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The new/current Connaught Omega jade brush: good/bad?

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
I really like my Omega Jade (no medallion) that I received as a PIF by a fellow member. It’s one of my favourite boars and boars are my preferred brush. It just does a lot of things right, soft, dense, right amount of splay for face lathering, ergonomic handle etc, etc. Great brush!
 
I was one of the members commenting about the apparent difference between the old & new. Here is my post along with the email to Connaught, & their reply:

Premium Jade

I still haven't used my new one sufficiently to consider it broken in. The Omega Premium Jade brush, IMHO, takes a good 40 - 50 lathers before it starts performing well. My old one has many more than 50 lathers on it & it has been my #1 boar brush for several years, just ahead of my olivewood-handled Zenith unbleached boar.
 
I've only used my new Jade 2-3 times and it feels fine to me. It will get even better but even the first shave with it was pretty good. I have it laid out to use tomorrow again. Like I said, helluvadeal for just over $20 shipped from England to the USA.
 
I received my Omega Jade 011842 (with no medallion) in September 2019 or just about three years ago. If the new version is the model without the medallion, it is hardly a new model after 3 years or more.

I use a home rotation that currently consists of one synthetic, 7 badgers and the Jade Omega boar. The 011842 is my only boar but an enjoyable brush to use. It has about 150 uses, but for me it became adequate after about 25 uses and a good brush after about 100 uses. No brush took longer to break in, but I’m glad I stuck with it.
 
I bought my Omega "Jade" 011842 ( knot 27mm loft 52mm ) from Connaught a few weeks ago and after 5 lather soaks with Arko the moderate initial stink was gone so I used it for a face lather. This is one scrubby brush and there was a little prickle in it as well so for me it wasn't the most comfortable of new brushes on my face.

The handle is a nice colour, solid and very ergonomic. As far as the knot goes it seems no different from Omega's standard knots. Other people have said this is probably a brush for the long haul and you need to have patience and keep using it until it breaks in. Trouble is that I have many brushes that are more comfortable in my collection that I can go with. I have put the 011842 aside for the time being until I decide what to do with it.
 
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I bought my Omega "Jade" 011842 ( knot 27mm loft 52mm ) from Connaught a few weeks ago and after 5 lather soaks with Arko the moderate initial stink was gone so I used it for a face lather. This is one scrubby brush and there was a little prickle in it as well so for me it wasn't the most comfortable of new brushes on my face.

The handle is a nice colour, solid and very ergonomic. As far as the knot goes it seems no different from Omega's standard knots. Other people have said this is probably a brush for the long haul and you need to have patience and keep using it until it breaks in. Trouble is that I have many brushes that are more comfortable in my collection that I can go with. I have put the 011842 aside for the time being until I decide what to do with it.
Coincidentally, I used mine today for the first time in probably two weeks. I love the scrubby part but I understand those who don't. I never notice prickliness with brushes, at least not the ones I've had experience with. In any event, it performed well (as do all Omegas in time).
 
I bought my Omega "Jade" 011842 ( knot 27mm loft 52mm ) from Connaught a few weeks ago and after 5 lather soaks with Arko the moderate initial stink was gone so I used it for a face lather. This is one scrubby brush and there was a little prickle in it as well so for me it wasn't the most comfortable of new brushes on my face.

The handle is a nice colour, solid and very ergonomic. As far as the knot goes it seems no different from Omega's standard knots. Other people have said this is probably a brush for the long haul and you need to have patience and keep using it until it breaks in. Trouble is that I have many brushes that are more comfortable in my collection that I can go with. I have put the 011842 aside for the time being until I decide what to do with it.
I’ve gotten into the routine of lathering and sitting my new brushes with MWF.

The thought there is to allow the soak in lanolin to soften the bristles
 
I put mine in cold water for a few days (changing the water regularly). Read about the fridge method and tried it but I don't understand why that would work better. I also do a few dishsoap lathers if the boar is stinky but the Connaught Omega and my Semogue SOC Taj were very low to no odor (the SOC had none). The SOC broke in like it was synthetic, the Connaught has taken a bit longer but less than the Omega made Proraso Pro.
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
I’ve gotten into the routine of lathering and sitting my new brushes with MWF.

The thought there is to allow the soak in lanolin to soften the bristles
I was using an Omega shaving cream in the tube and it said it had ingredients for the brush, to soften it. The cream was ok, perhaps better for the brush than my face.
 
I put mine in cold water for a few days (changing the water regularly). Read about the fridge method and tried it but I don't understand why that would work better. I also do a few dishsoap lathers if the boar is stinky but the Connaught Omega and my Semogue SOC Taj were very low to no odor (the SOC had none). The SOC broke in like it was synthetic, the Connaught has taken a bit longer but less than the Omega made Proraso Pro.

I was thinking that putting it in the fridge was mainly to prevent bacteria growth since it would be sitting for a few days (someone can correct me if that's not true). Changing the water regularly would probably accomplish the same thing.
 
I was thinking that putting it in the fridge was mainly to prevent bacteria growth since it would be sitting for a few days (someone can correct me if that's not true). Changing the water regularly would probably accomplish the same thing.
The fridge thing actually came about from a misunderstanding. There was a video with a well-known Italian barber where he said new boar brushes should be soaked in cold water for three days and they would serve you well for many years. In Italian, he meant cold water from the tap. People heard "cold water" as in temperature so the idea of keeping it in the fridge spread from there.

I'm pretty sure just cold tap water is fine. Just change the water every day if you are worried about bacteria buildup. Three days is probably an exaggeration, too, but should not hurt anything.

The Jade boar will take some uses to break in completely. I'd say 25-30 uses before it really comes into its own.
 
The fridge thing actually came about from a misunderstanding. There was a video with a well-known Italian barber where he said new boar brushes should be soaked in cold water for three days and they would serve you well for many years. In Italian, he meant cold water from the tap. People heard "cold water" as in temperature so the idea of keeping it in the fridge spread from there.

I'm pretty sure just cold tap water is fine. Just change the water every day if you are worried about bacteria buildup. Three days is probably an exaggeration, too, but should not hurt anything.

Thanks for the clarification.

I've never done the extended soaking process myself, but instead just do repeated wet/dry cycles (essentially doing test lathers) until it gets to the point where I feel it's acceptable to use. In most cases, I just start using the brush after about 6-10 cycles, although I have one brush that needed a lot more.
 
I used the brush the day I received it and it was fine. Not broken it but quite usable. I'm probably only half a dozen shave in but it performs well if it gets a shower long soak in warm water. It will continue to get better as it's used but it's a nice $20-21 brush IMO.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
The medallion is invisible in my hand.



8-14-21.TimelessSlim.CanadaSS.JadeBoar.640.JPG




But, I like how it looks.

The Jade's an excellent brush once broken in which can take a while.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Eben Stone

Staff member
I soaked mine for 2 days before using it. I don't really care about breaking it in. IMO, it's already nice and usable the way it is now. If it gets softer that's fine, but if not that's okay too.

My Semogues, both boar and horse, didn't have any noticeably animal funk whatsoever. But this thing, when wet, is stanky. I'm leaving it soak over the weekend while I'm out of town. Hopefully some of the stank will be gone when I get back.
 
I soaked mine for 2 days before using it. I don't really care about breaking it in. IMO, it's already nice and usable the way it is now. If it gets softer that's fine, but if not that's okay too.

My Semogues, both boar and horse, didn't have any noticeably animal funk whatsoever. But this thing, when wet, is stanky. I'm leaving it soak over the weekend while I'm out of town. Hopefully some of the stank will be gone when I get back.
I think it's important to change the water often. In any event, I thought it worked OK from day one. I also don't recall to much stink from the get go but I'm too tired to check my previous posts. It's a very nice brush, one way or the other.
 
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