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Struggling to find a brush

I have been thinking of getting a nylon, but I heard some are soft. I read the omega syntex might be scratchy compared to the s brush which is somewhat soft.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
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⬅ Mixed Midget

Three mixed badger/boar brushes➡​
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Somehow I missed Cal @Cal's earlier posts in response to the OP. Basically I agree entirely with what Cal already said.

The Omega Mixed Midget is a flat out lather monster. It may build lather as well as any brush I own which is quite a statement as it is a very small brush compared to most of mine. It's almost beyond belief in real life considering its small size.

Do I like it? Kinda sorta, on occasion, but it is quite scritchy and prickly. Not so much that I can't and don't occasionally use and kinda sorta enjoy it. Being scritchy is the brush's only downside, and that's only if you don't like scritch.

To the OP I'd mostly say this: It seems to me the Mixed Midget checks all your boxes.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
Short of the request for scratchy, the zenith xl super scrubby sounds perfect for you. If you wanted to add the scratchy feel perhaps go at it without a typical pre soak as most of do with our boars.
 
KNOT: Prefer 19-21mm. I absolutely draw the line at 22mm. This is a must
LOFT: Prefer 45-48ish mm...50mm max.
BACKBONE:Very high priority. Emphasis on stiff, course and scratchy.
DENSITY: Prefer lower density. Could tolerate one beginning to approach moderate density range if I had to. No lather hogs.
SOFTNESS: Zero priority
HANDLE: Not tripping about the handle as long as it's not very big.
PRICE: $30 budget

Sterfry my man; quit your dancing with the three little pigs! Here's a chance to get yourself a badger that checks all the boxes. Can't beat these for your first run. If I didn't have a shelf full of pure already I'd buy 'em all. I'd suggest the Duke.

 
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The only boar brush I own (or will own) is a Proraso brush. I've been told that it is an Omega boar brush. It's huge; big handle, high loft. I've always gotten good lather results with it. It sheds, but there is a scrubbing effect that is absent in synthetics and badger brushes. Try the Proraso brush. It's big, but it's effective.
 
So how did you like the mixed midget?
^ what Balthier said too, I'm excited to see how this worked out.

Ahh yes, the thread that kicked off the SBAD hard and furiously. I did purchase the MM and I do enjoy it. It's scritchy. While I specified a small brush, it's handle is bordering on too small. It's one of the brushes I use when I know I'm only doing one or two passes. It's among my favored face lathering brushes.

I actually ended up ordering probably 10 of the brushes recommended in this thread (10077, 13645, Zenith B17, Berkeley 46) and many others. I've basically been buying brushes like a lunatic ever since and I'm having a hootin' good time doing it.
 
Ahh yes, the thread that kicked off the SBAD hard and furiously. I did purchase the MM and I do enjoy it. It's scritchy. While I specified a small brush, it's handle is bordering on too small. It's one of the brushes I use when I know I'm only doing one or two passes. It's among my favored face lathering brushes.

I actually ended up ordering probably 10 of the brushes recommended in this thread (10077, 13645, Zenith B17, Berkeley 46) and many others. I've basically been buying brushes like a lunatic ever since and I'm having a hootin' good time doing it.
It appears March madness spilled into April. I just purchased two brushes too. Both are bigger than I prefer and
One is a RazoRock (Zenith?) boar 26x64 and the other is a PAA Perrigrino which I purchased with Doppelgänger Tricolor CK-6.
I can’t wait to try them.
 
It appears March madness spilled into April. I just purchased two brushes too. Both are bigger than I prefer and
One is a RazoRock (Zenith?) boar 26x64 and the other is a PAA Perrigrino which I purchased with Doppelgänger Tricolor CK-6.
I can’t wait to try them.
Proper soap CK-6. I like it. Do they have any Zeniths in the 21/22mm range? I find anything larger than 23mm to be an obnoxious novelty. YMMv etc
 
Proper soap CK-6. I like it. Do they have any Zeniths in the 21/22mm range? I find anything larger than 23mm to be an obnoxious novelty. YMMv etc
I think that they do.
I saw Semogue brushes that small in my search. I visited Gentle Shave.com but I bought this brush on Italian Barber. I’m like you; I prefer smaller brushes too. I did like the Omega Pro 49. It’s the brush I started with and until now it was the exception to my small brush preference.
The Zenith brushes are a handsome lot. I hope you find one you like.
Ed
 
*Favorites*
Omega -----------13564 then MM
Semogue -------1470
Zenith -------------B17
Badger------------Berkeley 46 in best

For any smallish but scrubby brush enthusiasts that happen upon this thread, save yourself the time and energy and get all of the above brushes. Now. If not sooner.
They're all sexy time.
 
*Favorites*
Omega -----------13564 then MM
Semogue -------1470
Zenith -------------B17
Badger------------Berkeley 46 in best

For any smallish but scrubby brush enthusiasts that happen upon this thread, save yourself the time and energy and get all of the above brushes. Now. If not sooner.
They're all sexy time.
Simpson Special S1 Pure, I overdid it and got my first brushburn....
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Yeah I didn't think brush burn was really a thing until I went bananas with, what was then, my brand new Berkeley best. To be fair, It wasn't a regular shave. I was just chain lathering on my stubble to help break in the brush. Then it took 10 or 15 minutes.

I do that with boars all the time, though, and I never get brush burn...only badgers.
 
Yeah I didn't think brush burn was really a thing until I went bananas with, what was then, my brand new Berkeley best. To be fair, It wasn't a regular shave. I was just chain lathering on my stubble to help break in the brush. Then it took 10 or 15 minutes.

I do that with boars all the time, though, and I never get brush burn...only badgers.
It felt like windburn and lasted for half a day. Noe I take it easy with face lathering.
 
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