So I ordered a Omega 10048, what am I in for?

[TheGrooveking]

Besides have two cheap boar brushes, a Burma shave boar brush, which I used for more than a year and now sheads like a machine and a Burt's Bees ceramic handle boar brush that I never use, I've primarily used badger brushes, but after reading many evangelize about the wonders of a good boar brush with soaps I dove head first into the shallow end of brushes and ordered the Omega.

I understand it is one of the better Omega boar brushes, but besides knowing that it will take more effort to whip up a batch of lather, what else am I in for?

 

[ari95]

One thing you will notice is that this is a big brush. Compared to the Burma Shave brush, this is huge. that is not a bad thing though, it goes a long way in its lathering qualities. Once the bristles have broken in and any smell goes away it will be as good as any other brush.

 

[highball]

what else am I in for?

You might be in for a smelly brush, after shampooing mine 2 times it still smelled bad. It's the only brush I use anymore

 

[Kevan]

So um...a good boar is actually soft on the face over time? I've heard this before, can someone confirm?

I might look into a longer-handled/bristled brush and I must say that these Omega cheapies are intriguing. Hell, they're professional barber brushes so they must be at least pretty good, right? I've always stayed away from boar because it seems VERY hard and scratchy.

 

[highball]

So um...a good boar is actually soft on the face over time? I've heard this before, can someone confirm?.

Yes they do. As the hair ends split , the brush gets softer.

 

[beyboo]

I looked up the brush. It does not have the badger imitation band. I have 3 high end omega boars and they did not stink out of the box. After over a month they have broken in well and do a great job with creams when lathering on the face. They are very soft tipped and don't scratch the face like a cat's paw...

your's might stink a bit. Mine did not even out of the box.

 

[Kevan]

Yes they do. As the hair ends split , the brush gets softer.

Soft to the point that it doesn't kill sensitive skin?

 

[andrew98]

Soft to the point that it doesn't kill sensitive skin?

Some are that soft. This one is. It's one of my favorite brushes, and I have sensitive skin. Nice and stiff brush but extremely soft tips, even before they split.

-Andy

 

[Captain Flint]

Some are that soft. This one is. It's one of my favorite brushes, and I have sensitive skin. Nice and stiff brush but extremely soft tips, even before they split.

-Andy

I second that motion. Vulfix pure bristle brushes are simply amazing.

 

[rcd213]

Great brush, I have the 10049 and I love it. Omegas are definitely the way to go. Mine has gotten much softer with age, but it wasn't very scratchy even when I first got it. It did have quite an odor, but shampooing it really helped. Much better than my badger tweezerman, which is still quite scratchy, and they're both in the same price range.

 

[tmax]

Great brushes
Mine had no bad smell
Broke very quick
Much prefer this over my Trumpers Super

Simon
London UK

 

[markjd]

I have this brush and use it exclusively for soap. In comparison, the Vulfix 2233 I use for creams feels flimsy.

It took a while for the dead dog smell to go away, but it was worth it

 

[Jarmo P]

Omega 48 is a great boar brush. It needs to be broken to be really gentle, but it is not too rough at first too.

The drawback with boar brushes are, to me, that it takes more time to make lather. And it does not hold enough lather for 3 passes and maybe touch ups. On the esthetic point of view they do look ugly after the shave compared to badgers.

So I actually prefer to make my lather in a separate bowl with the boar brush. That way I can reload the brush. And creams work well for that. It could be like my soap bowl with remnants of soap there.

As a face latherer I am with badgers, i always dip them in a sink to get the lather moistured. The boar brush does not work well with dipping it to sink method. Thats why I prefer to make my lather in a bowl, ready to add up for the subsequent passes.

With badgers I load my relatively dry brush with soap, then go to face and it just needs to be dipped to the sink once in a while to add moisturization. And it can hold the soap in it for all the passes.

Zach advised to let the boar brush once soaked to just drip off the water that comes out of it naturally without shaking and then to build lather on the top of soap. The drawback I see with this method is that the soap like my Tabac will loose its consistency over a long run.

 

[Cuttingboard]

As the hair ends split , the brush gets softer.

May need to use a good conditioner to control split ends.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Interesting, some guys Omega had a smell but some didn't, hope mine doesn't. My Burma shave boar didn't, yet the Burt's Bee's boar brush did. Of course all of my badger brushes did.

 

[andrew98]

I have this brush and use it exclusively for soap. In comparison, the Vulfix 2233 I use for creams feels flimsy.

It took a while for the dead dog smell to go away, but it was worth it

Are you talking about a Vulfix 2233 pure bristle or a Vulfix 2233 badger brush? My 2233 pure bristle isn't flimsy at all.

-Andy

 

[beyboo]

Interesting, some guys Omega had a smell but some didn't, hope mine doesn't. My Burma shave boar didn't, yet the Burt's Bee's boar brush did. Of course all of my badger brushes did.

Bad News : The professional series stink. Your's most probably would.

The Good News : The higher end models in the badger imitation style are more expensive and seem go through one more treatment at the factory to be softer and not smell so much. I have 3 of these series and they did not stink out of the box. They break in wonderfully in a couple of weeks and its all that much softer.

 

[markjd]

Are you talking about a Vulfix 2233 pure bristle or a Vulfix 2233 badger brush? My 2233 pure bristle isn't flimsy at all.

-Andy

The badger.

 

[Ignatius]

Expect to be patient. Your technique will get better, as will the brush as it gets softer with use.

 

[Hawkeye5]

My Omega 30005 didn't smell at all.