#1

Member
Fort Drum, NY
So I have seen on different websites and heard from different people that drying a badger brush on a towel will damage the bristles. Other people recommend drying a brush on a towel. I know it may not be necessary and in fact I don't use a towel for this purpose but I am just curious what you all think. Maybe you believe this is true, maybe you think this is ridiculous, or maybe that this may apply to specific grades of hair. Thoughts?
#2
I've read that it's actually excessive pressure (soap loading, lathering, etc.) which damage bristles.
I follow the steps in this article and haven't had any problems at all.
https://www.classicshaving.com/blogs/sha...difference

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#3
Personally I wouldn't believe it. Either the person is putting insane pressure on the hair to break it, or more likely they use excessive pressure to load the soap, or do a poor job of rinsing the brush. Built up soap in the core of the base, and I've seen countless manufacturer's make reference to that and it will weaken the hair causing it to break. I towel dry my brushes using a light painting strokes. Basically running the hair at the base along the towel up to the tips with little pressure. Think of it almost like stropping.

A lot of it is ymmv and we all have individual thoughts. Picture 5 in the article Mr_Smartepants linked makes me cringe even though I know he's not putting excessive pressure on it. I fan the knot out as well, I just choose to do it with my fingers.

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Joe
#4

Member
Fort Drum, NY
Thanks for the replies y'all. I didn't think of it in terms of someone putting excessive pressure on the brush. Maybe that's how this warning came about in some odd way.
#5

Administrator
Philadelphia, PA
I've been using the same method as mentioned in the article linked to above for the better part of a decade without any issues...

https://www.classicshaving.com/blogs/sha...difference

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#6

Member
Fort Drum, NY
I read through that article and one thing that wasn't mentioned and that may factor in to combing a badger brush is that one should use a handmade comb such as a Kent comb that isn't made from a mold. Combs that are made from molds often have sharp pieces that stick out from the sides of the teeth that could potentially damage hair.

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#7
What remains of my hair is finer and more delicate than ANY badger brush. Been towel drying it for 61 trips around the sun and am happy to report no damage that I can detect, not even during my ponytail days. Doubt the towel drying hurts the brush.

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#8

Max Sprecher
Las Vegas, NV
(This post was last modified: 09-27-2019, 07:18 PM by Max Sprecher.)
I've tried drying them at all angles for decades and have to yet to see any damage. Rinse, Flick and best option hang upside down, second option just lay flat on a towel and last resort just straight up on the base of the handle.

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"Simple: not to be confused with easy."
#9
Never heard of drying with a towel until now...I usually just make sure to remove any soap; shake; then hang to dry. I haven’t had any issues in longevity or performance.
#10
Drying my brush on a towel has been part of my ritual for the past four years. After the shave I rinse the brush out under hot tap water until I no longer see any soap coming from the knot. I then shake as much water out into the sink as I can. Sometimes it appears that more water winds up everywhere but the sink. I then strope the brush fairly gently but not too gently on my towel. I'll make sure I try and get all sides of the brush. I then hang it upside down on a stand along with the razor of the day. After it's had the chance to dry over night I'll take it into the room where all my gear is and place it standing up on its handle. No stands for my brushes. I've never noticed any adverse consequences of this routine on any of my brushes.

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