The wonderful Omega Boar brush

Discussion in 'The Brush' started by 1969Fatboy, Apr 12, 2009.

  1. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    I took the challenge of finding a brush under $20 that I really liked. I got the VDH brush and worked OK but the bristles where all twirly and twisted? So I got this http://cgi.ebay.com/Omega-SHAVE-BRU...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50
    which is $13 shipped(the red one's are cheaper on the bay b/c they are overstocked). I got the brush and it looked nice, felt ok, and so on. I did my regular shampoo and conditioner treatment to it and started using it. Primarily for face lathering. I would like to add that I have ALWAYS been a die hard bowl latherer also.

    This brush.....I am sad or I guess happy to say is one of my 3 top goto brushes now. It holds the soap well, feels great on my face, and does a fantastic job. There were a few shedders in the beginning but not any more. It actually improves greatly with use. I didnt give my VDH brush the same chance. The handle feels nice and the brush actually looks nice on the counter. I have actually converted to predominately face lathering b/c of this brush. It does lather in the bowl just fine also. The only negative I would say that its not a good dryer. I have to rub it against my towel after the shave and usually later in the day. Small inconvenience for such a fantastic brush! I love my soft silver tips and badger brushes of course but this brush really should be part of your arsenal especially at the dirt cheap price of $13. There are better boar brushes and much higher prices but honestly cant imagine how they could perform much better than this brush. Kudos to Omega on such a fine and economical brush!
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  2. Shep

    Shep The Shep Abides

    Nice review Shawn. I've never used an Omega, but way back in the day I started out using a generic boar w/ designer handle I picked up at a smoke shop. That brush lasted me 12 years and performed quite well. Only problem was it lost too many hairs as the years passed.

    Could that tube be used for travel or is it too flimsy?
     
  3. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    I would say it was too flimsy but I of course trashed it. It might work if I remember right though? I cant remember if the end cap was tight or not?
     
  4. Truckman

    Truckman New Member

    nice review shawn....I'm coming around to the realization that boar isn't the red-headed step child of shaving brushes; mainly due to the use of my NOS Ever Ready 100T boar brush. I've been thinking of getting an Omega, maybe one of these, then...:D
     
  5. TomPike

    TomPike Active Member

    Thanks for the review, Shawn. I like my VDH, but think the twisty bristles look kind of goofy. It performs well though, especially after a few weeks of break in (it was a bit prickly at first). If the Omega is better, I think I'd love it. Using a golden nib re-knotted Everready right now and think it's wonderful. I'm all about inexpensive brushes.
     
  6. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    I love my VDH boar.. If this is better I might be all over it soon. I tend to face lather soaps and the boar is wonderful for that. Great review my Friend.
     
  7. MsBlackwolf

    MsBlackwolf Queen of Critters

    I haven't found anything I couldn't make lather with my cheap Burma Shave brush. Expensive, cheap, cream, soap, tallow, glycerine, even finally got Williams to lather better than yogurt. Nice review, Shawn. I think for 13 bucks it would be hard to go wrong with this brush. Good looking brush too.
     
  8. TBoner

    TBoner Member

    I love my Omega boar(s). I have 4, and all lather well, each with its own character and bristle feel. My favorite is the 31020, which is $24, the highest price in the Omega boar line (!). However, even my $11 "Pro" is magnificent. For soaps and face lathering, I can't see using anything else. This week I'm experimenting with boar and creams to find a workable method. Boar is sturdy and has backbone, can be very soft-tipped if made properly (i.e., the tips of the bristles aren't trimmed), and will make dense, strong lather from soap easily. The bristles absorb water, so with creams, the brush can seem to eat the cream, but adding a bit of water for the second pass corrects much of the problem. At any rate, that's all a digression.

    Three cheers for boar! That one's a beauty, Shawn. May have to order one, since it's different to all the others in my shave den.

    Regards,
    Tim
     
  9. punisher

    punisher New Member

    I like the boar brushes better. I find that badger brushes are just to floppy for me and they cost so much more. I'm just fine using my Omega boar brush and I even like my $ 5.00 Burma brush.
     
  10. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    I will always cherish my badger brushes. The boar brushes really just feel better and really are much more superior IMO for face lathering. I will say that my brush buying days are over. My rotation of badger will easily last well over 15 years at least.
     
  11. JimR

    JimR Active Member

    *singing*Boar boar boar, tiddily Boar Boar Bo~ar!*/singing*

    Boar is great stuff, guys.
     
  12. kevtex

    kevtex Member

    I was just looking for a reason to get another brush and now I've found it. I've been using Tabac soap lately and a boar brush might work a little better with it than my floppy DIY silvertip.
     
  13. Old Spice Guy

    Old Spice Guy Member

    I've been using my Omega 10049 Professional (boar) now for about eleven weeks (reviewed here in the thread "First Use Omega 49") and I love it better each day.

    Very seldom does it shed a hair, I'd say at most four or five altogether since I got it and that was all in the first two weeks, none since. It was 13.99 on ebay and worth a lot more. I thought I was happy with my VDH's and was ok with my tweezerman but my 49 is the cat's pajamas. I now use nothing else.

    The 49 has the longer bristles and is called Professional because many barbers use this brush. That's the feeling I was trying to duplicate, the way it used to feel so good when the barber would lather up my neck and shave it. That's really why or how I got into the whole wetshaving experience and this brush gives me that wonderful luxurious feeling reminiscent of the barbershop shave.

    You'll never find me spending megabucks on a badger, I just can't imagine a better lather than the Omega 49 gives me.
     
  14. Mattinnc

    Mattinnc New Member

    I have 2 Omega (Professional) boars and love them both. I plan on getting 2 more (smaller) Omega's shortly and would recommend their entire line to anyone just starting out.

    MattC
     
  15. kevtex

    kevtex Member

    I received my Omega Professional boar brush (10049) from West Coast yesterday and gave it a spin on some Tabac soap and the results were great. It made a lot of lather with the hard soap compared to the badger brushes I've been using. I was a little put off by the size at first (5'' tall) but there wasn't any problems face lathering. The brush has a foul smell like all new boar brushes, so I'll give it a good washing with shampoo and conditioner.
     
  16. beyboo

    beyboo New Member

    I have 3 Omegas, 31025, 31064 and also a 11150 (all badger imitation). I think they are a step above the #49 Omega.

    I have to disagree as all 3 brushes cameout of the box fresh and ready to work without so much of the acclaimed foul smell elimination rituals required.

    You should go to a 310XX series, the bristles are much softer and also lather creams very well as soon as they break in :D
     
  17. TG_Charles

    TG_Charles Member




    One thing of particular note about SSkid's post is the source for his Omega 49 – “West Coast Shaving”. I thought that that place was basically just for blades but it turns out they sell lots of stuff, including the Omega 49 for only $9.00. That’s a bargain!
    [​IMG]
    For the record, I have 7 Omega brushes. Two of them I use for cleaning things like my stereo systems, radios, TV and window sashes. The other five I use for shaving and 3 of those are 49’s.
     
  18. Old Spice Guy

    Old Spice Guy Member

    Got my '49 from Ebay and it too had the bad smell out of the box but worked well and by the third or fourth shave all remnants of bad odor were gone. I did wash mine in shampoo and some anti-bacterial soap and then some conditioner the first day but I can't really say it helped all that much. It seems that actual use and a few days time is what really does the trick.

    I don't think I want to go back to any smaller or shorter bristle brushes after the 49. I really love the way these long bristles whip up so much lather and cover my face so well. It also is the best at holding heat for me.
     
  19. TG_Charles

    TG_Charles Member

    A little boar eye candy from the Omega website.

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  20. Teiste

    Teiste New Member

    Time for me to get a Semogue or Omega boar brush!Thanks for the comments
     

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