Boar brush

S

simmo3801

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1,550
Location
Edinburgh
I currently have a Finest Silvertip brush which is great to use.

I bought a Vulfix 404 Bodger recently to try which I enjoy and it fits easier into some tubs to load.

I have now been drawn to look at boar brushes in particular Semogue. I mainly use creams and tend to bowl lather but I do have the occassional soap and have some Mama Bears on order. Which Semogue boar, or other brand, would you recommend?

I know some will say it's a personal choice but I really only want to buy one to complete my set. I promised myself that I would not collect brushes!!!!!!

I have read reviews of Semogue 1305, 2000 and the Owners Club.

I do like the more modern looking handles as well as the wood :eek:
 
Re the modern handles, I assume you mean the acrylic ones. I tried a Semogue acrylic recently and was hoping I'd like it, as I too like the look of them. In practice I found it quite slippery to hold and the angles felt a bit strange.

I own the Semogue 1305. It's a very good brush and, though it's gone up in price recently, is very good value. I reckon it's worth going for. I've used it with soaps and creams and it doesn't fail to give a decent lather.
 
I've the Semogue 830 and think that it's a cracking brush. It's got plenty of backbone but also really soft tips once it's been broken in. The Owners Club brush does look good though. I don't find the acrylic handle a problem, in fact I find it more comfortable to hold than my ex-Kent and Duke 2. Maybe Pig Cat's got slippier fingers than the rest of us. ;)
 
I had the same itch and ended up going for an Omega 10005 and a Semogue 1480 after reading lots of good things about both. I decided to go for both because they were cheap enough to even though I told myself I wasn't going to buy more than 3 brushes (when the Semogue arrives, I'Il have 7 + 2 travel brushes. But that's it now - no more!).

I also fancied an acrylic handle but they are a bit more expensive and tend to come with sketched bristles. I prefer the look of natural bristles.

I've had the Omega for a week and am really pleased with it. It stank like a pig's arse for a bit but I shampooed and lathered it into submission and it smells like soap now. It lathers better than any other brush I've tried and is soft with loads of backbone. I think it's my favourite brush and it should get better as it breaks in and the ends split.

The only downside is that it takes a couple of days to dry out because it's so dense. Not sure how much that matters (or if it's actually a downside come to think of it!).

The Semogue has yet to arrive but I'm expecting it to be similar, just a bit smaller.

I found this post helpful: -
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Simmo

Don't try too hard to resist collecting brushes. Trying different types of brush from time to time is great fun and very informative. There's some great value among the boars.

I tried a few. If I had to pick just one as my example of a great value boar brush it has to be the Semogue 1305. Out of the box it seems incredibly stiff. But lather it up a few times and it will serve you well. And it really does look good. As if that really matters!

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I have a cheap Omega (that I recently rebuilt - new keyhole handle; it's in my travel kit) and the Semogue 2009 LE. The Semogue is a very high quality boar brush (nice handle, well finished, great hair, and very dense, good loft for a boar), but I still find it to be inferior to a decent badger, at least for my routines and to my taste. IMNSHO, even the best boars cannot do what a decent badger can. Now if you're a face-latherer, especially if you use a soap stick, your appreciation of boars vs. badgers may be completely reversed...
 
Ok thanks everyone. Certainly food for thought! I really like the look of the 1305 handle which would be a pleasant change to the faux ivory of my other 2 brushes. I find my 404 bodger seems to pick up cream or soap very well but as others have said appears to hold on to some of it more than my finest silvertip. I'm not so sure about wooden handles though especially the Semogue Owners one. Unfortunately to me it looks a little understated. It may just be the photo though. The wood wouldn't be a problem as far as soaking though as I stand brushes upright in a mug with just the bristles soaking.

Bugger! I've just read the Omega 10005 thread. Now I have to chose between that and the 1305!!!!
 
Simmo,

Don't know where you located but Paul at Connaught Shaving ( UK ) has great selection of Boars. Otherwise so does Gary at Shoebox Shaveshop ( US ).

Wait a sec you said Semogue? I've 620 and 830 both acrylic handles. The latter uses same hair grade as the famed 1305.

Semogue
2000
White Premium 90% tops mixed with White Super 70% tops

1305 and 830
Banded imitation badger Premium 90% tops

1800
Banded imitation badger Extra 75% tops mixed with Banded imitation badger Premium 90% tops

620 and 1520
Banded imitation badger Extra 75% tops

1250, 1460 and 1470
White Best 90% tops

LE 2009/SOC ( I added these two since SOC was just released mate )
Special Grade Boar

Leon/Bruno's 1st post from top

I took liberty of adding both SOC/LE to Leon/Bruno's list to help you out in future.

BTW the collective boar grade list can be found on any shaving forum site under vendor section for Vintagescent as well as the site with each brush's grade description.

Generally speaking bulbous type brushes are good for face lathering in this case the ( 620 ). While the fan/bell shape-830 is good for bowl lathering. I haven't used both much with any style but face lathering using rotary in conjunction with to and fro motion as I've only given them a test run and I'll post it when I get a chance. Just keep in mind it was pre-mature impression. One thing for sure though the smaller lofted 620 developed lather from cream faster than 830. Take this with talc of Clubman because everyone has different lathering styles as well as skills ( or lack thereof ) just to name one.

I've never thought about this until recently. General advantages in my experience with Bulb/dome brush is that outer bristles would be supporting the inner thus providing nice stiff spine/shaft what people generally call "backbone." Disadvantage is that it may not tackle the bowl well if you are a bowl latherer. In the past I was very much like this. If I'd continued to do so, I would have given up on boar entirely. Since I said to myself "F this I'm gonna try something different and face lather." As such all problems were solved.

Fan-shaped brushes tend to splay more so than bulbous shaped ones. This would be ideal for bowl latherers. Face lathering I found that the outer bristles didn't massage my face the way bulbous one would. Further the bulbous would provide soothing suctioning sensation when you do piston movements on your face if you were working cream in there. Again bear in mind my experience is subjective and vary from one person to the next. We have different perceptions.
 
simmo3801 said:
Ok thanks everyone. Certainly food for thought! I really like the look of the 1305 handle which would be a pleasant change to the faux ivory of my other 2 brushes. I find my 404 bodger seems to pick up cream or soap very well but as others have said appears to hold on to some of it more than my finest silvertip. I'm not so sure about wooden handles though especially the Semogue Owners one. Unfortunately to me it looks a little understated. It may just be the photo though. The wood wouldn't be a problem as far as soaking though as I stand brushes upright in a mug with just the bristles soaking.

Bugger! I've just read the Omega 10005 thread. Now I have to chose between that and the 1305!!!!
Click to expand...

Don't worry about the wood. They actually brought about new handle for 730/730HD in European Ash with a new protective lacquer of some kind. They also employed same treatment with LE/SOC.

The few months or so that I had 1470 ( beech wood ) the quality hasn't degraded. As with any wood you've to be extra careful. What I do is pre-soak it 1/4 from the bristles neck. That silver ring Semogue utilizes isn't just for show, it's designed to keep the knot nice and tight and to also prevent water seeping inside brush.
 
Thanks Ivan, I had read Brunos post so I think I will order a Semogue 1305 as I really like the handle. I generally bowl lather creams which I've now read some people frown upon so I will try face lathering with my 404 mix meantime until the Semogue arrives. It was getting the 404 bodger that got me thinking about boar brushes and when I saw the prices I decided I could afford to try one. I appreciate what Fido has said before in his comparisom of a badger brush being a Lexus and a boar being a Ford Escort. I have owned a number of Fords but couldn't justify the cost of a Lexus! I use a car as a means of getting from A to B. Sometimes whilst towing a horse trailer for SWMBO, carrying a large dog, or filling with bulk feeds / haylage. It works fine for me. I'm lucky enough to own a very good finest silvertip brush but still keen to see what the Fords can do!
 
simmo3801 said:
Thanks Ivan, I had read Brunos post so I think I will order a Semogue 1305 as I really like the handle. I generally bowl lather creams which I've now read some people frown upon so I will try face lathering with my 404 mix meantime until the Semogue arrives. It was getting the 404 bodger that got me thinking about boar brushes and when I saw the prices I decided I could afford to try one. I appreciate what Fido has said before in his comparisom of a badger brush being a Lexus and a boar being a Ford Escort. I have owned a number of Fords but couldn't justify the cost of a Lexus! I use a car as a means of getting from A to B. Sometimes whilst towing a horse trailer for SWMBO, carrying a large dog, or filling with bulk feeds / haylage. It works fine for me. I'm lucky enough to own a very good finest silvertip brush but still keen to see what the Fords can do!
Click to expand...

Simmo,

Who gives a rats bum what other people think? You have to do what makes you feel comfortable. Nevertheless in my experience bowl lathering cream is indeed waste of time for you can use the time working the lather into your face instead. As such I too applied this with soap as well doing piston pumps on bristles and working lather into my face.

I've read Peter's blog before I must've have missed that one. If memory serves I know he tried some Semogues. I don't know what Boar brand he likens the Ford to but my Omega are no such things. After all, no 2 brushes are alike and he must've gotten a bad one from vendor.
My Semogue 1470 was a flaccid brush-a trait that is definite fail for me in any given brush and as such I sold it. Had I known it to be flaccid from the getgo, I wouldn't have squandered $12 that could have gone to another brush-Omega 40033 which is plastic handle and outperforms 1470 in every fashion.
 
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