how long do you load your brushes?

It depends on the soap.

For me, it depends on the type of brush and type of soap/cream. I don't measure it by time or by swirls. I can tell when the brush has enough load just by sight, and in fact most of times I add some water to the mixture right there, in the puck. Doing it this way, most of times I can avoid dipping the tips of the brush in water when face lathering. If I had to state an average, I'd say 30 seconds.

Anyone recall the scene in EASY RIDER when Captain America ( Peter Fonda) removes an expensive watch and throws it in the dirt? I love my old Bulova but it stays in my cufflinks box until everything else is in order. Shaving is as close to ritual as I get for now except Japanese tea ceremony and it's western equivalent of British tea and once again the mantra " it's your face, not a race' needs chanting.

Kinda depends on the soap and the brush doesn't it?

I load my brushes until they are saturated. IMO, you cannot overload a brush...but that's me.

Depends on the soap, plus I don't count I just rely on the my ole eye's. They know when it's time to stop loading.

I go with the feel but if I had to guess a number.

15-20 seconds usually with a synthetic brush.

Boar... hmm.. probably around twice that.

New boar? Make it four times that, and again before the third pass.

Badger.. it depends, 26mm sound 30-50 seconds usually.

Depends on the soap,  plus I don't count I just rely on the my ole eye's. They know when it's time to stop loading.

+1 me too

RR Big Bruce synthetic knot brush