One of these two would be my favorite Omega. The one on the left is a mid sized knot in an Oscar11 handle. The one on the right is a Baby Pro knot in a Rubberset 300N handle. Both work very well for me. Sorry for the bad cell phone pic.
Modified Pro 49! You can get the same knot at TGN. http://thegoldennib.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_88&products_id=325 ... and with a customized handle as in this SOTD picture from sometime back.
It's big. It's ugly. It's chrome? (Please, anything but chrome...) But I love it! Omega 48 Pro. Why? It's well suited for most any task. It works with hard soaps, soft soaps, creams, liquids, and even a bar of soap if you have use one. I think it's just the best all around brush that anyone could have, and I recommend it as a first brush to every new wet shaver that I talk to. It's just that good. Mantic59 was right, everybody should have at least 1!
Sure. I'll try take a pic tomorrow of it. It's a presentation box for a Smith & Wesson 6" N-frame gun. It was thrown in when I bought a 4" S&W Model 624 in .44 special about 20 years ago. I keep most of my blades and random shaving crap in there.
It'd be a good idea to do a little homework on Omega brushes. Here are a few brushes (knots really) that I like. 10048 or 49, 10066 and the 10810. The 25mm and 26mm knots are excellent too. Look for the knot you want, don't buy it for the handle. Personally, I'd go for the shortest loft in the knot diameter you want. I'll even put my foot in my mouth deeper, 2/1 ratios are pretty darn good in my opinion.
BTW, the last 4 or 5 Omega brushes that I've bought have all been shorter than the listed loft, which is a good thing, again IMO.
How is this brush? Is the plastic handle hollow? How is the weight and feel? At &18.00 I've been thinking about this...
A fantastic brush, just received it about a month ago and it has successfully usurped position as one of my two or three favorite brushes. Nice long handle (I'm a bowl latherer), great knot, long, good backbone, but very soft tipped once broken in. The lower beveled portion is hollow, but not so hollow as to make the brush feel too knot-heavy. Comfortable ergonomics, feels good in my large hand. Omega makes a similar brush (the 11126) with an ovangkol wood handle, but it just doesn't have the reach that the 10098 has. Also, if you check around (SRD) you can find it for $10.99! Unbelievable value for such a great brush!
I had a 10810. It was a good brush but the handle wasn't very good. It was made of cheap hard hollow plastic. It started to crack and was only getting worse after I dropped it once. I threw it away. So while I wouldn't get it just for the handle it certainly is a consideration. I'd get one of the high end solid acrylic handle Omegas.
Spot on with your critique, Mike! Hard to argue with any of the points you make about the 48. Incredible value in a boar brush. My first boar, and have since added another near identical brush, the Omega 49 (white plastic handle, not chrome plastic ) that was a freebie with a soap purchase.
+1 The 49 looks nearly the same as the 48, but in use I find it much, much different. (Good, but different...) The loft of the 49 is somewhat shorter, while it is soft at the tips, it is definitely more of a scrubber than the 48. I purposely haven't shaved for two days now, and this evening I'll be using my 49 with the MWF. (date night with the Mrs....) For me, I find that the extra backbone of the 49 really helps to get the soap worked into the thicker stubble. It is a must own brush for me. As far as white, black, or red handle, I never could decide. So I've got one of each! Happy shaving everybody!!
