Mondial 1908 Boar Brush

[Timeclo]

I thought I will post an update about this brush.

Had this in my regular boar rotation for almost 1 ½ month now and this is how it looks. The picture is taken after a shave and it is somewhat moist. I have to admit the Omegas have spoilt me with fast break-in period. This Mondial has thicker bristles and a very tight knot of 25mm with a tallish. I would say the knot is stout in spite being this tall, thanks to thick bristles. It was really taking time to open up and I took help of a hair dryer on couple of occasions to accelerate the splitting. I have to admit the hair dryer induced splits are not as soft as natural splits but that it easy fix. Just couple of 5 min swirling about 5-6 times on a speckled non-slip tile brought it around and it is well on way to be a brush where I want it.
Given the tall loft, splay is really BIG one but not in an ‘all over and your face’ kind of way. I feel very much in control about preciseness, owing to stiffer bristles. It creates and holds tons of lather in top knot; leather doesn’t slip down and mess your handle and make it slippery. I appreciate when I don’t have to get bothered with a slippery handle. The knot is dense but not dense enough to give you a cloggy feeling and lather flow through is good. In contrast my Zenith B28 copper has finer bristles and very dense bristles but it feels little clogged. To me this knot feels it has more backbone than an Omega Pro.

If you like your brush to be taller loft and still a little ‘firm’, it will not disappoint you. A longer break-in (but shorter than a Semogue), slightly prickly, thick bristles might be turn off for some. The handle material gets 10/10 from me. It feels quality and trumps cheap Omega handles any day. At 80 grams overall weight the brush feels well balanced without tiring your hand. I will continue to use this brush to its logical end. As usual YMMV.
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Nice review. The brush looks lovely and it seems that it performs well. This is a potential in my den but I don't know if I have any more space left right now. Let me go through my rotation of boars and see if I need to add one more. haha

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I thought I will post an update about this brush.

Had this in my regular boar rotation for almost 1 ½ month now and this is how it looks. The picture is taken after a shave and it is somewhat moist. I have to admit the Omegas have spoilt me with fast break-in period. This Mondial has thicker bristles and a very tight knot of 25mm with a tallish. I would say the knot is stout in spite being this tall, thanks to thick bristles. It was really taking time to open up and I took help of a hair dryer on couple of occasions to accelerate the splitting. I have to admit the hair dryer induced splits are not as soft as natural splits but that it easy fix. Just couple of 5 min swirling about 5-6 times on a speckled non-slip tile brought it around and it is well on way to be a brush where I want it.
Given the tall loft, splay is really BIG one but not in an ‘all over and your face’ kind of way. I feel very much in control about preciseness, owing to stiffer bristles. It creates and holds tons of lather in top knot; leather doesn’t slip down and mess your handle and make it slippery. I appreciate when I don’t have to get bothered with a slippery handle. The knot is dense but not dense enough to give you a cloggy feeling and lather flow through is good. In contrast my Zenith B28 copper has finer bristles and very dense bristles but it feels little clogged. To me this knot feels it has more backbone than an Omega Pro.

If you like your brush to be taller loft and still a little ‘firm’, it will not disappoint you. A longer break-in (but shorter than a Semogue), slightly prickly, thick bristles might be turn off for some. The handle material gets 10/10 from me. It feels quality and trumps cheap Omega handles any day. At 80 grams overall weight the brush feels well balanced without tiring your hand. I will continue to use this brush to its logical end. As usual YMMV.
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Nice review.

What do you think the handle's made of. I really can't tell with mine. I believe it's some sort of plastic or resin. Definitely not cheap looking or cheap feeling.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[HereticHermit]

The handle had me intrigued as well so I took it to a friend who runs eyewear retail. He ruled out handle material being acetate.
I happen to inspect the bottom and found a very small indent with a very tiny nipple in middle. Next I held up the hollow handle against a very high lumen running headlamp and saw ‘streaks’ of material. Both these tell tale signs appears to me it is a regular injection moulded handle but made from better quality plastic (perhaps high impact polystyrene as against whatever cheap material Omega uses).

 

[naughtilus]

The handle had me intrigued as well so I took it to a friend who runs eyewear retail. He ruled out handle material being acetate.
I happen to inspect the bottom and found a very small indent with a very tiny nipple in middle. Next I held up the hollow handle against a very high lumen running headlamp and saw ‘streaks’ of material. Both these tell tale signs appears to me it is a regular injection moulded handle but made from better quality plastic (perhaps high impact polystyrene as against whatever cheap material Omega uses).

Zenith is or at least used to be acetate. No idea what Mondial uses.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The handle had me intrigued as well so I took it to a friend who runs eyewear retail. He ruled out handle material being acetate.
I happen to inspect the bottom and found a very small indent with a very tiny nipple in middle. Next I held up the hollow handle against a very high lumen running headlamp and saw ‘streaks’ of material. Both these tell tale signs appears to me it is a regular injection moulded handle but made from better quality plastic (perhaps high impact polystyrene as against whatever cheap material Omega uses).

It's always seemed like good quality stuff to me, whatever it is.

I don't think the Mondial handle is in the league with the Connaught Jade turned acrylic resin handle (or the Italian Flag), but it's not very far off.

You clearly know far more than me about plastics and I appreciate your information and insight.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[naughtilus]

A rare Omega in ivory acetate handle.

New Zenith chubby scrubby handle is on the shelves both in boar and manchurian badger, 31mm x 57mm.

 

[naughtilus]

 

[vates]

It's been a while. How do your like your faux ivory Mondial 1908 boar brushes now? Esp., compared to Omegas and Zeniths.

 

[vates]

Anyone?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I like 'em a lot. Compared with anything.

Mondial boars, the two I have, are top notch brushes by any standard.

Of these two I might like the ivory better (and can't say why).



I have several boars (some are pictured after a Ship-Shape bath).

Probably the best boar is the Omega Jade from Connaught. My new unbleached Zenith became an instant favorite as did the Mondials.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[never-stop-learning]

I'm still waiting for my Mondial Boars to get here from Australia. They appear to be stuck somewhere in customs in L.A. The vendor and I have agreed to give it another week or so and, if they haven't arrived, we will cancel the transaction.

Probably the best boar is the Omega Jade from Connaught.

Very much agreed - my Omega Jade absolutely rocks!

 

[dmshaver]

I just received my Mondial 1908 from the Aussie vendor. It took almost 3 months to get here, but it's landed! Too new to review it, but initial thoughts are this is going to be a very nice brush!

 

[vates]

Congrats! That's weird that the only online vendor for Italian brushes is in Oz. However, the weirder the better

 

[vates]

Apparently, pretty much reflects their name.

 

[TBoner]

I really like the aluminum handled Antica Barberia Mondial boar. I don't see a way to order shipped to the US from the Aussie ebay vendor at present. Anyone have suggestions? I'm hoping to snag an ivory resin handle Mondial.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I really like the aluminum handled Antica Barberia Mondial boar. I don't see a way to order shipped to the US from the Aussie ebay vendor at present. Anyone have suggestions? I'm hoping to snag an ivory resin handle Mondial.

No suggestion. I certainly ordered both my Mondial brushes from the eBay vendor. I like 'em both, but my favorite of the two is the cheaper ivory handled brush. Why? I'm not sure. Both are excellent boars.

Hope this resolves for you.




I had several email or maybe eBay platform interactions with the vendor and found them responsive and helpful. For a while they showed the ivory handled boar for sale and I kept buying it, or trying to buy it, only to find my order refused as they didn't actually offer it for sale. Finally, it actually became available and I snapped one up.

Lucky me.

Have you tried to contact the vendor via eBay? Hey, that might be a suggestion, and I don't have a suggestion, so ignore it.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[TBoner]

To clarify my earlier post, I have the aluminum handle and really like it. I wouldn't mind having a partner for it in faux ivory. I will try reaching out to the vendor on the auction thingy.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

To clarify my earlier post, I have the aluminum handle and really like it. I wouldn't mind having a partner for it in faux ivory. I will try reaching out to the vendor on the auction thingy.

Yeah, I saw that earlier and should have mentioned it earlier. I'm glad you got the aluminum handled Mondial. Hope the vendor comes through for you on the ivory. They're nice boars in my view of them, very nice indeed.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[vates]

Bought an ivory one from their actual shop site (not eBay account). They didn't offer international shipping for quite some time. But I asked very politely and they generously switched that option back on. Now the wait begins

 

[pwill112]

I couldn't buy this on ebay as the sale would not go through. I did get one at the site mentioned above.

Here is the link:
Mondial 1908 Boar Shaving Brush Faux Ivory , Boar Bristle (executivegrooming.com.au)

The shipping charge was almost as much as the brush though to ship to New Jersey.