Show us your boars!

Paul said:
1280px-20160208054949%21Wildschein%2C_N%C3%A4he_Pulverstampftor_%28cropped%29.jpg
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That's one ugly looking Badger
 
Shaved with my Zenith boars: unbleached 10 times, I like it, the brushfeel reminds me of a slightly softer Omega boar, smell almost gone now, shedded a total of 10 hairs, will move knot to better looking and feeling handle, bleached 1 time, on the way to the bin, zero density, spineless when wet, shedded 10 hairs on first and only outing, no smell, knot set with a lower loft would maybe help but overall not sure if it is worth the effort so bin it is.

(no news from TVB or Zenith re 24/22 mm question so not nominating either for a dealer of the year award :) )
 
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Nisse said:
Shaved with my Zenith boars: unbleached 10 times, I like it, the brushfeel reminds me of a slightly softer Omega boar, smell almost gone now, shedded a total of 10 hairs, will move knot to better looking and feeling handle, bleached 1 time, on the way to the bin, zero density, spineless when wet, shedded 10 hairs on first and only outing, no smell, knot set with a lower loft would maybe help but overall not sure if it is worth the effort so bin it is.

(no news from TVB or Zenith re 24/22 mm question so not nominating either for a dealer of the year award :) )
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A shame to hear you found the 24mm knot bleached Zenith wasn't to your liking. The unbleached one seems like an unexpected surprise.
 
Tested removing knot on bleached brush using the same method that worked effortlessly on my Omega boar and Zenith 26 mm boar ie drill a hole, insert screwdriver, tap with hammer, but this time no luck, kracked bottom of handle in wise to inspect and knot is really well glued to sides of handle, need a hacksaw but effort ends here: binned.
 
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Why did Omega brushes all but disappear from the shops here? When I started wetshaving, in the early 80's, you could still find several types easily. Now there's only one shop left that sells Omega boar brushes, and that's only the 10019 with the very cheap hollow handle.

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Pitralon forever - Real pens have a nib - If it doesn't tick, it's not a watch.
 
Obelix said:
As long as it works, fine. However, i have read that the if you don't soak the boar, the boar will start absorbing the water from the lather, as it's just how it works. This can have a slight effect on lather creation, depending how you build it, but depending on what else is dissolved into the lather water, it may damage the boar bristles, making the brush shed or making the bristles stiffer over time. Which given the low price of boars isn't a problem price-wise, but time to break-in a new boar brush is a whole different thing, because you can't buy a pre-broken in brush.

Fortunately i don't have 1st hand experience, just reporting what i have read googling from shaving forums. And at least theoretically, it makes sense. I mean, that the boar bristle has the propery to absorb water and only stops absorbing it when it's saturated. So if you lather it once it's alread saturated, it won't absorb components found into the lather.
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Maybe correct in theory, but in over 30 years I haven't had a brush fall apart due to soaking or not. Bad glue knots yes, but bristles being eaten by absorbing the lather? That would take years by which you probably would want to buy a fresh brush anyway. Besides, the weak spot is the base of the knot, where soap scum collects over the years when you don't rinse properly.

--
Pitralon forever - Real pens have a nib - If it doesn't tick, it's not a watch.
 
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image.jpeg

I have been using my recently acquired Stirling boar and Omega 10290 recently. The Stirling boar has an ergonomic handle which is a real heavyweight, it feels good in the hand. The knot, initially looks similar to many Omega knots, and it may well be, but if it is, in this guise, it certainly does not perform in the same way. It has shed from day one and continues to do so even though it has settled down somewhat. More worringly some of the bristles appear fragile in that they are breaking half-way down their shafts during normal use. Face feel of the knot is good, similar to some Smogs. You feel each bristle but not quite with the same deftness of the best boar knots. I find it splays a little more than I would prefer so consequently it is easy to end up lathering with the bristle shafts rather than the tips of the knot, many Smogs behave in a similar way. I will come back to it for a final try but at the moment it is a miss. The Omega 10290 could not be more different, this is a phenomenal little brush that behaves like a much bigger and certainly more expensive one. If you like your boars scrubby with backbone this will not dissapoint. Unbelievably it easliy holds enougth lather for 3 passes. I am in awe of its performance. This little, inexpensive wonder is for me, just the sweat on the dogs danglies. Absolutely no bristle loss and works straight out of the box. Both knots are billed as 24mm; I think the Omega is probably less than this and the Stirling more than this. The Stirling looks great but the Omega, performance wise, is the better brush by a country mile.
 
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Missoni said:
The Omega 10290 could not be more different, this is a phenomenal little brush that behaves like a much bigger and certainly more expensive one. If you like your boars scrubby with backbone this will not dissapoint. Unbelievably it easliy holds enougth lather for 3 passes. I am in awe of its performance. This little, inexpensive wonder is for me, just the sweat on the dogs danglies. Absolutely no bristle loss and works straight out of the box. Both knots are billed as 24mm; I think the Omega is probably less than this and the Stirling more than this. The Stirling looks great but the Omega, performance wise, is the better brush by a country mile.
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Good to read the Omega 10290 is bringing you some pleasure and it holds enough lather for 3 passes.

On Shoeboxshaveshop it has the 10290 listed as having a 21mm knot, does that seem about right? I've been eyeing up some smaller Omega boar brushes to add to my 24mm 80265 for some variety. I don't know what is it about a good Omega boar brush, they just seem so enjoyable to use.
 
donnie_arko said:
Good to read the Omega 10290 is bringing you some pleasure and it holds enough lather for 3 passes.

On Shoeboxshaveshop it has the 10290 listed as having a 21mm knot, does that seem about right? I've been eyeing up some smaller Omega boar brushes to add to my 24mm 80265 for some variety. I don't know what is it about a good Omega boar brush, they just seem so enjoyable to use.
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...I would guess 21mm for the 10290 is about right, I would not usually have purchased a knot this size, but I am sure it was described as a larger knot elsewhere. In any event I find it a winner and I agree with you that good Omega brushes are enjoyable to use...
 
Missoni said:
View attachment 31957

I have been using my recently acquired Stirling boar and Omega 10290 recently. The Stirling boar has an ergonomic handle which is a real heavyweight, it feels good in the hand. The knot, initially looks similar to many Omega knots, and it may well be, but if it is, in this guise, it certainly does not perform in the same way. It has shed from day one and continues to do so even though it has settled down somewhat. More worringly some of the bristles appear fragile in that they are breaking half-way down their shafts during normal use. Face feel of the knot is good, similar to some Smogs. You feel each bristle but not quite with the same deftness of the best boar knots. I find it splays a little more than I would prefer so consequently it is easy to end up lathering with the bristle shafts rather than the tips of the knot, many Smogs behave in a similar way. I will come back to it for a final try but at the moment it is a miss. The Omega 10290 could not be more different, this is a phenomenal little brush that behaves like a much bigger and certainly more expensive one. If you like your boars scrubby with backbone this will not dissapoint. Unbelievably it easliy holds enougth lather for 3 passes. I am in awe of its performance. This little, inexpensive wonder is for me, just the sweat on the dogs danglies. Absolutely no bristle loss and works straight out of the box. Both knots are billed as 24mm; I think the Omega is probably less than this and the Stirling more than this. The Stirling looks great but the Omega, performance wise, is the better brush by a country mile.
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I've only heard bad things about this Stirling brush, another poster said his is still shedding after a month. I don't think I will get one now. On the other hand omega boar knots are better than any other. Yes that includes semogues I really don't like semogue boars, they are either to stiff or splay terribly where as omega knots just get split ends naturally and are softer on the face than others in my opinion.
Mind you I am an omega super fan (no pun intendad)
 
Oomer said:
I've only heard bad things about this Stirling brush, another poster said his is still shedding after a month. I don't think I will get one now. On the other hand omega boar knots are better than any other. Yes that includes semogues I really don't like semogue boars, they are either to stiff or splay terribly where as omega knots just get split ends naturally and are softer on the face than others in my opinion.
Mind you I am an omega super fan (no pun intendad)
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...it is a shame about the Stirling; I suspect their supplier has let them down and/or their QC is not up to scratch...
 
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