 5-6 minutes in warm water while I shower, however, I have read a number of threads this evening suggesting quality badger brushes do not need to be soaked prior to use as they...

www.badgerandblade.com

To Soak or Not to Soak? An Experiment

How long do you soak your shaving brush before using it? Do you put it in tepid water while you shower? Or do you just swirl it around for a while right before using it? Does it matter? I used to put my brush to soak while I showered, but sometimes I would forget. It didn’t seem to make...

www.badgerandblade.com

Soaking a badger

When soaking a badger brush what is the general consensus: whole or just the tips? Does it vary if you're face or bowl lathering, using creams or soaps?

www.badgerandblade.com

How do you soak your boar brush?

I wonder if I'm the only one that does this. When I soak my brush (Omega 10051 boar, plastic handle) I squeeze the submerged bristles to expel any excess air. If I just place the brush in a mug or the sink it doesn't seem to absorb much water. The bristles are quite nicely broken in but a couple...

www.badgerandblade.com

Pre-Soaking Badger Brushes

I was wondering if you pre-soak your badger brushes that are mounted in a wooden handle? Something tells me no but thought I'd ask.

www.badgerandblade.com

Is brush soaking really necessary?

I've seen most people soak their brushes for a time before diving into the soap or cream. I don't remember seeing that anyone soaks a synthetic and I don't know about horse hair. Anyway, I find that just a quick dip in water usually gets my boars and badgers wet enough and if I need more water...

www.badgerandblade.com

Soak your brush during shower or after you get out?

Hey all! I shave after I shower, and I use a Vulfix 1000a brush. I wanted to know if it would be wiser to soak the brush during the shower; as opposed to after I shower for a minute or two. I have read that even pure badger brushes retain a lot of water so a quick soak will suffice. But, I...

www.badgerandblade.com

How long do you soak your boar brush?

I recently picked up a Semogue 1305 boar brush and I am really enjoying it. This is the first quality boar brush that I have purchased. I read a post that you can adjust the backbone of a boar brush by adjusting how long you soak the brush in water. I was curious if any of you have played...

www.badgerandblade.com

WOW!
Thanks! That should give me "a little bit of information".

 

[CCS]

Remember, all this is opinion and many people follow routines because someone else did it and someone else said cool. On the internet, opinions becomes facts.

I've always wetted my brushes (badger and boar) because someone (a barber) told me to when I was younger. They will sit in a diner mug so they stand mostly vertical for no longer than a shower (10 minutes or less for me) and often for less. I keep the water level about halfway up the knot and it's warm water. Long soaks really make no sense to me other than helping to get any stink out of a new brush. If I shave without showering first, I'll run the brush under warm water for a few moments and massage it a bit. I can't tell a huge difference in performance doing this vs the soak. Synths need nothing in my short experience with this type of brush other than a quick rinse under the tap.

I wonder if the soaking tradition is overrated? I don't know.

 

[thombrogan]

Soaking my piggies in a little water (usually about 1cm deep) for an hour or two makes them extremely soft and take forever to dry.

Soaking them for 5-10 minutes like a capable adult in hot or cold water that’s shallow or even above the bristles makes for disappointment.

Soaking my big badger makes it weird. Like soft, strong broccoli… Soaking my synthetics has made no noticeable difference. I don’t soak my tiny badger (goes under the faucet or I hold it closely like in the Elton John ballad).

 

[davidw963]

Yeah, I soak my bowl and badger brush while I shower - if for anything to get it warmed up. Though I have never really tested its performance soaked vs under tap...

 

[CCS]

Mentioned in another thread, I tried not soaking a badger brush today. Ran it under warm water a bit, loaded it, and had to add a fair bit more water to the shaving bowl to get the lather right. I think I'll keep doing me with regards to how I soak my boar and badger brushes and for how long. Better results.

 

[Time Bandit]

I soak all my brushes be they badger, boar, horse or synthetic. Usually up to just below their handles, in hot water.

I believe this is beneficial for the boar hair most, a little less for badger and even less for horse. I don't think it does anything for my synthetics but I do it out of habit anyway.

For boar I also believe that a good 5+ minutes is minimum. For badger and horse, only a few minutes is needed.

I always shake all water out of my brushes and rely on the water sitting in the soap jar, used for blooming, to supply the bulk of the needed water to build lather.

 

[Brutus]

I found that neither synthetics, badger, nor broken-in boar brushes need to be pre-soaked for any length of time.

The latter may surprise you since boar brushes probably get the most pre-soaking and for most of my shaving life I too used to pre-soak these brushes.
Then I came across a discussion where someone pointed out that a (broken-in) boar brush needs no pre-soaking.
I had my doubts, but tried it and found it to be true.

Often you will hear that boar needs to be pre-soaked because boar hairs are hollow, but this is only true as long as the brush is not broken in. Once the brush is broken in the hairs split and thus are no longer hollow.
The exception are new boar brushes that I soak overnight in cold (room temperature, no fridge needed) water to speed up the breaking in process.

You may have your doubts too, but give it a try and soon you may drop the entire pre-soaking routine too.


B.