Where's the Love for Omega Boar Brushes?

[DEGuy]

Loric: I'll have to see how my Omegas fare in time. I use the 10083 the most. My badgers, which are really good brushes, just seem to be too floppy when applying lather. The opposite lathering experience is what keeps me using my boar brushes. If my Omega looses its backbone supported comfortable tips, I may look into Semogue, or just buy another Omega. My sense is that the more dense and longer-bristle Omegas may maintain their properties for a longer period of time--I do notice how my brushes perform, and thus far I'm a happy wet shaver.

You made your own brush--I'd like to see or read how you did this. Building a brush is an interesting topic.

 

[Little Joe from Mexico]

I feel that most Omega's just get too floppy. When they break in they loose so much backbone, that I dont care for them.

That's odd. I only have one Semogue (1460) and the reason I prefer my Omegas is because they have more backbone after breaking in. My 1460 is a very nice brush and is densely packed, but... YMMV

 

[Loric]

That's odd. I only have one Semogue (1460) and the reason I prefer my Omegas is because they have more backbone after breaking in. My 1460 is a very nice brush and is densely packed, but... YMMV

If it makes you feel better the only Semogue I kept was the 2011 LE (short loft and uncommon density). I'v had several Semogues and 6 Omega's and all of the Semogues had better backbone (after a full breaking in). However the shorter lofts on Semogues are surely a big part of that. Plus I find that although they break in slower than the Omega bristles, they keep more backbone per MM of loft.

Loric: I'll have to see how my Omegas fare in time. I use the 10083 the most. My badgers, which are really good brushes, just seem to be too floppy when applying lather. The opposite lathering experience is what keeps me using my boar brushes. If my Omega looses its backbone supported comfortable tips, I may look into Semogue, or just buy another Omega. My sense is that the more dense and longer-bristle Omegas may maintain their properties for a longer period of time--I do notice how my brushes perform, and thus far I'm a happy wet shaver.

You made your own brush--I'd like to see or read how you did this. Building a brush is an interesting topic.

Many people get a generic low density high badger, and write them off. You really need a short loft high density badger to get quality backbone, preferably in a two bands. Not everyone is going to like that kind of brush, but a properly tuned badger will have more backbone than I'v found in any boar.

As for the bigger denser Omega's holding up better your right. I want to like boars, but honestly they are rarely very dense and have lofts higher than what I enjoy. Sure, if you dont soak them all the way they will retain some extra backbone, but that comes at the cost of them taking it from your lather. I just built my own.

As for how to build one, I got a custom 30mm handle from Rudy Vey and an Omega 27mm knot from The Golden Nib.



The Omega knots have that big ring around the top. I had to dremel it off, then I cut off the bottom of the plastic ring up to where the bristles start. After that it was simply a matter of setting the knot deep into the 30mm handle. Now that I look at the numbers again I think I have it set at ~55mm loft.

 

[DEGuy]

Loric: Nice work! You sound like me when it comes to modifying a product so it better suits us. Kudos to you.

Your take on badger and backbone, I believe, is right. My quality badgers have a short loft, but I still feel they are too soft for my taste, it's such a subject call. But I had noticed years ago that the $150-plus badger brushes have shorter lofts of better quality badger--I had figured the reason was so the brushes would retain their backbone. So it's interesting to hear you say this--for me it was one of those thoughts you just don't articulate to others. Thanks for bringing it forward. Back to your custom brush. You've got me thinking of getting a second Omega 10083 (from $10 to $14) and making it into a custom brush. Your brush is visually really nice; and it sounds as if you did a sound job of securing the bristles. it looks as if the brush's backbone would hold up because a sufficient length of each bristle is secure: below the top of the handle. I can understand the satisfaction of having something this unique and being the one responsible for having conceived and done the work. Again, Kudos--you've earned them.

I've gotten more mileage out of my Dremel tool--it's come into play on many projects. It's now an indispensable tool for many projects, especially modification projects.

 

[Loric]

You dont have to spend $150 to get a good badger brush. Its true, most of the best badgers at this price point have done the tuning for you. However, you can do the same thing I did with the Omega with a TGN badger knot. The extra dense finest and silvertip grade A in particular both make fantastic brushes if you set the lofts properly. In fact after trying many of the high end brushes, I have as many TGN's as I do high end brushes. While the knots may not have quite the quality of some of the best of the best badgers, you can tune them to your own tastes.

If you try out setting your own knots, I'd strongly suggest testing out different lofts with some silicone adhesive. Just a drop or two under the knot, so you can test the brush out and then using gentle pressure pull the knot out and test it at another loft. All you need are some shims to add or delete a couple MM at a time from the loft. I use cork, but any material that wont rot will work. At worst you will learn a lot about your preferences in shaving brushes, and the under appreciated affects of loft. Not to mention winding up with a brush that is perfectly tuned to your tastes as you can get. Once you find the loft you prefer, you are free to set it with permanent epoxy. Though to be honest I generally set mine with just a full shot of silicone adhesive, as I know my tastes might change later.

I'd personally skip buying a new brush to canonize though, getting the knot out can be very difficult if its set in epoxy. To the best of my knowledge you have to destroy the handle to get the thing out, and you run the risk of cracking the base of the knot and loosing hair. Most of the loose knots are priced close to where the Omega brushes are, and you save yourself the fight of liberating them from a handle.

 

[DEGuy]

I did check out TGN on their eBay site and saw reasonably priced badger knots (and pens, I have a thing for pens, too; I won't go into my many other gear interests). I may have to try this--but I'll take your advice and not attempt to disassemble an Omega brush. I'll look for places that sell handles, too. This will be an interesting and fun project, being able to do some R&D in creating one's own brush appeals to me. I suppose it's my 'inner' tinkerer. After using badger and boar, I do prefer how boar whips soap into lather; and I do like the feel of slightly stiffer bristles on my face; but I can see where if one controls the loft of a badger knot, one can have a badger brush with more backbone. Thanks for sharing so much--I enjoy disassembling and trying to improve a product; and in this instance it will be creating a brush from a knot. I look forward to it. Cork shims makes sense. Using a material that will not rot, as you implied, is essential to making a brush.

Next step is for me to look for handles and decide on a knot. Again, thanks for being so forthcoming about this project. Thanks, Loric.

 

[Den]

I have an Omega 10066 (my 1st brush, never fails me), 10065 (Black), 13522 & 10005. I wouldn't part with any of them.

Oh, I only have 3 Semogues.

 

[Mick]

Only have 1 omega boar so not the one to talk about their product line. The one I have is nice and I like using it (31064)

 

[TonyJ]

Only have 1 omega boar so not the one to talk about their product line. The one I have is nice and I like using it (31064)

I have this one too and bought one omega badger for my son (don't remember the #). I like this one too and mainly use it with soaps. This one is great soft comfortable brush and ......I should use it more.

 

[DEGuy]

One good brush is all any of us requires--it's pretty much chasing the joy of shaving; and in some, perhaps, more practical instances, matching brush to harder soaps or soft creams. I use soft (ARKO) to somewhat harder soaps (Mitchell's Woolfat) and boar handles them wonderfully, as it should.

I have nothing but high praise for my Omega brushes; each works great; and for me it's simply a matter of what size brush I feel like using. I continue to go back to my larger Omega (10083), but even the smallest one I have produces 3+ face latherings with one brush loading. I found that loading a boar with a bit more water, using either ARKO or Mitchell's Woolfat, makes a much creamer, less densely dry, lather, and one that I prefer. At first I was using the same water-loading standard that I had used for my badger brushes, which was a mistake on my part. I give my boar brush a good soaking under hot water, let it drip bristle-tips down for about 1 second, then go to my mixing bowl and swirl the brush in one direction, then in the other. I've found mixing in both directions makes for a lather that whips really quickly and voluminous; and one loading is more than enough for 3 passes and whatever pickups I'm obsessing about on a particular day. I think that brushes and brush selection is a simply part of the joy many of us find in shaving. But it's a fact that we don't need more than one effective brush that feels good.

 

[rm71]

I have 3 of them. The small 10018 which i paid $10 for is a champ that puts $100 brushes to shame.

 

[s204STi]

3-4 some years ago during my lurking days it was rarely mentioned if at all.

 

[s204STi]

Although I have one Omega that I like, and it is true that the hair breaks in quick and becomes quite soft. I feel that most Omega's just get too floppy. When they break in they loose so much backbone, that I dont care for them. The one Omega is a custom I made and set the loft deep, its the 27mm Pro knot set at about 60mm loft. In that shorter loft it performs quite well IMO.

I've 23 Omega 2 in silvertip. The latter like with any Badger are flaccid what everyone would describe as "floppy." 3 of 21 Boars are flaccid if you don't grasp neck of knot while loading it up: 31020, 31025, 31064 will be moplike. These are set at 59-60 mm loft. Every single Omega I have is 46, 47, 50, 55, 57. I don't know what Omega you got but 18 Omega Boars beg to differ lmao!

 

[LegionPrime]

I have an Omega 11137 and it is fantastic, I love the grain of the wood they cut it from. I'm still amazed by how these boars transform after you soak them for a few minutes. I love my TGN 2 band, but I still find myself reaching for a boar more often than not. I really want to get another boar or two to add to my collection.

 

[wimbouman]

I also prefer Semogue, but the 100049 I have and the midget are remarkable nice and effective brushes indeed.

 

[OldGreyGuy]

I have an Omega 10067 as well and I love it. It is a big brush (24mm knot, 60mm loft) and it lathers really well, holds lots of lather and is soft yet has a backbone.

Since I bought it I have also added a Semogue 610 and 820 to my collection and I use them regularly.

 

[OkieStubble]

I have the Omega #11047 Mighty Midget and the #10029 Baby Pro. Both are definitely keepers.

 

[cryhavoc]

I love my Omega 10290, it gets used every other day in a rotation with my Horses. It has softened up nicely in the last year and retained it's backbone. Omega's don't get the love around here that the Semegue's do, but they are my favorite boar. I tried a Semegue 1305, nice brush but too floppy for me.

 

[vegaskid74]

Vegaskid74: I've thought about buying a Semogue--I've looked at the 1250 and the SOC from the online Vintagescent.com, which has the lowest prices on Semogue brushes. Do you think they are superior to Omegas? An sincere question, not a challenge.

I owned an SOC a couple years ago and the knot fell out of the handle after only a month or two. I sold the replacement on the BST because the SOC took the longest of all my boars to break in, and I wasn't in the mood to do it again. I have never had a quality issue with any of my half dozen or so Omegas. I would say the majority opinion here on B&B is that Semogues are superior in general. I wouldn't necessarily agree, but like I said, the Semogue 1305 is my favorite boar. Rarely is a company "best in class" at everything it produces. There are some GM cars I would love to own, and others I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. The same could be said of Toyota, Honda, Mercedes, etc. Brushes are no different.

 

[Ackwired]

Wow! I used the new Omega 48 last night. It came in the mail yesterday. Out of the box it outperformed the VDH badger from my starter kit. Best lather I have had and fast. It does have some odor, and I will be happy when that goes away. But if this thing gets better with break-in, I am really looking forward to it.