Omega 646186 Synthetic Shaving Brush Review

[marosi]

So here is my review of my relatively new Omega 64186 Synthetic Brush. I was a little surprised when I received the brush, as the fibers look more "synthetic" than any photo would indicate. This caught me a little off guard, because in photos it really, really looks like badger. In reality it really, really does not, and looks exactly like what it is, which is a bunch of synthetic "hairs" stuffed together. That is not to say that the knot quality is not impeccable - it is. It just does not not look like badger. At all, next to a real badger brush. This is not a bad thing, but was different from what I expected from this brush. This carries over into the use of the brush, because it does not wear-in at all, it just stays the same. I originally was going to post a before and after photo, but there was no point, because there is no "after." It still looks like new, and probably will remain that way as long as I take care of it.

As for the performance that also is somewhat unexpected (this being my first synthetic brush). I own badger and boar, and it is not like either of them. It is not as soft in the tips as my boar bristle brush. It is also unlike badger in that it has more backbone with as much or more scritchiness. The construction quality is top notch. The handle is great, and larger than it appears in the store photos. I think my third picture gives you an idea of how meaty a handle this is. The knot size is a little deceptive. It seems smaller than the stats would indicate, because it does not expand or "bloom" like a badger brush. It is plenty dense, however, and I have not lost one single hair with use.

After using it for a few weeks I am over my initial shock and am really liking the brush. It scrubs the face very nicely without either collapsing like a really floppy badger, or being as stiff as a thick boar brush. It is very versatile. It has no issues with hard soaps, and does a great job with shaving creams. It holds a lot of lather after soaking the brush and giving it a flick or two to get rid of excess water. It works great for face lathering, and has no issues with whipping up lather in a bowl either.

It is not a perfect copy of a fine badger brush, but the differences actually make it more useful and give it a real purpose in your arsenal. You have to look at this type of brush as its own thing, and not a copy or emulation of any other type of hair. It is the perfect brush for traveling because it is tough and works with everything, and offers very centered performance (soft versus scritchy, floppy versus stiff, etc). Overall a very nice brush for the money, which at present is about 30 bucks.

 

[Nxspam]

Thanks for the short review. Very nice. I'm seeing a lot of synthetics turning up here in Denmark. Mostly Muhle. I was very wary of them at first glance, but at a third of the price of the average low end badger brush - at least here - I might just give one a try. I think you're right about the third option approach. Don't think of them as fake badger or fake boar, just a different brush. Try to be objective. Looking forward to reading more comments.

 

[beisler]

Thanks for the short review. Very nice. I'm seeing a lot of synthetics turning up here in Denmark. Mostly Muhle. I was very wary of them at first glance, but at a third of the price of the average low end badger brush - at least here - I might just give one a try. I think you're right about the third option approach. Don't think of them as fake badger or fake boar, just a different brush. Try to be objective. Looking forward to reading more comments.

THe Muhle synthetics are getting a lot of good press around here and justifiably so. Don't be afraid to try one

 

[marosi]

Thanks for the short review. Very nice. I'm seeing a lot of synthetics turning up here in Denmark. Mostly Muhle. I was very wary of them at first glance, but at a third of the price of the average low end badger brush - at least here - I might just give one a try. I think you're right about the third option approach. Don't think of them as fake badger or fake boar, just a different brush. Try to be objective. Looking forward to reading more comments.

It really is a very nice brush, it just does not feel like either badger or boar hair. I lean toward boar personally because you have plenty of backbone but still get the soft tips when the brush is nice and broken in, but I cannot fault the performance of this brush at all. I think if you are used to badger you have to go in with an open mind, and give this one a few weeks of consistent use to get the feel of it. If you concentrate on how it works rather than how it feels, than you cannot go wrong. If how it feels is really important (and it is to all of us, lets face it) then it will just depend upon your personal preference. This brush has more "give" than a stiff boar with more scritch, but still has more backbone than a floppy badger. It might be similar to a stiffer badger brush, if you have managed to find one. From what I hear the two=banded badger is stiffer, but I have not tried one yet.

 

[Gman9537]

Thanks for the review on this brush. I've been mulling it over, what to get next, and this is one of the ones of interest. I want to try a boar, never had one, but then the synthetic has its appeals for me too. I'm no animal rights activist or anything, I like my badgers (if a little too floppy for me) but it just occurs to me, hair fibers last only so long before they become brittle and fragile. Plastics last for 1000s of years before they change composition, and are impervious to many chemicals. I would venture a guess that one of these brushes, taken care of properly, may last a long, long time, provided the construction is a match for the materials. Looks like you made my mind up for me...

 

[Relentless]

Just ordered this brush and then stumbled on your review.

I have a nice 2-band silvertip and a pure badger. The silvertip is perfect for all my needs. The pure badger has very little backbone; and I find myself using it less and less lately, besides the fact that it's the worst soap hog I have ever seen.

Lately my wife has been asking me to show her how to make lather. She's had enough with the canned goop I think. I picked up this Omega to try out myself, and give her something that she could abuse and neglect without serious repercussion. It looks like badger even in your pictures.

 

[Mandina]

I have the (much over-priced, much cheaper handle, Omega-made) Men-U Premier equivalent, which was my mistaken newbie purchase a year and a half ago. Cost issues aside, it's been a solid-performing and durable brush, which I used during my first year of DE shaving to face lather with soaps. marosi's review is on target, and his model a very good deal at the price he paid. I have, however, purchased a Muhle HJM black fibre ($25 delivered at Connaught), which for me has been a truly nice, much superior brush: very soft tips but plenty of backbone, and does great with hard soaps like Tabac and MWF as well as with Cella and the like. My Omega-made synthetic is now my head shaving brush, for which its scrubbiness is excellent.

 

[marosi]

Truthfully I alternate between a mixed boar/badger brush (the venerable Vulfix) and a silvertip badger at home, but whenever I am going to be away from my stash of choices I reach without hesitation for the synthetic because I know it is going to keep me happy. It is going to handle anything that I throw at it well, and it is tough as nails. I am anxious, as money and time permit, to try some of the other high quality synthetic fiber brushes to see how they compare, but I do not think anyone would be disappointed with this brush, as long as they are realistic with their expectations. I do think that it does these brushes a disservice when they are marketed as synthetic badger, because the performance is completely different. This point may be beaten into the ground, but it really is worth keeping in mind when considering one of these - you are going to be a lot happier if you judge the brush on its own merits than if you expect it perform like a real badger brush. I think quality is an issue here also. I have looked at the synthetic brushes that are sold on the cheap, and they do not hold a candle to the Omega. This is a whole different level of quality, and I would not look to save a few bucks if you want a good snythetic experience.

 

[Cornishman]

You've just talked me into buying one of those . I'm a big fan of synthetic brushes. Just ordered one on Ebay!

 

[GDCarrington]

As for the performance that also is somewhat unexpected (this being my first synthetic brush). I own badger and boar, and it is not like either of them...You have to look at this type of brush as its own thing, and not a copy or emulation of any other type of hair. It is the perfect brush for traveling because it is tough and works with everything, and offers very centered performance (soft versus scritchy, floppy versus stiff, etc). Overall a very nice brush for the money, which at present is about 30 bucks.

What you have said is exactly correct. Synthetics behave differently than naturals. They have strengths and weaknesses just like all natural hair brushes do. The one thing is that synthetics even behave differently between the main groups of fibers. This is a early 3rd generation fiber which explains the slight level of scritchiness. Later Gen 3 and especially Gen 4 brushes have little to no scritch.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/351109-Synthetic-Brush-Synopsis-Generations-Updated

Now here is where you also bring up a great point. The fact is that you are enjoying the Early Gen 3 fiber, is another indicator that the generational groups only discuss physical properties and not personal preference. Some people really like more scritch in the their brushes, and these provide that. Types like these remind me of a cross between a pure badger and a boar.

I hope you enjoy your brush in good health.

 

[Retiredgene]

What you have said is exactly correct. Synthetics behave differently than naturals. They have strengths and weaknesses just like all natural hair brushes do. The one thing is that synthetics even behave differently between the main groups of fibers. This is a early 3rd generation fiber which explains the slight level of scritchiness. Later Gen 3 and especially Gen 4 brushes have little to no scritch.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/351109-Synthetic-Brush-Synopsis-Generations-Updated

Now here is where you also bring up a great point. The fact is that you are enjoying the Early Gen 3 fiber, is another indicator that the generational groups only discuss physical properties and not personal preference. Some people really like more scritch in the their brushes, and these provide that. Types like these remind me of a cross between a pure badger and a boar.

I hope you enjoy your brush in good health.

Gary & Marosi - thank you for a very informative thread and accurate descriptions of all the plus & minus of synthetics, especially the Omega 646186.

I followed more of Gary's synthetic postings & reviews with much interest and learned from them. I have a Omega 646186 that I bought over a year ago to "round out" my mini brush collection - 2 boars and 3 badgers. As the boar brushes became broken in and I really got to know & like my badger brushes, I found myself using the Omega synthetic less & less, like once every few months.

So as a result I used my Omega synthetic today and will use it solely for next few weeks of shaving to get to know its plus / minus for myself and decide its future

Gene