Risks of Boar Not Drying Completely Between Uses?

[Nick Danger]

As a newcomer to boar brushes, I have a question:

I often see advice about letting a boar brush drying out completely between uses, for up to 48 hours.

I've got the B&B Essential boar brush. I've been trying to break it in as well as trying to learn more about lathering soaps. I have sometimes used the brush twice a day - once while shaving in the morning, again for a practice lather at night. The bristles are never wet when I pick it up. However, I can sometimes feel just a little dampness down by the knot.

What are the risks of not letting a boar brush dry out completely between uses?

Is this just the regular advice about not letting any brush, badger or boar, stay damp for fear of mildew? Or is there some other issue specific to boar brushes?

My brush sits on my sink, not in a closed cabinet, so there is plenty of air flow. I don't smell anything funky, so I don't think it's got any mildew problems yet. I do notice that my boar seems to take longer to dry out than my silvertip badger.

Should I cut out the practice lathers and give it more time to dry?

Nick

 

[Sfbagger]

Living near a beach, my boars take 48 hrs. to dry, so I have several that I rotate. Also, a boar brush will break in quicker if allowed to thoroughly dry, so I understand.

Obviously, you need some more!

 

[merkur59]

I rotate cheap omegas (48 hours) but have no worries if I use it again 24 hours later.
Occasionally (for really dense badger), I use a hair dryer set at low heat to speed up the process. It takes only 15 mins (not completely dry but sufficient for the next shave)

 

[Alphonse]

I have no idea why drying the brush out would make a difference. What... once it's dry you're gonna get it wet again?? OMG

 

[duckdown]

I've never heard of this as being any kind of danger to the brush if not completely dried between uses..

 

[The_Anderman]

I have no idea why drying the brush out would make a difference. What... once it's dry you're gonna get it wet again?? OMG

I just bought two more boar brushes, just to be on the safe side. I'll probably need more soon, 'cause I heard you should let 'em dry for a week – that's what I'm telling the wife, anyway.

 

[caspian]

pro barbers use their brush multiple times a day,so I doubt theirs has time to completely dry,so I doubt it's actually harmful.

Seems like a lot of people just want an excuse to collect brushes.

 

[Teddyboy]

I believe that there are no risks in not waiting for a brush to dry. Besides, "danger" is your middle, I mean last name. Not drying the brush tips may slow the breaking-in process; i.e., splitting of the tips.

 

[Roloado]

The reasoning be hind letting the brush dry fully is so that the tips of the boar hair can split. I own two boar brushes. a cheap omega, and the SOC. I didn't know anything about boar brushes when I got the omega, i used it everyday for two weeks straight it wasn't completely dry and it worked and broke in completely fine. I gave my SOC the 48 hour treatmeant, and it seemed like it took forever to break in. I don't think using it twice a day will cause any problems.

 

[rockviper]

It'll break in faster if it fully dries, but there's no harm in daily usage. After all, it's a shaving brush and people have been using a single brush for years on end. As well, by B&B boarhad tips splitting like crazy when I first got it, so I would say that it should be 90%+ broken in already from a tip perspective.
Enjoy that brush!

 

[Mick]

The reasoning be hind letting the brush dry fully is so that the tips of the boar hair can split. I own two boar brushes. a cheap omega, and the SOC. I didn't know anything about boar brushes when I got the omega, i used it everyday for two weeks straight it wasn't completely dry and it worked and broke in completely fine. I gave my SOC the 48 hour treatmeant, and it seemed like it took forever to break in. I don't think using it twice a day will cause any problems.

It'll break in faster if it fully dries, but there's no harm in daily usage. After all, it's a shaving brush and people have been using a single brush for years on end. As well, by B&B boarhad tips splitting like crazy when I first got it, so I would say that it should be 90%+ broken in already from a tip perspective.
Enjoy that brush!

Yep...

Your brush will break in faster if you let it dry completely between use. No reason to NOT use it every day if it is your only brush. It will just take a little longer before it gets as soft as it will end up being is all.

There is no "brush law" and there are no "brush police" to make sure you keep your hands off until it is dry so totally up to you what you do.

 

[urkel]

for my little piggies i let them dry out for 2 days. i think they like the break and drying them lets them bloom out more completely. it also gave me an excuse to collect more

 

[Songwind]

I think the only "risk" would be the same as with anything else that stays wet all the time: mildew, mold, etc. However, if you're using it repeatedly that means you're getting it soapy and rinsing it every day, so it's not like it's stagnant.

 

[Oscroft]

The reasoning be hind letting the brush dry fully is so that the tips of the boar hair can split. I own two boar brushes. a cheap omega, and the SOC. I didn't know anything about boar brushes when I got the omega, i used it everyday for two weeks straight it wasn't completely dry and it worked and broke in completely fine. I gave my SOC the 48 hour treatmeant, and it seemed like it took forever to break in. I don't think using it twice a day will cause any problems.

A SOC will take a *lot* longer to break in than a cheap Omega, however you go about it

The recommendation to leave a boar to fully dry, as far as I am aware, is indeed simply because the drying phase is when the bristle ends split. I really don't think it'll do it any harm if it doesn't fully dry.

 

[Nick Danger]

Your brush will break in faster if you let it dry completely between use. No reason to NOT use it every day if it is your only brush. It will just take a little longer before it gets as soft as it will end up being is all.

Ah, that makes sense. The tips split more quickly if allowed to dry out completely.

The B&B Essential is my only boar brush at the moment, at least until the Omega 31064 I just bought from you arrives.

There is also an SOC on the way from Shaving.IE, so I'll be able to rotate my boars soon enough.

Nick

 

[nav]

Once broken in, there is no benefit to drying the brush fully. The only advantage of allowing a full wet/dry cycle is to speed up the break in process.

 

[oldbluelight]

If you do not let a brush dry completly between uses all the experts recommend that for hygenic purposes the bush should be remoistened in clean water, exposed for at least 60 - 90 seconds to a foaming agent such as soap or cream in an attempt to impregnate the hair, bristles or fibers with the foaming agent, and vigorously agitated against a firm surface (lacking any other surface your face may be used for this purpose) and then put in use. Play it safe and follow this reccomendation.

 

[Pebcak]

I just bought two more boar brushes, just to be on the safe side. I'll probably need more soon, 'cause I heard you should let 'em dry for a week – that's what I'm telling the wife, anyway.

I like the cut of your jib sir.

 

[_JP_]

Until recently, almost everyone had only one brush to work with, it being boar, badger, horse, or whatever. They used them daily with no real problems related to them drying out between uses.

 

[Galhatz]

How could people live with only one brush... sounds archaic...

Until recently, almost everyone had only one brush to work with, it being boar, badger, horse, or whatever. They used them daily with no real problems related to them drying out between uses.