I find most boar brushes, especially those under 24mm, fairly lacking in comparison to 2-band badger knots and certainly tuxedo and other more recent synthetic knots. For me, they don't hold a lot of suds and they disperse it far too quickly.
The Thäter Premium Boar was the worst brush I ever purchased. It didn't explode like yours, but it was the absolute scratchiest knot and REFUSED to break in. Had it re-knotted with a Declaration Grooming B5 and now it's a winner.I don't mind if a brush didn't turn out to be a favorite. I still use some of those sometimes for fun. Those that fall into this category for me are brushes that are or became quickly unusable.
1) Cheap Omega synthetic. I don't remember the model. That was my first brush that I bought from a local supermarket something like 10 years ago. It was shedding 5-6 bristles all the time, so I tossed it away after 6 months and quit the brush and cream routine for the next 9 years.
2) A Shavemac D01 2-band (bulb 26mm, 50mm loft). I found one on sale early on and bought it thinking that it would be a great one for face lathering. It turned out to be extremely stiff and rough on the skin. It didn't improve sufficiently over time so it is permanently out of rotation. It is not bad for someone that looks for these attributes in a brush, though.
And then there is that
3)
View attachment 980911
The Thäter Premium Boar was the worst brush I ever purchased. It didn't explode like yours, but it was the absolute scratchiest knot and REFUSED to break in. Had it re-knotted with a Declaration Grooming B5 and now it's a winner.
Talk about YMMV.4) The Omega 24mm S-brush. Like lathering with a slingshot. Worse purchase than the EJ, despite the very low price. Because at least the EJ i keep using it. The S-brush i take with me only in trips or use it 1-2 times a year.
Talk about YMMV.
I used to wonder how people managed to get lather everywhere. Personally I'd only ever gotten it on my face on the parts I wanted to shave (definitely not in my ears and up my nose).
My favorite synthetic is the Omega S10065 S-Brush, fabulous. I heard great things about their Hi-Brush so I purchased the Omega 46081. I just COULD NOT BELIEVE how bad it was. The tips were like needles and it slung lather EVERYWHERE.
View attachment 981126 View attachment 981127
Exactly.but there were quite a few that were set upside down and rendered it scratchy.
Talk about YMMV.
I used to wonder how people managed to get lather everywhere. Personally I'd only ever gotten it on my face on the parts I wanted to shave (definitely not in my ears and up my nose).
My favorite synthetic is the Omega S10065 S-Brush, fabulous. I heard great things about their Hi-Brush so I purchased the Omega 46081. I just COULD NOT BELIEVE how bad it was. The tips were like needles and it slung lather EVERYWHERE.
View attachment 981126 View attachment 981127
Not afraid, I just don’t like them. (And great photo of my favorite actor of all time! )
I've never had that happen with my S-Brushes... BUT, I love them so much that I sent one out for a nice acrylic handle. When it came back the knot had been set a few millimeters too low and was JUST as you describe. I only used it the once.It's not so much the lather flying, you learn to control that. It's that it's so springy that it won't splay other than on the chin. You need to splay on the chin and keeping it splayed move it up towards the cheeks. If you distract for a moment and let it leave your face, the loft springs back to position and you have to go to chin again.
I've never had that happen with my S-Brushes... BUT, I love them so much that I sent one out for a nice acrylic handle. When it came back the knot had been set a few millimeters too low and was JUST as you describe. I only used it the once.
Omega 11126. Just a turd of a brush. Stunk for months (and still does), floppy, pokey, not-dense, can't hold 2 passes of lather. Good lookin' handle tho.
Imagine that! I don't have the exact model, but the 24x55mm banded knots, are my favourite Omegas. And the ones i got have very little smell. They are not dense, but once broken in, i get 4 passes easily. YMMV for sure.
One man's turd, another man's treasure.
2 on the left: Omegas 24x55.
2 on the right: Semogue 1250 and 1800 (needs more breaking in).
View attachment 981264