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I've been wet shaving since the 1960's and had a few brushes including decent badger ones like a Simpson's Duke which sits redundant.

My current brush is an Omega Boar Bristle No.49 cost £7.80 from Connaught. Good for soaps and creams and has some body,
Best of the lot.
I've been wet shaving since the 1960's and had a few brushes including decent badger ones like a Simpson's Duke which sits redundant.

My current brush is an Omega Boar Bristle No.49 cost £7.80 from Connaught. Good for soaps and creams and has some body,
Best of the lot.
My Simpson Eagle 2 badger brush started shedding really badly one day so I pulled out my unused Omega No 49 from the box and I could not believe how great brush it is.
It produced incredible amount of great quality lather and did not shed even single hair. I'm very impressed!
 
As a relatively new safety razor shaver I admit I struggle to understand people's obsession with brushes. I have a Yaqi rainbow synthetic and it works brilliantly with creams and soaps :unsure:.
 
Years ago few people would have access to the finest Badger brushes, and the handles of those would have been very utilitarian, nothing like today's offerings.I do like the Two Badgers that I have, but I still have great Shaves with cheap boats and synthetics.
 
As a relatively new safety razor shaver I admit I struggle to understand people's obsession with brushes. I have a Yaqi rainbow synthetic and it works brilliantly with creams and soaps :unsure:.

Of the brushes I've gathered over the years (maybe around 10, which isn't as many as some others have acquired) I've found myself pretty much exclusively using the Yaqi Rainbow for the last few weeks, I think it's difficult to get a bad lather with the brush.

However, a good broken in Omega is a delight to use and even though I've been using synths largely recently, I'm sure I will find my way back to using boar brushes - it seems to be a cycle of mine!
 
I last used a boar brush about 1967.
Then just rubbed Palmolive shave stick directly on to wet face, and hand lathered ('Arrgghhhh, we was tuff back then'...in best Pirate voice).
Now only use Yaqi synthetics, and yes, the 26mm Rainbow Pony Knot is a favourite.
I have 4 other Yaqi's as I'm being prepared in case there ever is a brushpocalypse. Man can't be too careful when it comes to things like that.
 

Omega... I've tried many from the entry level 10066 & 49 right up to the high end (for a boar) 011829, They were all stiff and scratchy apart from the most expensive one which was also floppy due to a severe lack of density lol. If you like thick bristles which provide an aggressive massage and don't mind massive glue bumps and cheap hollow plastic handles they may be acceptable.

For boars I much prefer Zenith and Semogue, who are just as inexpensive as Omega yet offer much higher quality brushes IMO.
 
Omega... I've tried many from the entry level 10066 & 49 right up to the high end (for a boar) 011829, They were all stiff and scratchy apart from the most expensive one which was also floppy due to a severe lack of density lol. If you like thick bristles which provide an aggressive massage and don't mind massive glue bumps and cheap hollow plastic handles they may be acceptable.

For boars I much prefer Zenith and Semogue, who are just as inexpensive as Omega yet offer much higher quality brushes IMO.

I suppose that is the peculiarities of personal preference. I find the Semogues suffer from disappearing lather and they become floppier much quicker than other boars - that and the construction of their knots which are glued into a conical cup to make them splay - excessively so. The face feel though is excellent from the fatter bristle that they seem to source. Zenith bleached boars use a much finer hair but are lofted too high and feel like a mop - their unbleached boars are very good though. Now a short-lofted Omega's on the other hand hits the goldilocks spot. In any event I find boars are a disposable brush in that they hit their peak for about 6-12 months after being broken in and then become increasingly mushy there after. But when a boar is at its peak and being the best it can be :) - just tremendous.
 
I suppose that is the peculiarities of personal preference. I find the Semogues suffer from disappearing lather and they become floppier much quicker than other boars - that and the construction of their knots which are glued into a conical cup to make them splay - excessively so. The face feel though is excellent from the fatter bristle that they seem to source. Zenith bleached boars use a much finer hair but are lofted too high and feel like a mop - their unbleached boars are very good though. Now a short-lofted Omega's on the other hand hits the goldilocks spot. In any event I find boars are a disposable brush in that they hit their peak for about 6-12 months after being broken in and then become increasingly mushy there after. But when a boar is at its peak and being the best it can be :) - just tremendous.

Absolutely, it's entirely down to personal taste. Though by the sound of it there is significant variation between brushes from the same manufacturer as your description of Semogue and Zenith brushes does not match my own experience, perhaps down to our own perceptions and expectations as well as taste.
 
I suppose that is the peculiarities of personal preference. I find the Semogues suffer from disappearing lather and they become floppier much quicker than other boars - that and the construction of their knots which are glued into a conical cup to make them splay - excessively so. The face feel though is excellent from the fatter bristle that they seem to source. Zenith bleached boars use a much finer hair but are lofted too high and feel like a mop - their unbleached boars are very good though. Now a short-lofted Omega's on the other hand hits the goldilocks spot. In any event I find boars are a disposable brush in that they hit their peak for about 6-12 months after being broken in and then become increasingly mushy there after. But when a boar is at its peak and being the best it can be :) - just tremendous.

I've not used any Semogues but your observations of bleached and unbleached Zeniths fits with mine, I really wish their unbleached ones were a little easier to get hold off as they are truly delightful to use.
I've owned quite a few Omega boars and they are incredibly variable for consistency. Even though I have enjoyed using them all at times, I don't think I'd buy another one.
 
I've not used any Semogues but your observations of bleached and unbleached Zeniths fits with mine, I really wish their unbleached ones were a little easier to get hold off as they are truly delightful to use.
I've owned quite a few Omega boars and they are incredibly variable for consistency. Even though I have enjoyed using them all at times, I don't think I'd buy another one.

Jose from Yourshaving should be able to order-in Zenith unbleached if you drop him an email...
 
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I have 4 omegas... They are "Brushes" they do the job!, No regrets with any of them, how long do you use a brush for..1 minute..2 ?...they are not imo a make or break of a shave. I have a couple of nice best badger that I feel are too soft, I like a scritchy brush and a big omega does that, also lathers any soap no problem while the softer brushes take a lot longer to create a lather on a triple milled soap, I have around 10 or 12 brushes ( waiting on a Simpson ) and I keep going back to the big "O", maybe it just suits me coz I tend to shave with a 3 day growth, but if i'm shaving after one or two days then I do prefer a softer brush, with numerous razors and soaps and brushes...I like to mix it up.
 
I have 4 omegas... They are "Brushes" they do the job!, No regrets with any of them, how long do you use a brush for..1 minute..2 ?...they are not imo a make or break of a shave. I have a couple of nice best badger that I feel are too soft, I like a scritchy brush and a big omega does that, also lathers any soap no problem while the softer brushes take a lot longer to create a lather on a triple milled soap, I have around 10 or 12 brushes ( waiting on a Simpson ) and I keep going back to the big "O", maybe it just suits me coz I tend to shave with a 3 day growth, but if i'm shaving after one or two days then I do prefer a softer brush, with numerous razors and soaps and brushes...I like to mix it up.

I am currently loving a Goodfella Wild Hog which is an Omega 49 set at a slightly lower loft...wonderful brush...
 
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