Thread: Semogue........Good brushes !

Each has his own expectations of comfort level and performance. Sorry you did not like it.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

Ok, so I can report that I'm not a fan of boar or this brush. First, the brush is a little too small (no fault of the brush itself). And I think its not dense enough. If the bristles would have been any other material, this would be a floppy brush. I didn't care for the feel of it either. Preference, yes. But I obviously don't prefer it. It took all of the luxury out my shave routine today. Maybe it'll break in to be something more enjoyable but I don't think it'll see enough activity to get there. And like I've seen others report, the lather seemed to gather near the knot. I did not like this brush at all. On to something else.

Well OCDshaver - we meet again in agreement.

After my 5th shave with the Semogue 1305, while it has the nice stiffness in a brush that I'm looking for, it's limitations in the lathering department are starting to outweigh the benefits of the stiffness that I was looking for.

I've used five different soaps, and I know how they performed using both my badgers, and the boar just seems to take away so much from the soaps. For me, it degrades the soaps to the point where they are almost indistinguishable between each other. The burst of lather, the thickness of the lather on my face, just aren't there with this brush. For the $20, it was worth the try, and I'm sure I'll pull it out again to use, but for now, it goes in the box with the Kent K-2, and out comes the short and stubby badger I got with my starter kit and first straight razor.

Next up, been on its way from Germany now for a week or so, will be JimmyHAD's recommended Shavemac pure badger, with the 21mm knot and the 48mm loft, and a nice blue marble handle, thinking that's the closest to my first badger and am looking forward to it.

So while as always, experimentation in this great hobby is most of the fun, for now, the boar population is safe from me.

Cheers!

I know this has been said many times but just had to add to the long list of, "I love this brush", posts. I bought one a few months back and it is great, and gets softer each time you use it. Nice size and works up a good lather. "Not only does it look good, it actually works and feels great.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Well OCDshaver - we meet again in agreement.

After my 5th shave with the Semogue 1305, while it has the nice stiffness in a brush that I'm looking for, it's limitations in the lathering department are starting to outweigh the benefits of the stiffness that I was looking for.

I've used five different soaps, and I know how they performed using both my badgers, and the boar just seems to take away so much from the soaps. For me, it degrades the soaps to the point where they are almost indistinguishable between each other. The burst of lather, the thickness of the lather on my face, just aren't there with this brush. For the $20, it was worth the try, and I'm sure I'll pull it out again to use, but for now, it goes in the box with the Kent K-2, and out comes the short and stubby badger I got with my starter kit and first straight razor.

Next up, been on its way from Germany now for a week or so, will be JimmyHAD's recommended Shavemac pure badger, with the 21mm knot and the 48mm loft, and a nice blue marble handle, thinking that's the closest to my first badger and am looking forward to it.

So while as always, experimentation in this great hobby is most of the fun, for now, the boar population is safe from me.

Cheers!

What was wrong with the Kent? I've often wondered how those were but I'm having a hard time coming to grips with the cost of them. I picked up a FS brush about a year ago and my only complaint is the short handle. But otherwise its great. Its a very dense, very soft silver tip. There might be better brushes but this one was about $45. A good value. I took a gamble on a LS off of eBay that hasn't been delivered yet. I'll let you know if its any good. We'll let the hate fest begin on boar, you and I. LOL

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

What was wrong with the Kent? I've often wondered how those were but I'm having a hard time coming to grips with the cost of them. I picked up a FS brush about a year ago and my only complaint is the short handle. But otherwise its great. Its a very dense, very soft silver tip. There might be better brushes but this one was about $45. A good value. I took a gamble on a LS off of eBay that hasn't been delivered yet. I'll let you know if its any good. We'll let the hate fest begin on boar, you and I. LOL

The Kent was just too floppy, I wanted a shaving brush, not a broom to go Curling with! And for the $85.00 outlay, it's done a great job sitting in it's nice leather case in my bathroom.

I have high hopes for this Shavemac, you can actually order the knot size, loft size, and type, i.e., bulb, fan, etc...and then pick your handle shape and color...very cool, and all for about the same price as the Kent.

In the meantime, agreed, I'd hate to be a boar....

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

I have 2 Semogues and began the break in process like this: lather 10 times a day in the palm of your hand. In a few days, you have a primo brush. Semogues are excellent.

Just lathering 10 times a day will not help you to brake in your brush, unless you can fully dry it each time you lather it. All process of breaking in shaving brush is the cycle of making it wet and completely drying it. Semouge 1305 and SOC are on the way from Portugal to Toronto.

My 1305

620 here, and as I have used it, it has bloomed and softened some. Still my "go to" brush for face lathering with hard soaps.

My 830 has broken in nicely and is becoming a lather monster. Here's her pre-bloom pic.

For those of us on this thread who love Boar brushes +1. It's all in what ya like...Glad to hear that 830 is broken in nice. Like the avitar as well .