My boar brush continues to surprise me

I do believe that the handle is important. Both ergonomics as well as how pleasing it looks and to hold. Granted, the quality of the knot is more important, but if you decide you want this a your daily driver, you may want to find someone who will transplant it into a nicer handle--or find a nicer handled boar : ).

I think we're on the same page.  I have a limited edition Simpson brush but I don't like the handle; I find it uncomfortable to hold.  I, therefore, don't use it much.  However, I can use it if I have to.  On the other hand, a bad knot can pretty much make a brush useless, in my opinion.  

The great thing is that with the small merchants we have today, such as here at DFS, we can pretty much get the best of both worlds.  What makes inexpensive boars from the likes of Semogue or Omega so good is that one can get a brush that may not have the sexiest handle but will break in and feel great on the face, lather up a storm, last a very long time with proper care, and allow new wet shavers to know that they made the right choice by giving a traditional brush and soap or cream a chance.  From there, the shaving world is their oyster.

I have a 49 also and really enjoy it. I also have a 48 and 1305. Now that they've broken in, they just seem to get better. The 1305 seems to be finer bristle than the Omegas, don't get me wrong, it works great. However, I seem to prefer the thicker bristles on the omegas. They feel softer and hold a ton of lather.

You should give a Zenith brush a try. Mine is super soft already without being broken in all the way. I prefer it over my Omega boar, probably because it's so much bigger too. Usually Semogues get all the love when talking about boar brushes, but I think Zeniths are underrated.

Thanks, I'll look at them.

Well, yes, boars are fantastic brushes. Is the handle important? Well yes and no. It needs to allow one to grasp the brush, but it doesn't need to be a $30 handle.

Omega for instance makes one heck of a boar brush of many different models and IMO they are dirt cheap, at least some of them. I have an $8 Omega that was pre broken in with a cheap hollow plastic handle on it. It might look scruffy as it sits there dry, but once water hits it it performs flawlessly. Sure there are brushes that are far more expensive, but that $8 Omega does the job, doesn't hurt my face, and if it's the only brush I owned I wouldn't feel at all deprived of quality. It's all about the knot.

I'm a believer in boar brushes and correct IMO, a good brush does not need to be expensive. I bought 130 some odd brushes from a surplus outlet a few years ago (MaineYooper, it was Mardens in WTVL) for $.50 each and those brushes are/were pretty darn good for the price. I still have one in my rotation today. I figured it might last a month or 2, but it's been years. A 50 cent brush!

You should give a Zenith brush a try. Mine is super soft already without being broken in all the way. I prefer it over my Omega boar, probably because it's so much bigger too. Usually Semogues get all the love when talking about boar brushes, but I think Zeniths are underrated.

I don't think that they are underrated so much as not enough people know about them. I've only been importing them since June and Joe has only had them since August. Before then, there were only a handful of places where it was mentioned, usually from European or Australian sources. I started to import the Zenith brushes to make the boars available.

Sure there are brushes that are far more expensive, but that $8 Omega does the job, doesn't hurt my face, and if it's the only brush I owned I wouldn't feel at all deprived of quality. It's all about the knot.

Agreed!

Today I again used the boar brush with a Mystic Water Soap. I have had a challenge getting the technique to lathering that soap, and do well now with a synthetic (also an Omega) and with the badger hair, but the boar seemed to take more work back when I was practice lathering. But this morning, after starting with it damp, all it needed was a bit more water added periodically, and viola! Another superb, bountiful lather that just felt great. Tomorrow I plan to try it on a small sample of a soap and see if I can't get the boar to lather up that as well!

Today I again used the boar brush with a Mystic Water Soap. I have had a challenge getting the technique to lathering that soap, and do well now with a synthetic (also an Omega) and with the badger hair, but the boar seemed to take more work back when I was practice lathering. But this morning, after starting with it damp, all it needed was a bit more water added periodically, and viola! Another superb, bountiful lather that just felt great. Tomorrow I plan to try it on a small sample of a soap and see if I can't get the boar to lather up that as well!

Mystic Water is a great soap!

I have a seven brush rotation - all boars. The 10049 is one of them. Each was chosen for it's unique properties. No two brushes have the same type of knot. Yeah, I like boar brushes.

The Omega 10049 is a fantastic boar brush and at a GREAT price! I have been using them for years and we recently added them to our store. They are great sellers and everyone that has purchased one agrees on 2 things:

1. They are, as you pointed out, a great lathering brush, and
2. They offer great "bang for the buck"!

Enjoy your brush, with proper care, you will be enjoying it for years!