How do you soak your boar brush?

[TFAshaver]

That boar looks like it's coming along nicely! Great pic of the water wicking up toward the handle. That's exactly what my Omega has never done. But the Semogue does, so why am I worrying? It's a gift!

The S-Brush has a very unusual appearance, what with the whirl, the odd frizzy bristle and the crater-like formation in the loft. Is that the norm for all synthetics?

Wes

I agree that the Boar is coming along nice.

As far as the S-Brush, NO it did NOT look like that when I started. I splay my brush out a lot when I lather in a swirl pattern when face lathering with this brush. The brush broke in that way. Some will say it is being destroyed, but I like how it lathers and feels, so I don't mind. It isn't loosing any bristles and it works very well now. This is not how all Synthetics work. The S-Brush is considered one of the early Synthetics, so it has a very stiff set of bristles, like a boar, but they don't break in very quickly so I found myself splaying it out a lot when it was new.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Who was bad-mouthing anything? I use dish soap to break in my brushes all the time. A lot of people do. the funny part is more that the government considers Combs and brushes "dishes"

I don't know what part of my post said I haven't tried the product, but as a professional barber I have mixed up a gallon of shipshape 6 days a week for over 8 years. That's roughly 2500 gallons of comb and brush cleaner.

The laundry detergent is okay, it's just regular laundry detergent. I used the Kirkland stuff because it's cheaper and the law says I have to use bleach anyway

That makes more sense. Why not say so to begin with?

In any case glad to have a professional barber around.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[razorhead63]

I'm not ready to let this thing go.

Maybe a soak in a weak vinegar solution might be worth a try. The idea is to strip away factory residues from a new brush or any soap/mineral/skin oil buildup after you've been using it awhile. Mantic59 describes the process (in this article).

By the way, since my last post, I decided to break out the Omega 10005 and go through the routine that I mentioned. Took a few photos to illustrate how it usually goes for me...

Plastic cup, half full of warm water, bristles three-quarters immersed:

Five minutes later, after a firm shake, a 1 cm blob of Nivea Sensitive cream:

After thirty seconds of vigorous palm-lathering:

Compared to all the issues that you've experienced, I think this is closer to what most of us expect to get when we lather up.

 

[razorhead63]

I soak my little Omega in the sink filled up enough to cover the bristles. I use hot water for it. Leave it there for about 5 minutes, then gently shake some of the water out before lathering the soap or cream.

 

[chente12]

I place it in a mug with cold water, about 2/3 of the way up the bristle. Let it soak for at least 5 mins, sometimes way longer because I forget or get sidetracked. Omega Proraso

 

[TinyT]

Shave 6: Here we go again!

Merkur 34C
Perma-Sharp
Proraso White
Omega 10051


OK gentleman

I'm after the perfect shave. If I'm completely honest with myself, this is the reason I was drawn to DE shaving in the first place. Now, I can't say exactly what the perfect shave for me is. I suspect it would be a BBS, probably in 2 passes and with absolutely no irritation at all. I used to shave XTG with a Bic disposable but I have never shaved ATG in my life, and I don't know yet whether I'll be able to. I'm happy to adjust my expectations as the circumstances dictate.

I've been keeping a record of my shaves since the beginning.


Shave Log
(Date of first shave: 26/08/2019)
Shave = Total number of DE shaves
Blade = Shave number with particular blade used

Rating is based on 2 criteria: Comfort/Closeness, on a scale of 1-10
Comfort = A combined score for both in-shave and post shave feel
Closeness = Post shave hand-feel


Key
Razors: MK = Merkur
Blades: SH = Shark; G7 = Gillette 7 O'Clock; AS = Astra; PS = Perma-sharp
Soaps, Preshaves & Postshaves: PR = Proraso; CL = Cella; RZ = Rasozero

Shave Razor Blade Soap Preshave Postshave Rating
#1 MK 34C SH SS #1 PR W N/A N/A 1/2
#2 #2 2/1
#3 #3 2/1
#4 #4 3/1
#5 #5 4/2
#6 #6 3/2
#7 #7 2/2
#8 #8 2/2


This is just for the first 8 shaves, but you get the idea. The eagle-eyed may have noticed that there's no mention of a shaving brush.

In truth, this wasn't exactly a mistake, but nor was it deliberate either. More like a freudian slip. I simply didn't think the brush played a significant role in my quest for the perfect shave. I was wrong, and the more I think about it, the more it amazes me that I couldn't see it. Every time I've had a problem with shaving, getting a better lather has helped to improve things. How can I get a good lather without a brush? It doesn't have to be an expensive brush, but the brush is clearly far more important than I realised to my aim of one day achieving a perfect shave.

I had time to go for a long walk today, it was a beautiful, sunny, cold autumn day, and as I was pondering this problem, I started to think about the word smooth. For me, smooth in shaving is always good. A good sharp blade is also a smooth one, a good razor, smooth also. I prefer to face lather and I like the brush to feel soft and smooth against my face. I want a smooth, slick lather to shave with and, if I'm able to reach my goal, a perfectly smooth face as a result. Yes, smooth in shaving is very good.

So, on to this evenings shave. My 2nd shave after I gave the Omega brush a good clean was pretty good, so I tried to re-create those conditions. The brush was cleaned for a second time Monday night with a vinegar solution, followed by dish soap, but much more thoroughly this time around.

This is the brush before the shave.

As you can see, the brush is quite nicely broken in, and it's certainly soft enough. I really should be able to get a good lather with it, consistently. I started by popping it in the mug of warm water, no swirling or pumping, just gently placed in, bristles down.

It may be difficult to see in the photo, but by the time I'd filled the sink, the water had wicked all the way up the bristles to the handle. This is exactly what I observed with the new Semogue. It hasn't happened with this brush before, not even with my moderately succesful shaves described earlier. My confidence in this brush has returned.

When I lifted it from the mug it felt heavy with water, and it dripped out in a steady stream with a satisfying tinkle. I gave it 2 gentle shakes, dribbled a little water on the tub of Proraso, and lathered. It really was beautiful, the soap filling the brush in under 10 seconds. I used a little pressure and loaded for 10 more. When I put the brush to my face and started lathering the soap felt wonderfully soft, slick and wet. Smooth. I even smiled at myself in the mirror. I lathered for a good 5 minutes and only needed to dip the brush twice to have a perfectly hydrated, cushiony lather.

With the thoughts from the afternoons walk in my mind, I started to shave. Right ear to the edge of my jaw in one confident, smooth stroke, no pressure. I carried on like this towards my chin, even using longer strokes under my problem area lower lip. The rest of the first WTG pass went the same. I rinsed off, lathered up, same again, WTG. This time when I was onto the left side of my face, I noticed a weeper, lower lip right side. I didn't even feel it. I was definately wrong about the Perma-Sharp. This blade is sharp enough, and, more importantly for me, smooth. I rinsed off, very satisfied. If I had a tail, it would've been wagging.

This is the brush after a very minimal touch up under my jaw.

Probably enough for a third pass if I wanted.

The weeper had completely disappeared before I finished off with a cold water splash. As I cleaned the sink, I glanced in the mirror. Not only did I have absolutely no irritation, but there was no redness whatsoever. Not even one little spot. And while I'm maybe not very close to BBS, it's probably my closest DE shave yet. It's hands down my best.

@Uncas , never have I been happier to be proven wrong.

This is me, eating my words and they were delicious!

The best things about tonights shave are: I know that if I can get the lather right, I have a good chance of getting a good shave; with a good lather the razor, blade and soap will perform as they should; I know that if they don't, and the shave is lousy, it's almost certainly down to me, not what I'm using; if the shave is good, it means I'm getting better at this; menthol doesn't irritate my skin, as Proraso white has menthol. This is very good because I really like menthol; the Perma-Sharp is my favourite blade yet; I don't need to use a pre-shave or an elaborate prep to get a good shave (tonight I just wet my beard for about 1 minute with water from the sink, no shower, nothing); I can acquire another Omega brush without concern.

Enjoy your shaves

Wes

 

[TinyT]

Shave Razor Blade Soap Preshave Postshave Rating
#1 MK 34C SH SS #1 PR W N/A N/A 1/2
#2 #2 2/1
#3 #3 2/1
#4 #4 3/1
#5 #5 4/2
#6 #6 3/2
#7 #7 2/2
#8 #8 2/2

The data in the shave log came out wrong. The double spacing has been removed from the post for some reason but the second column starting #2 etc should be under blade and the third column starting 2/1 should be under rating. It appears as correct if you click on reply.

..again

Wes

 

[TFAshaver]

Hi @TinyT

Glad to hear that the Boar Brush is working well today. I finally got my first shave in with my 10049 and I will now describe the experience, with photos!

The brush finished it's second 24 hour cold water soak. Here is what the brush looked like after the soak, just shaken out a little bit:

Next I rubbed the brush in the towel for 10 minutes (watched a Razor Emporium Video for timing). Here is what the brush looked like afterwards:

I was very happy with how soft the tips were and they are starting to split, so it was time to use this brush for a shave. I popped it back into my mug with hot water and let it soak up the water while I showered:

Here is how the brush looked after soaking in the hot water:

I used the brush with Williams Mug Shaving Soap today and here is how the brush looked with the Williams loaded before the face lathering:

Here is what I was able to create face lathering with the Williams. This is what was on the brush right before I did my first pass WTG:

I used this brush and lather and never went back to the puck to reload. I did a three pass shave today WTG, XTG and ATG. Here is what the brush looked alike after the third pass:

Overall I was very pleased with the quality of the lather I was able to achieve with this brush as it is now broken in. It is soft enough for me to like the feel and it splays easy enough. I was able to load easily a difficult to use (for me) soap, and I got a DFS with the lather it provided. Looking forward to more shaves with the brush in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. Here it is in my shave stand drying and waiting for the next shave:

 

[TinyT]

Hi @TinyT

Glad to hear that the Boar Brush is working well today. I finally got my first shave in with my 10049 and I will now describe the experience, with photos!

The brush finished it's second 24 hour cold water soak. Here is what the brush looked like after the soak, just shaken out a little bit:
View attachment 1030720View attachment 1030721

Next I rubbed the brush in the towel for 10 minutes (watched a Razor Emporium Video for timing). Here is what the brush looked like afterwards:
View attachment 1030725View attachment 1030726

I was very happy with how soft the tips were and they are starting to split, so it was time to use this brush for a shave. I popped it back into my mug with hot water and let it soak up the water while I showered:
View attachment 1030727

Here is how the brush looked after soaking in the hot water:
View attachment 1030728

I used the brush with Williams Mug Shaving Soap today and here is how the brush looked with the Williams loaded before the face lathering:
View attachment 1030729

Here is what I was able to create face lathering with the Williams. This is what was on the brush right before I did my first pass WTG:
View attachment 1030730

I used this brush and lather and never went back to the puck to reload. I did a three pass shave today WTG, XTG and ATG. Here is what the brush looked alike after the third pass:
View attachment 1030731

Overall I was very pleased with the quality of the lather I was able to achieve with this brush as it is now broken in. It is soft enough for me to like the feel and it splays easy enough. I was able to load easily a difficult to use (for me) soap, and I got a DFS with the lather it provided. Looking forward to more shaves with the brush in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. Here it is in my shave stand drying and waiting for the next shave:
View attachment 1030734

Sounds like a very nice result. It's useful to have pictures and information regarding the lathering process, starting with the preparation of the brush, before moving through each subsequent stage. As I mentioned, for some reason lathering has proven to be the most difficult part of shaving for me, even following the 2 most widely used methods, Marco's and the dry/damp brush technique. I suspected that my brush wasn't absorbing water properly, but as I had nothing to compare it to it was difficult for me to know whether this was normal for every wet shaver, whether it was normal to have to squeeze the brush while submerged etc.

Consequently, if I was to try Marco's method with my brush prior to being cleaned, unless I squeezed the submerged, soaking brush, there would simply not be enough water in the brush to build the lather as described in the method. Similarly, when using the dry/damp brush technique, the brush would be practically bone dry, and it is simply not possible to make a lather without an adequate amount of moisture. I now use my own method, somewhere between the two, but to get good lathers consistently, the brush has to behave in a predictable manner. It is now clear to me that with my Omega brush, there was either: a) Some kind of coating on the bristles from the production process, preventing the brush from absorbing water properly, which the 2 deep cleaning procedures has managed to remove, or; b) As @Demolition has postulated, a build up of minerals has clogged the brush. I am inclined to favour the former, due to the fact that the brush has, until now, never absorbed water in the manner I now know to be normal; however, I live in the east of England and we do have hard water here, so either is a possibility. I expect to find out soon.

Btw, the 10049 looks like a bit of a beast!

Enjoy your shaves

Wes

 

[Uncas]

Shave 6: Here we go again!

View attachment 1030661

Merkur 34C
Perma-Sharp
Proraso White
Omega 10051


OK gentleman
View attachment 1030662
I'm after the perfect shave. If I'm completely honest with myself, this is the reason I was drawn to DE shaving in the first place. Now, I can't say exactly what the perfect shave for me is. I suspect it would be a BBS, probably in 2 passes and with absolutely no irritation at all. I used to shave XTG with a Bic disposable but I have never shaved ATG in my life, and I don't know yet whether I'll be able to. I'm happy to adjust my expectations as the circumstances dictate.

I've been keeping a record of my shaves since the beginning.


Shave Log
(Date of first shave: 26/08/2019)
Shave = Total number of DE shaves
Blade = Shave number with particular blade used

Rating is based on 2 criteria: Comfort/Closeness, on a scale of 1-10
Comfort = A combined score for both in-shave and post shave feel
Closeness = Post shave hand-feel


Key
Razors: MK = Merkur
Blades: SH = Shark; G7 = Gillette 7 O'Clock; AS = Astra; PS = Perma-sharp
Soaps, Preshaves & Postshaves: PR = Proraso; CL = Cella; RZ = Rasozero

Shave Razor Blade Soap Preshave Postshave Rating
#1 MK 34C SH SS #1 PR W N/A N/A 1/2
#2 #2 2/1
#3 #3 2/1
#4 #4 3/1
#5 #5 4/2
#6 #6 3/2
#7 #7 2/2
#8 #8 2/2


This is just for the first 8 shaves, but you get the idea. The eagle-eyed may have noticed that there's no mention of a shaving brush.

In truth, this wasn't exactly a mistake, but nor was it deliberate either. More like a freudian slip. I simply didn't think the brush played a significant role in my quest for the perfect shave. I was wrong, and the more I think about it, the more it amazes me that I couldn't see it. Every time I've had a problem with shaving, getting a better lather has helped to improve things. How can I get a good lather without a brush? It doesn't have to be an expensive brush, but the brush is clearly far more important than I realised to my aim of one day achieving a perfect shave.

I had time to go for a long walk today, it was a beautiful, sunny, cold autumn day, and as I was pondering this problem, I started to think about the word smooth. For me, smooth in shaving is always good. A good sharp blade is also a smooth one, a good razor, smooth also. I prefer to face lather and I like the brush to feel soft and smooth against my face. I want a smooth, slick lather to shave with and, if I'm able to reach my goal, a perfectly smooth face as a result. Yes, smooth in shaving is very good.

So, on to this evenings shave. My 2nd shave after I gave the Omega brush a good clean was pretty good, so I tried to re-create those conditions. The brush was cleaned for a second time Monday night with a vinegar solution, followed by dish soap, but much more thoroughly this time around.

This is the brush before the shave.

View attachment 1030675

View attachment 1030676

As you can see, the brush is quite nicely broken in, and it's certainly soft enough. I really should be able to get a good lather with it, consistently. I started by popping it in the mug of warm water, no swirling or pumping, just gently placed in, bristles down.

View attachment 1030682

It may be difficult to see in the photo, but by the time I'd filled the sink, the water had wicked all the way up the bristles to the handle. This is exactly what I observed with the new Semogue. It hasn't happened with this brush before, not even with my moderately succesful shaves described earlier. My confidence in this brush has returned.

When I lifted it from the mug it felt heavy with water, and it dripped out in a steady stream with a satisfying tinkle. I gave it 2 gentle shakes, dribbled a little water on the tub of Proraso, and lathered. It really was beautiful, the soap filling the brush in under 10 seconds. I used a little pressure and loaded for 10 more. When I put the brush to my face and started lathering the soap felt wonderfully soft, slick and wet. Smooth. I even smiled at myself in the mirror. I lathered for a good 5 minutes and only needed to dip the brush twice to have a perfectly hydrated, cushiony lather.

With the thoughts from the afternoons walk in my mind, I started to shave. Right ear to the edge of my jaw in one confident, smooth stroke, no pressure. I carried on like this towards my chin, even using longer strokes under my problem area lower lip. The rest of the first WTG pass went the same. I rinsed off, lathered up, same again, WTG. This time when I was onto the left side of my face, I noticed a weeper, lower lip right side. I didn't even feel it. I was definately wrong about the Perma-Sharp. This blade is sharp enough, and, more importantly for me, smooth. I rinsed off, very satisfied. If I had a tail, it would've been wagging.

This is the brush after a very minimal touch up under my jaw.

View attachment 1030688

Probably enough for a third pass if I wanted.

The weeper had completely disappeared before I finished off with a cold water splash. As I cleaned the sink, I glanced in the mirror. Not only did I have absolutely no irritation, but there was no redness whatsoever. Not even one little spot. And while I'm maybe not very close to BBS, it's probably my closest DE shave yet. It's hands down my best.

@Uncas , never have I been happier to be proven wrong.

View attachment 1030687

This is me, eating my words and they were delicious!

The best things about tonights shave are: I know that if I can get the lather right, I have a good chance of getting a good shave; with a good lather the razor, blade and soap will perform as they should; I know that if they don't, and the shave is lousy, it's almost certainly down to me, not what I'm using; if the shave is good, it means I'm getting better at this; menthol doesn't irritate my skin, as Proraso white has menthol. This is very good because I really like menthol; the Perma-Sharp is my favourite blade yet; I don't need to use a pre-shave or an elaborate prep to get a good shave (tonight I just wet my beard for about 1 minute with water from the sink, no shower, nothing); I can acquire another Omega brush without concern.

Enjoy your shaves

Wes

Wonderful!!

 

[never-stop-learning]

Hi @TinyT

Glad to hear that the Boar Brush is working well today. I finally got my first shave in with my 10049 and I will now describe the experience, with photos!

The brush finished it's second 24 hour cold water soak. Here is what the brush looked like after the soak, just shaken out a little bit:
View attachment 1030720View attachment 1030721

Next I rubbed the brush in the towel for 10 minutes (watched a Razor Emporium Video for timing). Here is what the brush looked like afterwards:
View attachment 1030725View attachment 1030726

I was very happy with how soft the tips were and they are starting to split, so it was time to use this brush for a shave. I popped it back into my mug with hot water and let it soak up the water while I showered:
View attachment 1030727

Here is how the brush looked after soaking in the hot water:
View attachment 1030728

I used the brush with Williams Mug Shaving Soap today and here is how the brush looked with the Williams loaded before the face lathering:
View attachment 1030729

Here is what I was able to create face lathering with the Williams. This is what was on the brush right before I did my first pass WTG:
View attachment 1030730

I used this brush and lather and never went back to the puck to reload. I did a three pass shave today WTG, XTG and ATG. Here is what the brush looked alike after the third pass:
View attachment 1030731

Overall I was very pleased with the quality of the lather I was able to achieve with this brush as it is now broken in. It is soft enough for me to like the feel and it splays easy enough. I was able to load easily a difficult to use (for me) soap, and I got a DFS with the lather it provided. Looking forward to more shaves with the brush in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. Here it is in my shave stand drying and waiting for the next shave:
View attachment 1030734

Well done!

 

[TinyT]

Shave 7: Cella

Merkur 34C
Perma-Sharp (3)
Cella
Omega 10051

I've not used Cella for a couple of weeks. In the past it's caused mild irritation but I wonder if that may be down to my poor technique. It's always a possibility.

I started by soaking my brush while I filled the sink. I can't work this brush out. The water is not wicking towards the handle. I gave it a few swirls and pumps, nothing. When I lifted the brush from the mug I didn't feel the weight of water in the knot and very little dribbled out.

This is the brush after at least 5 minutes soaking.

The bristles above the water are lighter in colour and dry.


This is the brush soaking during the previous shave.

The photo is at a slightly different angle and less clear but on that occasion I actually watched the water wick towards the handle.


This is the brush tonight, with my thumb pushing down on the handle to submerge the entire loft.

If you look closely, above the rectangle of reflected light, the bristles are lighter in colour and the water isn't fully penetrating.

Is it feasible that the brush could be clogged up with minerals and soap after 1 shave? I'm disinclined to think so, particularly as I always make sure that I rinse and clean it after shaving.

Anyway, onto the shave.

I tried not to let the misbehaving brush bother me, swirled and pumped it in the mug to get as much water into it as possible, drained, gave it 2 shakes and loaded. It actually worked out ok, 20 seconds and I had enough for a shave.

The brush felt good on the face too, nice and soft and the lather was smooth, slick and wet. I dipped the brush 3 times as I lathered. The Cella wasn't bothering me too much either, but I could feel that my skin was not real happy with it.

Today my aim was to follow my growth pattern as closely as possible. With razor in hand I began. Right ear, WTG, as I reached the bottom of my ear lobe I changed direction, going nose to ear along the jaw line. I took care to shave directly WTG as I moved in towards the centre jaw, shaving from the right hand edge of my mouth to my shoulder, right side.

Below the lower lip (my problem area) I neither forced the skin out with my tongue or curled my lower lip back over my teeth, just slightly lowered my jaw, mouth closed and carefully followed the contours of my face. Same left side and onto my neck.

Here things are a little complicated, the hair growing in a few different directions as south meets north. I was able to follow the direction of growth at the far left of my jaw, shaving towards my left shoulder.

As I was finishing up the right side neck, there was moderate prickling under my lowe lip and moustache. This prickling spread to the rest of my face as I lathered up for pass number 2. I had to add a little water and by the time I was done the prickling had subsided.

The 2nd pass was a repeat of the first, WTG all the way. I'm not interesed in closeness at all, I simply want to follow my beard map as accurately as possible. As I was negotiating the trick area at the far right, lower jaw with a wierd razor grip, I felt a sharp pain, swore and jerked the razor away. I waited for the blood to apppear but nothing came. Not immediately or later. This has happened before once or twice, I suspect where I've messed up the angle.

I stopped and rinsed off. Despite the fact that the brush was unpredictable again and that I knew before I stated that Cella causes mild irrittation, it was not a bad shave at all. No weepers. Not close, but very even and I enjoyed following the pattern of my beard witht he razor. It should pay dividends when I move onto XTG and ATG passes. There was a slight prickling and mild itching feeling from the soap, but no redness; not too bad. Better than I was expecting, in fact.

Now, as I'm typing, about an hour later my skin feels fine. My lower lip area feels great in particular, no sensitivity when I curl my lip back over my teeth and rub it with my fingers. Cella definitely provides a moisturising post shave as well, if only it didn't cause mild irritation it might be a favourite soap, although the almond scent is a little to strong and 'heady' for me to use for every shave. As it is, I may well be able to tolerate it with occasional use, I'll have to see.

The Omega 10051 continues to vex me. It's just not predictable. Yes, it's useable, but ulitimately I'm after the perfect shave and the brush needs to be predictable for me to be completely happy with it. After 2 more shaves, I will be moving onto the Semogue, then I should be able to get a better idea of whether the inconsistency is down to me.

Enjoy your shaves

Wes

 

[vsp]

@TinyT Wes, the Omega 10051 is probably my favorite brush. I have purchased at least 8 over time for my own use and to gift to my friends as an easy brush to learn to use boars.

It disappoints me that you are unhappy with your 10051 . I do have a couple of suggestions both to ensure that a new boar is properly cleaned and that your 10051 can be recovered to a state of consistent excellence in use.

Both refer to the fact that boar bristles absorb water

1. For a new brush - It's always a good idea to simply rinse the boar bristles thoroughly under running hot tap water to clean out any debris and then simply to soak the brush in hot water for about 15 to 20 minutes before cleaning it with dish detergent or pet shampoo. This ensures that the bristles are already water-logged and won't absorb any of the detergent or shampoo

2. Over time, especially with hard tap water, it is possible that the bristles themselves have absorbed or are coated with some of the minerals and therefore don't absorb water any more. So, here's my suggestion to recover your brush - Soak it in distilled water. Exactly the same way as in all your pictures, but distilled water in that cup. Do this for 10 minutes, throw out all the water, gently wring out all the water from your brush, and repeat the process. If the bristles have indeed been affected by your hard tap water, then the distilled water soak will draw out all those minerals and the water will turn cloudy (relatively speaking ... it won't be as clear as before). Do this distilled water soak a few times and then wash it with detergent or do the diluted vinegar soak or whatever else your regular maintenance is.

I'm confident this procedure will help recover your 10051. The distilled water soak should in fact be performed on all natural hair brushes regularly, if you have hard tap water.

 

[Demolition]

The Omega 10051 continues to vex me. It's just not predictable. Yes, it's useable, but ulitimately I'm after the perfect shave and the brush needs to be predictable for me to be completely happy with it.

Despite what I said earlier, I don't think the brush could have gotten clogged up again with soap/oil/minerals/etc. so quickly. After all, it's been barely two weeks since the deep cleaning (per the method that I described in this post) and you've used it only seven(?) times since then.

Frankly, I suspect that it's still suffering from whatever the original issue was. Probably some kind of coating or residue from the factory. Couldn't hurt to give it another cleaning, I suppose. But...

You've already put an inordinate amount of time and effort into making the 10051 work, but it seems to be falling back into bad habits. So, at this point, I'd seriously be considering something different. For example, TFAshaver is having luck with his Pro 49, a brush that is generally well-loved on B&B. Maybe that would be a good route to take, if you want to try another Omega.

Or another Semogue (...maybe one with a resin or acrylic handle if you're worried about the wooden handles splitting) since the 1438 seems to agree with you.

 

[HereticHermit]

Not all boars are equal; neither all boar bristles are equal. When you bump into misbehaving bristles you just dump them and move on to next purchase. Such is the nature of beast.

 

[TinyT]

@TinyT Wes, the Omega 10051 is probably my favorite brush. I have purchased at least 8 over time for my own use and to gift to my friends as an easy brush to learn to use boars.

It disappoints me that you are unhappy with your 10051 . I do have a couple of suggestions both to ensure that a new boar is properly cleaned and that your 10051 can be recovered to a state of consistent excellence in use.

Both refer to the fact that boar bristles absorb water

1. For a new brush - It's always a good idea to simply rinse the boar bristles thoroughly under running hot tap water to clean out any debris and then simply to soak the brush in hot water for about 15 to 20 minutes before cleaning it with dish detergent or pet shampoo. This ensures that the bristles are already water-logged and won't absorb any of the detergent or shampoo

2. Over time, especially with hard tap water, it is possible that the bristles themselves have absorbed or are coated with some of the minerals and therefore don't absorb water any more. So, here's my suggestion to recover your brush - Soak it in distilled water. Exactly the same way as in all your pictures, but distilled water in that cup. Do this for 10 minutes, throw out all the water, gently wring out all the water from your brush, and repeat the process. If the bristles have indeed been affected by your hard tap water, then the distilled water soak will draw out all those minerals and the water will turn cloudy (relatively speaking ... it won't be as clear as before). Do this distilled water soak a few times and then wash it with detergent or do the diluted vinegar soak or whatever else your regular maintenance is.

I'm confident this procedure will help recover your 10051. The distilled water soak should in fact be performed on all natural hair brushes regularly, if you have hard tap water.

Thanks for the advice. I will give it a try. In fact, as I explained in my last post, yesterday's shave was actually pretty good, and when it came to loading and lathering, the Omega actually performed well enough. It's just that I've become a 'perfect shave seeker' and 'well enough' just isn't good enough!

2. Over time, especially with hard tap water, it is possible that the bristles themselves have absorbed or are coated with some of the minerals and therefore don't absorb water any more. So, here's my suggestion to recover your brush -

Regarding this point, the brush has behaved in this manner (ie. not absorbing water) since I've had it, it's not something that's developed over time. When I first recieved it I washed it with shampoo. When I went to make my test lather I left it to soak in the sink, and did this with the next 20 or 30 shaves. The brush would float on the surface of the water and I would need to repeatedly squeeze the bristles to allow absorbtion of water. The handle developed several cracks and I wondered whether I had been soaking my brush incorrectly. I changed to soaking the brush in a mug of water instead of the sink but the squeezing of the submerged bristles was still necessary. That led me to make this initial post.

The vendor has kindly re-imbursed me for the Omega, suggesting that the brush probably has a fault and shouldn't have cracked in such a short amount of time (pretty good after 7 months!), so I ordered a Semogue 1438 and now have that to compare it to. The Semogue behaves exactly as I would expect a brush to behave and as other members of B&B describe their boar brushes when soaking.

However, I deep cleaned the Omega as per the advice of @Demolition , which worked for the next 3 or 4 shaves, then the brush stopped absorbing water when soaking again. I gave it a second deep clean, the brush was fine for the next shave, then for the following shave, same problem. This has aroused my curiosity.

Anyway, thanks again for your input, I will try the distilled water soak. That will hopefully give me an indication of what is causing the issue.

Wes

 

[TinyT]

After all, it's been barely two weeks since the deep cleaning (per the method that I described in this post) and you've used it only seven(?) times since then.

Correct, plus another vinegar + dish soap deep clean between shaves 5 and 6.

Frankly, I suspect that it's still suffering from whatever the original issue was. Probably some kind of coating or residue from the factory.

I'm inclined to agree with you about this. It seems like the most logical explanation.

Couldn't hurt to give it another cleaning, I suppose. But...

This has really brough out the tenacious side of my personality.

True, I have the Semogue 1438 which I'm sure will work as well as I expect it to, and I'll find out when I use it next week. But I now really, really want to find out what is going on with the Omega, whether it's user error (still the next most reasonable cause, after the factory residue explanation) or something else. As the old saying goes, I have a bee in my bonnet.

I fear that you've awakened the beast in me!

Wes

 

[TinyT]

After I cleaned my razor today in readiness for tomorrows blade change and shave, I soaked the Semogue 1438 in a mug of cold water, two thirds up the bristles for 5 minutes. I didn't notice any water wicking towards the handle, however, when I felt around the base of the knot, the bristles were damp to the touch and when I lifted it from the mug it had the nice, reassuring weight of water that the Omega lacks.

I'll check the base of the knot as the Omega soaks for tomorrows shave. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that the fault lies with me. Whatever the cause, I intend to find out.

Wes

 

[TFAshaver]

I used my Omega 10049 Boar today and am going to be using it for the next few shaves coming up (probably 6+ because of my curiosity and adding to the Tech Clone Wars thread). It had been sitting in my bedroom drying out for about a week, so here is what the brush looked like soaking:

Here is how the water wicked up the brush after a shower:

Here is how the brush looked still with all the water in it:

here is the brush after all the water is shaken out before I lathered:

I was shooting another video for my YouTube channel and didn't get photos of the lather, but I will do better tomorrow with the photos of the brush. I hope you all are getting some great performance out of your brushes. Any luck @TinyT ?

 

[MrSmith83]

I used to do the 5 minute soak because...thats what id heard other people do. Now I just run them under the tap, perhaps a little more thoroughly that a badger or synth, but not much.