Its probably a dumb question but here goes.... Does it matter (dry faster, bristles hold their shape better) if brushes are kept hanging bristles down, or standing bristles up? I've seen plenty of pictures both ways so either people have a preference for different reasons, or it just doesn't matter. Being a noob with all this I just wasn't sure.
Argument: You gotta dry your brush bristles down so the water won't drip into the knot. Rebuttal: I have yet to see any water drops at the tips of my bristles when hanging bristles down. If water isn't gathering there, it's not gathering in the knot with bristles up. Argument: You gotta dry your brush bristles up. Everyone knows water evaporates up. Rebuttal: Then answer me this, how does the inside of a wet glass dry when it is placed bottom up in the drying rack? As Martin said, short answer: No. Bottom line is it doesn't matter. Just don't store a damp brush in an enclosed space like a cabinet or closet. Be sure to let it sit out to dry so as not to allow mold and mildew to start eating your brush.
I hang one brush. And stand one upright. I've yet to notice any difference. I keep them both well ventilated when drying.
I have done both (hang 'em high upside down; let them dry standing upright) and I'll be darned if I notice any difference in the drying time of any of the brushes. Even when I 'tube' them, they are all quite dry in several (3-5) days.
OK here's a question. Do you have to dry it at all? In the "old days" it was common practice to just leave the brush in the mug. That is what My Dad did, and in vintage photos you see handles sticking out of mugs all the time. Mine is dried standing up, but I can't see where it matters.
I'd like to dry it just so it won't get mold or bacteria or any nastiness growing in it. Maybe I'll just go with how it looks better on the shelf.
There are some brush manufacturers that specify the need for the brush to be dried in the bristles down position..most however, seem to leave the hanging position issue hanging. What is probably best for longevity, is to make sure the surplus water is well discharged after each use and that the brush is completely rinsed out and dry by the next shave..including the base of the knot...
I used to hang my brush so the bristles were pointed down and off the shelf. Well I some how broke my plastic brush and razor holder, so now i just shake the brush as dry as I can and then rub it on a dry towel. The let all of my brushes sit on the counter with the bristles pointed up and let them bloom out.
I lay mine down with the bristles hanging off the edge of the counter. We have a vent there and it gets the heat which helps it dry
I just stand mine up on top of the medicine cabinet (in the open but also away from kids) always dries quickly and I've yet to have a brush issue aside from the very rare manufacturer defect.
Mine just stand up (hrm), but I've been thinking about rotating two brushes to completely dry after each use.
I have a little hair dryer I use to dry my brush off when I'm done using it. Not really. I use $10 Omega boar brushes and let them sit on their handles, bristles up. If this ruins them, I'm betting they won't be ruined until way after I've gotten my $10 worth from them. If I was buying $200 Unicorn/Badger brushes, I may have a different attitude.
Why out of reach of the Rug Rat's ? Afraid they will flush them down the Head. Oh I guess you call it the Lu!?
No I'm afraid they'll trim my 2 band and turn it to no band. And no it's not a Lu I'm Canadian Just part of her Majesty's Empire ;P
It's your brush. Treat it your way. Leaving it to sit in your mug will eventually result in a warped knot. I shake out as much water as I can, rub it on my towel the same way I rub it on my face, then set it off to the side out of harms way. The right way? The only way? Don't know, don't care. They're my brushes.
Yeah, lots of vintage brushes have a distinct curve to them, but again does that really matter? Point is that we on this site treat our brushes a lot differently than they were treated in the past. Ours are a kind of a luxury (and expensive) and are treated well, where in the past they were a necessity and treated as tools. Done lathering, just toss it back in the mug till tomorrow, when it wore out toss it in the trash, get a new one for under a buck. As for drying, never seen a moldy shaving soap puck, or brush. This is in no way a criticism of drying brushes, I rinse and dry mine after every use, I just think it is a good idea to look back from time to see things from another point of view. So up or down probably makes no difference.
