Well that’s a load off Jim a lot if us were on the edge of our chairs. Good luck with the Evo. I would be interested to know if it becomes a regular in rotation after you get to know the brush.View attachment 1080270
I also ordered an Omega Evo. Pictured above brand new.
Since I'm doing the Fixed I haven't used the brush in a shave, and won't before April, but I received permission from Cal to lather up with the brush (not before a shave of course) and have done that about three times I think.
View attachment 1080271
It's a smaller brush than its 28 mm knot measurement might suggest.
View attachment 1080289
I'm very glad it's not smaller. As a face latherer I find the size okay but any smaller would not suit me. It seems medium sized to me and not large.
The knot's height is 50 mm and not the advertised 55 mm. There's a glue bump which I can feel if I mash very hard.
I've never felt a glue bump with any other brush.
Digging around in my wife's stuff I found a long enough pin (about the diameter of a needle). I stuck it into the knot from the top headed straight down towards the handle, in the middle of the brush and knot.
I measured that and did the math.
The glue bump is about 2 mm to 3 mm. That's saying the glue sticks up 2 or 3 mm above the top of the handle, but it's not going to be a problem in normal use.
It feels much more like a good badger silvertip than I expected it to. I believe it has adequate backbone. It lathers, in my very limited experience with it so far, less well than my badgers, but certainly well enough.
There is pretty decent scrub. That's hugely important from my viewpoint. The scrub feels, well, not like the brush is a Manchurian or two band, but okay by first impressions. It's definitely more like a silvertip than a two band or Manchurian, but it's softer than most of my badgers; I'm not sure how its softness compares with my softest Manchurian, the Zenith copper.
It holds and releases water very nicely.
Speaking of Manchurians, the Evo has tips, which when dry, feel like dry Manchurian tips. Don't know if that means anything but I noticed it. In use the Evo is very soft on my face.
Is there a word which describes scrubby and soft?
It splays pretty well. I didn't observe problems in that department. No fibers seem to be poking me. There is no scritch that I noticed.
View attachment 1080273
I'm no kind of synthetic brush expert. I have not much experience with them. It's a bit too early to be sure about this, but I think this synthetic brush by Omega is going to become the first synthetic I can actually enjoy using.
I like the looks of the brush and the looks of the handle.
I'm glad I purchased the brush.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Omega EVO synth shaving brush
- Thread starter abj
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Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
The EVO you have looks a lot like the EVO I have on the way (I got the "green stone effect resin handle"). It will be interesting to compare notes.
As an aside, I face lathered today with the Omega Jade this morning. This boar is well broken in and an absolute pleasure to use. Omega really hit a home run with this brush.
YMMV
I thought about getting the green handle and probably would have except it was about $10 more. I like the marble colored handle fine so I have no regrets on the choice I made, but I do like that green.
I'll be interested in your impressions of the Evo.
When the Fixed Four ends on Wednesday I have three new brushes to try - the Evo, my first Zenith slivertip, and an El Cheapo Zenith unbleached boar (with a knot that's "too tall") which I've been breaking in. Not that I needed any more brushes, but I bought 'em anyway.
Omega absolutely hit a home run with the Jade Premium Connaught sold me!
Happy shaves,
Jim
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I'll be interested, too.
Green handled brushes are an easier sell when they arrive at my house - my wife loves emeralds.
I'm loving my EVO. The thing I find that sets it apart from many other synthetics is how it feels on the face when it's splayed. I've noticed that when you splay a silvertip brush (or similar badger), the knot on your face feels "thick", for lack of a better way to describe it. The hairs pile up and press against each other around the void where you're splaying, and it gives it that "pillow" effect. The EVO is one of the few synthetics I've come across that feels like that, and I suspect it's because of its density. It has a substantial feel on the face, whereas many other synths have a "flatter" feel when you splay them. It's dense, holds water well, and has nice soft tips and very solid backbone, but again, splays nicely with some pressure and has that dense face feel that's hard to describe. I find it to be an excellent synthetic.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Nicely done.
I've not used mine yet except just to lather up. Then I rinsed the lather off (due to the Fixed). Still, I like what you said. I'll find out over time if I agree.
Happy shaves,
Jim
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I hope you enjoy it!
When I get my EVO and use it, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that there will be more similarities than differences with the EVO, the Mühle and EJ Silvertip Fibre and the Frank Shaving Pur-Tech brushes.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
1st use of my new brush, the Omega Evo...
Nice brush. Enough scrub. Good splay. Feels and performs and looks much like a silvertip badger albeit a somewhat floppy silvertip badger; not like a very dense silvertip, but like most silvertips I've used I think. Still, it's perfectly acceptable brush (and for me to say that about a synthetic is high praise indeed).
I like it. I will use it.
Of note: The loft on mine is 50 mm (and not the advertised 55 mm). Not a problem, but interesting. I like the handle's feel, ergonomics, and look. The brush seems medium sized and not large to me. It really doesn't seem significantly different from a silvertip in most ways.
You need one!
Happy shaves,
Jim
Nice brush. Enough scrub. Good splay. Feels and performs and looks much like a silvertip badger albeit a somewhat floppy silvertip badger; not like a very dense silvertip, but like most silvertips I've used I think. Still, it's perfectly acceptable brush (and for me to say that about a synthetic is high praise indeed).
I like it. I will use it.
Of note: The loft on mine is 50 mm (and not the advertised 55 mm). Not a problem, but interesting. I like the handle's feel, ergonomics, and look. The brush seems medium sized and not large to me. It really doesn't seem significantly different from a silvertip in most ways.
You need one!
Happy shaves,
Jim
Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
I would find that a plus. I'm from the English school of loft. Someday after my sabbaticals and restraints are ended, I might get a Shavemac in a 28/46. With a synthetic it seems like to me one can simulate density by going with a bigger knot and shorter loft - to an extent.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I'd have to have two of the brushes - one in the 50 mm loft & another with a 55 mm loft - to be sure, but my guess is I agree with you.
I've long known that advertised measurements are very often a bit different from what arrives in the mail.
I'm not the least bit bothered by the fact that my Evo's loft is 50 mm. Mostly mentioned it because I find it noteworthy and because my impressions of the brush are colored by the particular brush I received. The brush someone else receives might be different in its performance characteristics if its loft is 55 mm, or not. Maybe they're all actually 50 mm? I have no idea except about mine.
Happy shaves,
Jim
When I wrote my review on page 1, I declined to mention that I already had taken possession of a second (and totally unnecessary) EVO brush. I didn’t mention it because, like brother Jim, I did not use the brush during the FFFMM. But I have used it now, after a brief early April timeout for some badger shaving.
I am about as close as I get to speechless (not very close lol). The second EVO (Special Veteran E1860 aka "the green one") performed remarkably like the first (Marble Ovale E1855), so easy and pleasant to use, and so effective at quickly whipping up great lather. These brushes are challenging my “Badger is Better” views, but more on that another time.
I don’t know who has seen what advertisements, so I may have missed some specs that others have seen. I have only seen ads on WCS and Omega. The only dimension given on the Omega pages I saw is size = 107. The WCS pages for both of my EVOs had this info, with minor word tweaking between the 1855 and 1860 models:
Overall height: 105 mm
Height of the handle: 55 mm
Height of the hair: 55 mm
Weight: 100 gr
The WCS information seems inconsistent to me, because I don't see how the numbers would add up. For example, the given overall and handle heights imply that “visible loft” should be 50mm, and I would be surprised if the socket was only drilled 5mm deep. At any rate, my handles measure as follows, where "Loft" refers to the visible hair:
Marble Ovale
Overall: 107mm
Handle: 57mm
Loft: 50mm
Knot: 28mm
Weight: 85.5g
Special Veteran
Overall: 107mm
Handle: 54mm
Loft: 53mm
Knot: 29mm
Weight: 94.4g
IMO "Height of the hair" on the WCS pages may have been an unfortunate choice of words. However, as has been suggested, a shorter brush can be better, and this is the case for me. I like these two brushes just the way they are.
I am about as close as I get to speechless (not very close lol). The second EVO (Special Veteran E1860 aka "the green one") performed remarkably like the first (Marble Ovale E1855), so easy and pleasant to use, and so effective at quickly whipping up great lather. These brushes are challenging my “Badger is Better” views, but more on that another time.
I don’t know who has seen what advertisements, so I may have missed some specs that others have seen. I have only seen ads on WCS and Omega. The only dimension given on the Omega pages I saw is size = 107. The WCS pages for both of my EVOs had this info, with minor word tweaking between the 1855 and 1860 models:
Overall height: 105 mm
Height of the handle: 55 mm
Height of the hair: 55 mm
Weight: 100 gr
The WCS information seems inconsistent to me, because I don't see how the numbers would add up. For example, the given overall and handle heights imply that “visible loft” should be 50mm, and I would be surprised if the socket was only drilled 5mm deep. At any rate, my handles measure as follows, where "Loft" refers to the visible hair:
Marble Ovale
Overall: 107mm
Handle: 57mm
Loft: 50mm
Knot: 28mm
Weight: 85.5g
Special Veteran
Overall: 107mm
Handle: 54mm
Loft: 53mm
Knot: 29mm
Weight: 94.4g
IMO "Height of the hair" on the WCS pages may have been an unfortunate choice of words. However, as has been suggested, a shorter brush can be better, and this is the case for me. I like these two brushes just the way they are.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Excellent information...Obvious question.
Why two?
Not that, you understand, I haven't done the same thing.
More than once, but one photo proves the point.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Why two? Because three seemed a bit excessive.
And kidding aside, variety is the spice of life, don’t you think?
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Why two? Because three seemed a bit excessive.
And kidding aside, variety is the spice of life, don’t you think?
Apparently not as I too frequently buy twins, sometimes identical twins. Not always the same color handle, but that doesn't much count.
There was a time when I was silly enough to think for reasons now obscure to me that I might need an heir. That might make sense with certain razors, and a spare might make sense for some soaps and such, but brushes? I think not.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Would love to try this knot with this handle.
www.westcoastshaving.com
Shaving Brush Collection at West Coast Shaving
Shop our huge selection of shaving brushes from synthetic, silvertip badger, boar hair, horse hair, and more. Shop our new and Top 10 shaving brush picks.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Would love to try this knot with this handle.
Shaving Brush Collection at West Coast Shaving
Shop our huge selection of shaving brushes from synthetic, silvertip badger, boar hair, horse hair, and more. Shop our new and Top 10 shaving brush picks.
All you have to do is order one. Here's the link.
While there buy one of the unbleached Zenith boars for under $10. Trust me on this one. Great boars, and cheap, at least the taller one is.
I've used the vendor several times.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Great review!! Well balanced!
I prefer badgers with a fair bit of backbone, so this might not be my cup of tea. But definitely interesting!!
Ive been eyeing that style from that vendor too. Be warned that the postal system in Spain seems
to have come to a virtual standstill. A guy who ordered his brush few weeks ago
hasn't got his yet...the package is still in some sorting room in Barcelona. Although
there's every possibility that it will get delivered at some point....just no way of telling when.
I guess they have far more pressing problems than post right now.
The owner is investigating an alternate delivery provider and said he will
let me know if and when that comes through.
If so, I'll publish his response here.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Who knows how or if production of brushes in Italy and elsewhere will be impacted by events.
There are no brushes I really want which are offered for sale anywhere (and that's quite a statement, isn't it), but if I wanted 'em and could find somebody with 'em in stock, I'd order now and let them arrive when they get here.
I really like the Evo. It's a good brush. Not just good "for a synthetic."
Happy shaves,
Jim
There are no brushes I really want which are offered for sale anywhere (and that's quite a statement, isn't it), but if I wanted 'em and could find somebody with 'em in stock, I'd order now and let them arrive when they get here.
I really like the Evo. It's a good brush. Not just good "for a synthetic."
Happy shaves,
Jim
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