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Got a new brush today, the Omega made for Proraso. Something interesting about it...

Now, this is not my first boar brush but it's the first new one I've had in years. I opened the box figuring I'd smell that pig skunky smell we're all familiar with. But no, what I smelled was my long gone grandmother's closet. He closet was filled with moth balls and that is a smell of my youth, one that never leaves you when you smell it! The brush smelled like moth balls (inoffensive odor to me).

Too impatient to break it in properly, I stuck it in a glass of water for awhile and did a couple lathers. Now, it smelled like wet mothballs but not that funk. I decided to use it for today's shave and, after showering, whipped up a lather using an old grated Palmolive stick which has lost most of its fragrance. Whipped up a great lather with this brand new brush and had a great shave. Brush still smells of wet mothballs but now that I broke its cherry, I'll break in properly.

Is this something new with Omega brushes or have they done a better job of cleaning the hair so it's not as odoriferous as they used to be? And no, nothing wrong with my sense of smell, it's quite acute. Anyway, hate the chrome handle but I can tell it's gonna be a great brush. Bigger than any of my others save for the Kent BK8.
 
BTW, @Alum Ladd I used that Jagger DE89 for this shave and really have to thank you again for the angle tip. Went from hating it to loving it. Used the same Astra SP so shave 2 for that. Really just a near perfect shave.
 
Yeah, its a sweet razor all right @CCS once you figure it out. Great for a first razor or if you been shaving decades.

I've never had a boar, but the Omegas are a very good price and they are well loved.

Maybe there are new regulations on cleaning and sanitising them, new methods?

I thought they would smell pretty rough but your post encourages me for when I end up picking one up.
 
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Yeah, its a sweet razor all right @CCS once you figure it out. Great for a first razor or if you been shaving decades.

I've never had a boar, but the Omegas are a very good price and they are well loved.

Maybe there are new regulations on cleaning and sanitising them, new methods?

I thought they would smell pretty rough but your post encourages me for when I end up picking one up.
If you like the smell of moth balls. I swear, we used to get high off of them at grandma's house. We'd hang in the closet until she threw us out! Besides, for $10-15 or however many quid that is for you, I think it's worth trying one. My old 10065 is an outstanding brush and I'm a silvertip snob.
 

lasta

Blade Biter
Yeah, the Omega Proraso is the strongest boar there is. Smell and backbone!

Takes a while, but it will go away!
 
I got my Proraso-Omega somewhat recently and it didn't smell too bad. The smell that was there mostly went away after just a few lathers.
 
Is this something new with Omega brushes or have they done a better job of cleaning the hair so it's not as odoriferous as they used to be? And no, nothing wrong with my sense of smell, it's quite acute. Anyway, hate the chrome handle but I can tell it's gonna be a great brush. Bigger than any of my others save for the Kent BK8.

I believe they are treating the boar hair now to get rid of the funk. I'd consider that a great improvement.

If you are not a fan of chrome, take a look at the Omega 10108. This is an excellent boar brush with similar knot size to the Pro Pro (under $10).

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I believe they are treating the boar hair now to get rid of the funk. I'd consider that a great improvement.

If you are not a fan of chrome, take a look at the Omega 10108. This is an excellent boar brush with similar knot size to the Pro Pro (under $10).

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Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to not buy about 10 versions of these?? Honestly, had I really delved into boar brushes before the silvertips, I might have save a small fortune. But I hate Omega's handles. Also, a boar brush needs to be white and undyed (so they don't look like a banded badger brush!).
 
Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to not buy about 10 versions of these?? Honestly, had I really delved into boar brushes before the silvertips, I might have save a small fortune. But I hate Omega's handles. Also, a boar brush needs to be white and undyed (so they don't look like a banded badger brush!).
If you mean the hollow handles, there's a fairly easy way to deal with that. I added some weight to mine using around five nickel coins wrapped in foam tape. The knot just pops out with a good tug. It was simple to remove the knot and put in the weight, then replace the knot. I actually think the plastic handle is decent quality and nice shape, now with some weight it no longer feels hollow and cheap.

Maybe you would like a Zenith unbleached boar brush?

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If you mean the hollow handles, there's a fairly easy way to deal with that. I added some weight to mine using around five nickel coins wrapped in foam tape. The knot just pops out with a good tug. It was simple to remove the knot and put in the weight, then replace the knot. I actually think the plastic handle is decent quality and nice shape, now with some weight it no longer feels hollow and cheap.

Maybe you would like a Zenith unbleached boar brush?

View attachment 1510340
No, what has my eye is this Semogue but it's sold out and I had a not good experience with a Semogue some years ago.

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No, what has my eye is this Semogue but it's sold out and I had a not good experience with a Semogue some years ago.

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With the help of another member, I decided to take a flyer on this brush directly from The Portuguese Factory for just under $36 delivered. Now, the wait begins. We shall see how the experience goes this time around.
 
You say that like it's a bad thing! :biggrin:

It may not be quite as firm, but it is comfortable and works extremely well. I prefer this brush to the Omega 49.
For me it is a bad thing. I am a face latherer, using tubes. I squeeze the cream inside the knot. Backbone is crucial for this method. Even though I do the trick of only immersing the 10108 knot 1/3 in hot water to keep some backbone, on pass two it is already very floppy.
 
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Again, this smell was not offensive and gone within two days. Just had a smell of moth balls which I found really bizarre. Not like the Semogue I once had.
 
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