I find the Omega 10049 brush to be near perfect. I can make more lather with this brush than any other brush I own. I know boar brushes get better as they break in but I loved this brush from the first time I used it. It has spoiled me for my other brushes. I do bowl lather and this brush is a top shelf brush. I don't think you can do better at any price.
Brush Chronicles No. 10 Omega Pro 10049 Boar
- Thread starter djh
- Start date
my omega is over 3 years old now and loses about 1 haire a month, but every brush is different, i think all brushes do shead the odd haire.
Paul
I bought my Omega 49 during this chronicle and its still heavily used by me today. Just wanted to revisit this blog again. Thanks guys
I bowl-load my large Omega brush, 10083, and face lather. Nothing does the job as efficiently as the larger Omega brushes. I had been using Semogue boar brushes, but Semogue's boar bristles just aren't the same as Omega's. Omega's make great lather and release it with ease--releasing lather is not a hallmark of many brushes I've owned. Not even my silvertip, which I sold, made and released lather like my large Omega.
I prefer the non-banded bristles, and Omega's are fantastic. Omega's naked boar bristles, no imitation badger here, are the simply the best for me. I like the 10083 so much that I recently bought two backup 83s--the brushes will outlive me. My next Omega purchase is likely going to be two Omega 49 brushes in white. Why get more large Omegas? Because they're that good, which is the same rationale I use for squirreling away hundreds of Astra SP blades and four 1973, T-4, Gillette Techs.
I prefer the non-banded bristles, and Omega's are fantastic. Omega's naked boar bristles, no imitation badger here, are the simply the best for me. I like the 10083 so much that I recently bought two backup 83s--the brushes will outlive me. My next Omega purchase is likely going to be two Omega 49 brushes in white. Why get more large Omegas? Because they're that good, which is the same rationale I use for squirreling away hundreds of Astra SP blades and four 1973, T-4, Gillette Techs.
My red omega 49 is always in my rotation. I may switch out the other brush but not the 49
I've got two a I received one as a freebie with a soap purchase. They are the brushes that I use the most. I like them because they are super soft with plenty of backbone once they are broken in and very durable if dropped. For the money, the 49 cannot be beat.
The 10049 was my first foray into boar brushes. Not a typical first boar brush I presume, but as a testament to the 49, it made me put my Plisson synthetic on the bench. I've read how great it is to bowl lather with it. As an example of this brush's versatility, I use it solely to face lather. Given it's size, loading is very fast and it holds a week's worth of lather. Flow through is good and it rinses easily when the shave is done. For anyone who likes a big brush, the 49 is a great value.
Adding some pictures of my 10048 (new and post 2 weeks of use) to repopulate this thread after the recent ransom-bucket debacle.
Its currently week 3 and the brush still has abit of its natural "eau de boar", but the bristles are nice and soft.
Its currently week 3 and the brush still has abit of its natural "eau de boar", but the bristles are nice and soft.
- Thread starter
- #151
If this thread has inspired you to get your big boar back into your rotation why not join us in the August "Intercontinental All Italian" thread over on the Gen'l Shaving Discussion board? You don't need to use Italian products exclusively to join in. And photos are welcome!
Wow look at those five stunning blondes! The one in red is gorgeous.
@ColonelHogan
1. Is the hair quality of the Italian Flag model different to your other Omega brushes? Some have posted that they might have used better fibres, but I'm unsure if that was true for every single brush or just the "luck of the draw".
2. The 10083 chrome and the proraso look slightly different in the photo. But I was under the impression they were the same brush. Your observations?
@ColonelHogan
1. Is the hair quality of the Italian Flag model different to your other Omega brushes? Some have posted that they might have used better fibres, but I'm unsure if that was true for every single brush or just the "luck of the draw".
2. The 10083 chrome and the proraso look slightly different in the photo. But I was under the impression they were the same brush. Your observations?
@"6" Thanks. All I did was spend some money! If you look closely at the red 10049 you'll see that instead of a sticker/label reading "Omega" the name is printed on the handle in black. In both the Latin alphabet (that we use) and in Arabic. Makes it a little special. So here's your two answers:
1. The Italian flag had significantly whiter, softer, and less stinky bristle right out of the box. If you know Italian boars, the Omega Italian flag is much more like a Zenith than it is like other Omegas, the diff being that the Omega 49 is a wider knot than the big Zeniths, which are usually 26mm (though available in 28mm as well). It had split ends after one use. Now, apparently there are two different Italian flags. The first, and the one I have, was a special edition made for the Italian-American RandB group. I'm not a member of that group, but I got the brush because about a year ago Shoebox Shaving emailed or tweeted that they had found a box of the LE brushes that they forgot they had, and were selling them for $25. I have no idea if there are any left. I do remember that it took some snooping around their site even to find them.
The second Italian flag, the one more widely available, is, I have been told (as I have no direct experience with it) a standard production line 10049 knot in the very nice Italian flag resin handle. But honestly I don't know. It can't hurt to snoop around the Shoebox site or drop them an email to see if there's still one or more available.
2. The 10083 and the Proraso model Omegas have the same faux chrome handle, the same knot opening, but the loft is different. The 10083 is nothing but the 10049 model in a faux chrome handle. The Proraso has a shorter loft, and is as a result a more scrubby brush- some say it is easier to control on the face. I really like both of them. If you think of it, even with the Italian flag costing $25, I have a solid rotation of Omegas that should last a lifetime for about $75 total. This morning I used a badger that I paid about $75 for that I enjoy less than the cheesiest fake chrome handled boar.
But that's what preferences are all about. The phrase "suum cuique" is the old Roman version of YMMV.
1. The Italian flag had significantly whiter, softer, and less stinky bristle right out of the box. If you know Italian boars, the Omega Italian flag is much more like a Zenith than it is like other Omegas, the diff being that the Omega 49 is a wider knot than the big Zeniths, which are usually 26mm (though available in 28mm as well). It had split ends after one use. Now, apparently there are two different Italian flags. The first, and the one I have, was a special edition made for the Italian-American RandB group. I'm not a member of that group, but I got the brush because about a year ago Shoebox Shaving emailed or tweeted that they had found a box of the LE brushes that they forgot they had, and were selling them for $25. I have no idea if there are any left. I do remember that it took some snooping around their site even to find them.
The second Italian flag, the one more widely available, is, I have been told (as I have no direct experience with it) a standard production line 10049 knot in the very nice Italian flag resin handle. But honestly I don't know. It can't hurt to snoop around the Shoebox site or drop them an email to see if there's still one or more available.
2. The 10083 and the Proraso model Omegas have the same faux chrome handle, the same knot opening, but the loft is different. The 10083 is nothing but the 10049 model in a faux chrome handle. The Proraso has a shorter loft, and is as a result a more scrubby brush- some say it is easier to control on the face. I really like both of them. If you think of it, even with the Italian flag costing $25, I have a solid rotation of Omegas that should last a lifetime for about $75 total. This morning I used a badger that I paid about $75 for that I enjoy less than the cheesiest fake chrome handled boar.
But that's what preferences are all about. The phrase "suum cuique" is the old Roman version of YMMV.
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@"6" I think @Mostho is your man to ask whether the Italian flag has a different quality boar bristle than the 10049. His Italian flag is the production model, and not the one commissioned by RandB that I own. I see that you're in London. I did some searching for you and found that Shoebox Shaving here in the States have sold out their stock that I mentioned. However, I also saw that The Shave Lounge right there in Old Blighty have currently got the Omega Italian flag on offer for under 18 quid.
^ thanks for the detailed response Colonel.
I totally missed the arabic print on the red 49. It really is special!
From reading the soapbox store listing of the R&B "Italy" LE brush, it would seem the R&B brush was definitely made with better bristles (like you said, more like a Zenith).
At least the production model uses the same nice resin handle. I ordered it off the shave lounge site. Thanks for enabling a struggling boar addict...
I totally missed the arabic print on the red 49. It really is special!
From reading the soapbox store listing of the R&B "Italy" LE brush, it would seem the R&B brush was definitely made with better bristles (like you said, more like a Zenith).
At least the production model uses the same nice resin handle. I ordered it off the shave lounge site. Thanks for enabling a struggling boar addict...
Excerpt from the shavebox site write up about the R&B brush.
Quote:
"Beautiful, lathe turned, highest quality resin handle in the Tri-Color of the Italian national flag.
Specially labeled with a very classy gold knot ring.
Lofted in Omega's best quality unclipped boar for fast break-in & split tip softness.
This is a big, beautiful, heavy & hefty brush destined to be a collector's item as this is a special & very limited production run (only 200 brushes made).
BTW - Omega liked this brush so much they but the handle into production but with out the special marking & their regular quality boar"
End quote
Quote:
"Beautiful, lathe turned, highest quality resin handle in the Tri-Color of the Italian national flag.
Specially labeled with a very classy gold knot ring.
Lofted in Omega's best quality unclipped boar for fast break-in & split tip softness.
This is a big, beautiful, heavy & hefty brush destined to be a collector's item as this is a special & very limited production run (only 200 brushes made).
BTW - Omega liked this brush so much they but the handle into production but with out the special marking & their regular quality boar"
End quote
I’ve had mine for more than six years now and it has performed beautifully. For the past three months, I’ve been using a Razorock synthetic but this morning I used the Omega Pro and found I really miss it. It is truly a great brush!
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