What is "water too hot?

[pipskicks]

I see a lot on putting your brush in "excessively hot water." I have heard that from the sink it's fine, but I think my sink still gets fairly hot. I understand that boiling water and using that is definitely a bad idea.

My question is, should I be worried about the hot water from the sink (i.e. don't use the hottest water maybe?), or should I only be worried about boiling water?


Sorry I've just been confused about this and I keep reading conflicting statements....

 

[Teddyboy]

I generally use the hottest faucet water I can that does not cause me to scream. This way, my beard gets hydrated and the epoxy in my brush will not melt.

 

[dpmtherrien]

I just use the hottest tap water. I've found that if the water is too hot the lather tends to break down.

 

[JHCC]

Remember that before Rubberset started bedding their brushes in rubber and before the advent of epoxy adhesives in the thirties, most brushes were knotted with adhesives that were a lot more heat-sensitive than the ones we use now; the warning survives even if its rationale doesn't.

 

[Agravic]

This may be a tad 'too hot' for shaving purposes ... although YMMV!

​

Standard hot tap water is safe I would assume with all modern shaving equipment/products.

 

[Mick]

If you can't comfortably stick your hand in the water it is too hot to put your brush in.

When a brush is exposed to HOT water the tips can curl. This makes a real mess out of the brush.

I will soak my brush in cold tap water in a separate cup/mug, not in the sink.

 

[pipskicks]

Lol ok so hottest sink water should be ok I guess. I just keep hearing, watch out for hot water, watch out for pressure (in regards to brush care). I didn't know if I was melting my brush or not and I really don't want to!

 

[pipskicks]

Oh yeah I did read that it actually hurt the hairs, not just the glue...as Turtle said.

 

[the_edski]

As long as it isn't boiling and you don't leave it in for an undue amount of time, the brush should be alright!

 

[Rekonball]

Hot tap water

 

[Sfbagger]

According to Bruno over a Vintage Scent - who ought to know - Very hot tap water can shorten the life of a piggy brush. I'll use very warm tap water to soak my beloved Semogues, but not straight hot water from the tap.

Jeff

 

[dundak]

I use hot water from the tap. I just do no soak the knot, just about 1/2 way up the bristles

 

[luvmysuper]

If you can't comfortably stick your hand in the water it is too hot to put your brush in.

I share this opinion.

What's more, that's the hottest I'd want the water on my face to be. Any hotter than that causes swelling of the facial tissues and can lead to a nasty shave.

 

[beginish]

If it's too hot to put my own hair in it, I'm not putting my brush in it.

 

[reboot]

If the hot water all by itself takes off your beard (and the first layer of skin), then that's definitely too hot.

Lately I've been using cold water only. Seems like a whole lot less irritation.

 

[Mick]

Here is an example of curled tips caused by hot water (sorry bout the bad pic, I did not take it)

 

[edgerunner]

Here is an example of curled tips caused by hot water (sorry bout the bad pic, I did not take it)

Pic

With all due respect turtle, based on other threads and discussions on curly/hooked/crusty tips and my experience with over 40 badger brushes, I don't agree hot water causes it. I always use warm water and the only 6 brushes that developed hooked tips are the softest ones - Thaters, vintage Rooney Heritage, TGN Grade A, and Shavemac Silvertip.

 

[Scott0079]

With all due respect turtle, based on other threads and discussions on curly/hooked/crusty tips and my experience with over 40 badger brushes, I don't agree hot water causes it. I always use warm water and the only 6 brushes that developed hooked tips are the softest ones - Thaters, vintage Rooney Heritage, TGN Grade A, and Shavemac Silvertip.

I agree, I use the same temperature water on all 25 of my brushes the only two with the hooked tips are my two Rooney 2-bands.

 

[pipskicks]

With all due respect turtle, based on other threads and discussions on curly/hooked/crusty tips and my experience with over 40 badger brushes, I don't agree hot water causes it. I always use warm water and the only 6 brushes that developed hooked tips are the softest ones - Thaters, vintage Rooney Heritage, TGN Grade A, and Shavemac Silvertip.

I don't know about the tips, but I have read a bit on the "brush care" posts and it seems like all of them talk about the heat. They do talk about the glue, but a lot of it is also that it makes the hairs more brittle and it's easier for them to break off. I assumed that maybe the hooked tips was part of it, but even if not, I haven't read that it hooks the tips, just that it hurts the hair and causes it to become brittle.


Whether they are right or not, I'm not 100% sure, I definitely haven't done the testing you guys have, but I would guess that maybe the hooked tips is not a sign of the hot water, yet they do still get brittle?? I'm not sure, but that's what I'd guess from what I read since I didn't read anything about hooked tips but did see that it was harmful.