You have to love Gunny Highway.

synthie...shake EXACTLY 5 times...Im not OCD, Im routine

I thought playing with it started after two shakes!

Out of respect for my elders, I was allowing for a courtesy shake.

Okay, that's downright perverted.

Swish & flick. Now all together, swish & flick.

I don't soak my brushes, and I only use cold water. I just wet the brush, shake it off, and then load it. However, if it is a synthetic, I shake out most of the water. They need less water.

How would you load a dry brush? That would not pick up any soap, I believe. With creams, it might work, but that still would not be ideal.

I use a bestshave.net #6 horse hair. I always let it soak while I take my shower, If I shave without a shower then I just let it soak a minute or so instead.

I just wet the brush and load it with soap. I use a badger brush.

My WSP brush is a badger...never tried it dry. Is that common with badgers?(dry)?

Never did for that long before...perhaps I should lengthen my soak time some.

Wet, I prefer a synthetic but do enjoy a badger from time to time.

Do you need to wet a synthetic, Doug? They dont really absorb any water, do they?

Soak while I shower then one flick and away I go.

No, but will hold some water. If it didn't hold water, how can you make a lather?

I soak all my brushes - badger, boar, synthetic and nylon (yup, I have an old Klenzo in the rotation! ). The reason is to warm the knot. A warm knot lends to a warm lather.

Soak, shake vigorously , load with soap, face lather.

They probably don't need wet synthetics @JazzDoc . Soaking brushes are part of my pre-shave routine. I find that synthetic do retain some water Mark.

As do I. It's instinct really.