I think I'm disappointed.

bald as

bald as

ARKO! dealer & walking ECG
Joined
May 4, 2015
Location
Adelaide
I waited with anticipation for this brush to arrive. The package arrived from America today.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251556723430?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Please don't get me wrong, this brush lathers and splays nicely and is not rough on the face but it is somewhat like fast food or digital photography. It satisfies momentarily, it gives instant gratification but leaves you wondering why.

It is well made and will last for quite some time. The cost was ok. It has received good reviews but for my mind it is hard to beat the Turkish #6 for performance and value. However that may change after a weeks shaving with it.

I did a comparison lather between Vie Long boar horse passed around by @alfredus that I have and this synthetic and while the lather was similar the feel etc was much more tactile with the Vie long. Different brushes I know just a note of comparison.

At our meet up yesterday @khun_diddy shared his experiences with the larger version of the synthetic and I may be loaning him a couple of SE razors in a couple of weeks so will lend him this brush for his opinion.

Steve
 
How much do you think aesthetics played in forming a decision ?
If, for example, it was a wooden handle and the knot looked like natural hair, do you think that may affect your viewpoint upon it ?
 
Hi @bald as , sorry to hear your disappointment at your latest purchase and I think we all know it's that much worse when you've really looked forward to an item only to have it completely fail to meet your expectations.

Alas from reading your post I'm not surprised and if anything am a lil heartened as you seem relatively happy with the item - just not blown away as you'd hoped.

That brush is a very early generation synthetic and as such it's performance is significantly inferior to the latest generation e.g Plisson, Muhle. I know we spoke about these and I recommended that you consider a synthetic and stated that an Omega Hi-brush would be a good low price option, however the Syntex you got has been out since around 2006-7 and as such vastly different.

Anyway sorry to hear your buy wasn't quite as hoped but don't be put off synthetic brushes as I don't think the Omega in any way reflects their current evolutionary jump in performance. :)
 
borked said:
How much do you think aesthetics played in forming a decision ?
If, for example, it was a wooden handle and the knot looked like natural hair, do you think that may affect your viewpoint upon it ?
Click to expand...

Those are excellent points and they may be an influence but initially the only thing I was looking at was the way the brush performed. It is not pretending to be something it is not. The construction is fine and it will probably last quite some time.

Nick the Knife said:
Alas from reading your post I'm not surprised and if anything am a lil heartened as you seem relatively happy with the item - just not blown away as you'd hoped.
Click to expand...

Probably my expectations in the first instance were unrealistic. I bowl lathered it just for a test this morning and it performed very well. The lather was very well formed and easy to produce.

Like most things after a bit of use my opinion may change. Probably I'm now more neutral than disappointed. :) Many people buy uber expensive brushes and end up not happy. For $20 I can keep it for a once in a while user and not be fussed one way or the other.
 
borked said:
How much do you think aesthetics played in forming a decision ?
If, for example, it was a wooden handle and the knot looked like natural hair, do you think that may affect your viewpoint upon it ?
Click to expand...

Oi, bald as is an SE shaver. He's not that cheap and shallow. But yes, it does look like a cheap tart with too much make up and one bleach too many. Personally I quite like it. It's in your face and not pretending to be anything else. I've always refused to buy 'wanna look like a badger' stained boar brushes.
 
That Omega syntex really looks like their absolute base level boar brushes - which I've had a couple of. These seem to go for around SGD$5-8 at Mustafa's in Little India, Singapore.
The jump up from those brushes to something that costs $10-15 is large. I wouldn't be surprised if Omega have a much better synth brush for not many more $$s
 
bald as said:
My opinion must be changing as I'm almost ready to defend the honour of the lady from the wrong side of town :)
Click to expand...

I agree.
unobtainium81 said:
img_1398.jpg
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This one from unobtaniums collection looks like a lady from the wrong side of town in a tight black dress, with hair that's gone a bit yellow from one too many bleaches and running mascara. A real cougar! I like it!
 
@Pjotr did you liberate gthomas of his meds ?
 
Or a Plisson 12 in European high mountain!
 
Pjotr said:
You bet. We've got a constant stream of interesting and mind altering drugs going back and forth. That's what makes us so happy and simultaneously miserable.
Click to expand...
Indeed, but I am a little concerned with the last lot you sent. My wife says she found me wandering around the house at night, a smile on my face, wearing a butchers apron, carrying my newly sharpened straight muttering, "Blood I must have blood". She says once she had belted me over the head with cast iron frying pan, I settled right down. (Please send more).
 
bald as said:
@eggbert do you have a link please?
Click to expand...
To Mustafas? Their website is a tad disappointing. I just tend to go there for a look around whenever I stop over in Singapore.
It's basically an enormous department store you can buy stuff from cheap shaving gear to 80 inch tv's. Worth it for a look around, but the quality of the shaving gear has gone down a bit over the years I have been going.
 
For those looking for a different synth but still at reasonable pricing, maybe something like this is the way to go. About USD$35 delivered. You could probably buy a few to get that shipping cost amortised.

I hear these may be stocked locally in the near future. Might be worth buying now, maybe worth waiting.
 
OMEGA SYNTEX is the OLD synthetic nylon brush material, the new version in OMEGA is the S series and HI (which is an S with a taller loft). I think they also might have a PRO version too and i have no idea where it sits. S v's Hi, most say the S is softer, the HI was made to be more BORE like, than the lower, softer BADGER style of the S. As other members have said, its not a bad brush, its more BORE like with backbone and stiche ~ some say soaking a SYNTEX in hot water prior to use helps a little to soften the feel of the brush too.
 
I'm sure I have said this before: the Whipped Dog Synthetic for ~35US$ delivered is at the moment IMO the best bang for your buck. Different knot diameters and different loft heights together with very soft, yet not springy hair make it the perfect choice. Add to that the nice handles and the perfect customer service and I really don't see the point of going anywhere else. Still a synth - but at least a useful one ;)
 
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