Ok, so last year for Christmas my wife got me my first wet shaving setup - EJ DE89L razor and a soap dish/badger hair brush/stand combo set with some sampler blades. This year she did it again - this time for Hannukkah (she is Jewish, I am not. We exchange gifts for the tradition of both holidays) she got me a Robert Becker scuttle (set to arrive tomorrow I believe!) and an Omega Boar hair brush- model 10048 (link: http://www.omegabrush.com/english/dabarba/oggetto.php?id=59)! I just did a test lather and I was really surprised. It seemed to pick up soap off the puck much more quickly than my badger brush. The hair is very stiff, and while I did do a quick application of the lather to my face I can tell it isn't ready for any real use just yet. I know this could've (and maybe should've) gone in the "Haul" section, but this is my first venture into the world of boar hair...
Nice man. Sounds like a great haul. Let me know how you like that scuttle. I'm really interested in picking one up. I hope to rope in some shaving products on Christmas.
You got a great woman there, I have that Omega brush also a gift my my GF I got the red one, when the piggy smell goes away its a great brush. and Becker scuttles are great.
That brush (the 48) is one of the best selling and most liked of the Omega big boys. I think you are going to like it. It's different from a badger but will soften up a bit pretty quick. Good luck with it and welcome to the world of boars. Alan
Give that brush a little break in time and it'll be sweet. At least mine was. The only down side is the size. I tried to will my face to grow to accommodate the brush but it didn't work. It's nice, it's just big. The bristle tips will soften up nice but mine remained stiff and springy.
Thanks all. The scuttle should actually be getting delivered today I believe. The brush is definitely even stiffer than I was expecting. I'm not quite sure what to think of it yet, but it does seem to work better on a puck of VDH Deluxe soap than my badger does.
I have used Omegas for years. As the other members are saying break in is crucial for Omega enjoyment. I do 2 things to speed break in . I continously soak the brush in hot water for a day, just periodically changing the water. With a puck of Williams in a mug I make lather to give the brush a workout , trying to splay the tips of the bristle , which is where the softness comes from. I pass the brush over the soap hundreds of times and rinse and do again during the course of day . The 48 seems to have softer hair at the tips than the other Omega Barber Brushes I have, its tip become fuzzy soft and quite nice.
Using a real inexpensive soap like Williams or VDH is a great way to break them in, and kill the boar smell at the same time. I've actually whittled a whole puck away breaking in 4 boar brushes. They feel like badger at 1/4 the price.
