Brush of the day

Top of the morning to ya! Post pics and descriptions of your daily shaving gear and accessories!
brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

Yesterday I received a new Omega 80005 boar brush through Amazon and used it for the first shave this morning. It's smaller 25mm x 53mm than the massive Semogue 30mm x 60mm 2000. Their respective handles are very similar in dimension and both are made of wood. The compact but efficient Omega brush did a very acceptable job of giving up tons of rich thick lather with the tallow AOS Sandalwood soap.
Last edited by brothers on Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Re: Omega 80005 boar

Post by brothers »

This humble little brush is new to me, and I'm pleased to have it. In time it may become one of my favorites.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Re: Semogue SOC boar

Post by brothers »

Today was the first actual face-lathering with my new Semogue Owner's Club boar. It did a great job, which was to be expected. I'm happy to have it. I usually use a new brush for a few weeks to become familiar with it. I'll be using AOS creams until the first of January, then I'll be switching back to soaps for a few weeks. This will give me a lot of time to enjoy both the Semogue and the Omega before I start missing the synthetic SilkSmoke - my G.O.A.T. :D
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Re: A pair of boars - Zenith B15 and Omega 80005

Post by brothers »

I'm starting out the new year with a two brush rotation consisting of the Omega and the Zenith.
Their attractive wooden handles are similar in size and shape. Their bristles are different. The Omega knot is stiffer and slightly prickly. The bristles of the Zenith are softer and very comfortable on the face. Of the two, Zenith is tops in style and performance, and the Omega will be OK in a two brush rotation, at least for the time being.
Two boar brush rotation 010221.jpg
Two boar brush rotation 010221.jpg (786.38 KiB) Viewed 6773 times
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Re: SilkSmoke synth & homemade soap

Post by brothers »

SOTD 010521 SilkSmoke and homemade soap.jpg
SOTD 010521 SilkSmoke and homemade soap.jpg (742.53 KiB) Viewed 6756 times
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

SOTD 010121 Zenith and homemade soap.jpg
SOTD 010121 Zenith and homemade soap.jpg (1 MiB) Viewed 6691 times
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Best of the Best brushes 012421

Post by brothers »

I love using these outstanding brushes. I have kept a few others for sentimental reasons but these three brushes are definitely the most suitable for my daily use. It took me about twelve years of skipping around with scores of others (most of them sold to new owners now) so you see this is not a passing fancy. These are quality everyday workhorses of the highest order. Notice the similar dimensions in shape and size. Handles of olive wood, blood wood, and plexi. Zenith, SilkSmoke, and Thater. Boar, synthetic, and badger. All of them are lather masters with feather-soft bristles that can lather soap and cream in the bowl, on the soap, or on the face with equal results and no hogging. This makes a solid rotation group with a couple of days rest for drying.
Best of the Best brushes 012421.jpg
Best of the Best brushes 012421.jpg (896.71 KiB) Viewed 6576 times
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

Thater brush full bloom.jpg
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Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

The more I use the Elite Manchurian White brush, the more I am impressed.
Always soft on the face, and doesn't hog the plentiful lather it creates when the soap stick requires building the lather on the face.
Manchurian Rooney SOTD 04Nov2018.jpg
Manchurian Rooney SOTD 04Nov2018.jpg (200.94 KiB) Viewed 5208 times
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

Zenith boar today. In my hands, the boar works much better with creams rather than soaps.
Specifically, The boar/soap lather is simply too thin and watery for my personal tastes.
The boar feels very soft, but seems to excel with creams.
Slick, yes, just not the consistency I prefer.
From now on, the soaps will be handled by the badger and synthetic brushes.
SOTD 010121 Zenith and homemade soap.jpg
SOTD 010121 Zenith and homemade soap.jpg (1 MiB) Viewed 5039 times
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
Posts: 21514
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

The Zenith boar never left my little 4-brush rotation. Soaps or creams, it makes no difference to me which brush comes up. :D Also, over the past 5 or 6 months the Elite Manchurian White finest has earned a solid place in the best of my everyday workhorse brushes.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

Made-Rite Finest.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
LouisIII
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by LouisIII »

How are you doing in here Gary :D

That Zenith boar is new to me, looks like a quality boar, is itbseen as similar quality to the highly rated omega and semogues?
~ Infusing the irreducibly quotidian with sensual pleasure ~
brothers
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

SynBad mesquite burl brush 13OCT2018 (3).jpg
SynBad mesquite burl brush 13OCT2018 (3).jpg (28.15 KiB) Viewed 3351 times
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

LouisIII wrote: Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:27 pm How are you doing in here Gary :D

That Zenith boar is new to me, looks like a quality boar, is itbseen as similar quality to the highly rated omega and semogues?
Louislll, sorry I failed to respond to your question earlier. Yes, in my experience with all three of these boars (Omega, Semogue, and Zenith) Zenith was clearly equal to the others when it comes to quality of build, and clearly superior in performance, face feel, durability, and lather build. However, side by side, one by one, through several weeks, the Zenith was my clear favorite.

I should not fail to mention something else about these three specific boar brushes. In my hands, all 3 of the boars perform very well (equal to badger) in lathering shaving creams, while all 3 boars were repeatedly out-performed by any and all of the badger brushes when it came to using hard triple milled shaving soaps. Just a fact of life! It is what it is.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
LouisIII
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Location: European Union

Re: Brush of the day

Post by LouisIII »

Oh I agree, you can't go wrong with a decent boar. Good that there's another new (well, new to me) brand that's supplying them.
~ Infusing the irreducibly quotidian with sensual pleasure ~
brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

I'm finding myself using the Zenith boar brush more often than just periodically. I'm doing this for one reason: the boar excels with shaving cream, and I'm using D.R. Harris creams according to my shaving schedule for the next two weeks. This is a good thing!
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

Today's brush was the old Made Rite handle with Finest badger knot from The Golden Nib. I've been using this brush for 14 years now.
Attachments
Made Rite Finest brush.JPG
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Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
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Re: Brush of the day

Post by brothers »

SOTD 010121 Zenith and homemade soap.jpg
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Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
CMur12
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Location: Moses Lake, Washington, USA

Re: Brush of the day

Post by CMur12 »

Hi All -

My shaving soaps (artisan, Valobra Shave Stick, Valobra-made AoS) are "hard" soaps, but they are not "triple milled." Mitchell's Wool Fat is another well known hard soap that isn't milled. (I believe Valobra quadruple-mills their bath soaps, but they don't mill their shaving soaps.) Perhaps that is why I don't experience the advantage to badger over boar with these soaps.

What I have noticed is that when I lathered in a bowl, I slightly preferred badger to boar, though I used both.
When I switched to lathering on top of the cake of soap, I got better results with boar. Now I use my Semogue 1305 almost exclusively.

- Murray
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