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Semogue 1305

Pros: Cheap
Well Made
Vintage Look
Cons: Long Break in
So this brush will take you anywhere from two to three weeks to break in. What I did is when I came home I just did a later up with it on my hand about three times then clean and let sit until the next day. About 2.5 weeks in and you can see the split ends. It performs exceptionally well and maintains that strong backbone so many look for. I'm glad that I bought this brush. Don't buy as your only brush due to the break on period.
Price
5.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
5.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
3.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
3.00 star(s)
An outstanding, low cost brush, that whips up a thick, creamy lather, regardless of the shaving soap I am using.

Heartily recommend it to my fellow DE shavers.
Price
5.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
5.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
5.00 star(s)
Latherability
5.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Pros: Great tolather with
I started by washing the brush with dish-soap, then doing test lathers. It never had a skunky smell when it got wet.

The brush was very easy to break in, and now I have to say it makes the some of best lather of all my brushes.

I use it for cream and soaps, both bowl and face lathering, and it works every time.

I have always soaked it a few minutes in warm tap water. You do need to use it differently with different soaps/creams (amount of water retained at the beginning etc will vary)

I find that it is better to lather my face with than the badgers I have. It has more backbone, which makes painting on the lather easier.

The handle is easy to hold when whipping up the lather. I have had no issues with paint fading or chipping after 5 months of use.

I would have liked to have the name engraved in, rather than using a sticker.
Price
3.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
4.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
5.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
5.00 star(s)
Pros: Excellent price, excellent ergonomics, soft tips after break in
Cons: Just takes time to break in
This was my first boar brush and initially I was disappointed as I wasn't aware the brush needed time to break in. After using it for test lathering and as part of my routine for several weeks it's starting to soften and feel very nice. It's firm but yet getting soft in the tips and it feels great on my face. For the price it's a really nice brush.
Price
5.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
5.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Pros: Works great making lather
Cons: It fell apart after 2 weeks of use
My rating may be unfair but I'm basing it on the fact that it fell apart on me with only 2 weeks of use. I can probably epoxy it back together but I don't think a new brush should be falling apart after 2 weeks. I've read many glowing reviews on the 1305 (why I got it). I've also noticed that the outer bristles flare out a good bit away from the bundle.

On the positive side, the 1305 tended to make lather quicker and a bit easier. I also liked the stiffness of the bristles. Firm but soft. Probably much nicer if broken in.
Price
4.00 star(s)
Density
3.00 star(s)
Quality
1.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
4.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
3.00 star(s)
Pros: Works well, looks good
Cons: Donut hole
This was my second boar brush, and my first Semogue. It broke in quickly (I soaked it every other day for a couple of weeks before using it), and it works well. It exhibits a pronounced donut hole, though. This doesn't seem to interfere with how well it works, but it's kind of distracting.
Price
3.00 star(s)
Density
3.00 star(s)
Quality
3.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
4.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
3.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
2.00 star(s)
Pros: great price, very attractive brush
Cons: brush handle scuffs easy depending on shave bowl
one of the most attractive brushes I have. love the vintage look, very soft as far as boar goes and great lather. probably the best boar I have come across.
Price
4.00 star(s)
Density
3.00 star(s)
Quality
3.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
3.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
2.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
5.00 star(s)
Pros: Good price/quality ratio
This is a great brush. I use Mama Bear Soaps with this and it lathers just fine.
I find that this is probably one of the better brushes you can buy if you keep price in mind.

I regret not getting a stand for this brush though as some of the hairs have bent backwards from just standing the brush on its back.
Price
0.00 star(s)
Density
0.00 star(s)
Quality
0.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
0.00 star(s)
Latherability
0.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
0.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
0.00 star(s)
Terrific brush...lathers well...very soft...splays nicely. Boar is affordable as always. More dense than my Omegas, great handle.

Very nice brush.
When a lot of people like something, I usually worry - see Britney Spears. This is one case where the popularity is deserved. The 1305 is worth all the good things that people say about it.

I have two complaints. 1: I really dislike boar hair that is painted to look like badger! For the first few lathers, you will notice a hint of black dye in your lather. That being said, this happens to the best of boar brands. :angry: 2: The Semogue name is slapped onto the handle with a tacky sticker. I wish this was lazer etched like the Semogue Owners Club brushes, or simply written on like some of the Omegas. No, you can't just pull the sticker off.

Back to the good - the tops are soft and there is plenty of backbone, especially considering that this is a 55mm loft. Truly a great performer. :thumbup:

It seems like they have sorted out the problems with the paint. Mine is hard and flawless after about 3 months use.
Price
5.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
5.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
5.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
My first brush was an herban cowboy boar bristle, and man was it horrible!!! The bristles were glued in and I told myself I would never use boar again once I discovered badger!! I started reading here some people swear by boar bristle so I decided to do my homework on what I was missing. I finally ran across this brush, and the reviews and look were enough to make me buy it!! Cool vintage handle, nice stiff 55mm bristle loft. Some people say floppy, but not that way for me (may be a little floppy for face latherers but still completely manageable). The bristles are super soft right out of package, and mine wasn't stinky at all like some boars. Give it a nice soak (try not to soak the handle too much) before your first go and the brush will break in after a few shaves. Builds up lather great. The brush isn't super dense towards the middle, but I've noticed that is the design with some boars and doesn't seem to take away from performance at all. Be careful not to drop because the paint will chip. My brush came with a few bubbles in the paint and I've heard of some people having problems with that too. All in all, if you don't trust a boar brush, you don't know what your missing, and at $26, you can't go wrong. Get them here if none left at vintage scents:

http://www.fendrihan.com/semogue-1305-superior-boar-bristle-shaving-brush-p-884.html
Price
5.00 star(s)
Density
3.00 star(s)
Quality
3.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
4.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
3.00 star(s)
I just got into boar a couple of months ago by trying the Omega Pro, and boy was I impressed!:001_smile

I received my Semogue 1305 in the mail a less than two weeks ago, and let it soak in soapy water overnight in order to get rid of the "wet pig" smell.

Unlike the Omega which still has remnants of the smell even after two months, there is no smell on the Semogue.

It's very nice brush, and I've been using it exclusively since I got it. My fancy, expensive badgers interest me less and less as each day goes by, and the Omega sits there though I still feel affection towards it. The Semogue is definitely the new star in the bathroom.
Very nice backbone, scrubby without being scratchy.
I've never suffered from BAD, but these boars might infect me.:thumbup1:
Price
5.00 star(s)
Density
5.00 star(s)
Quality
5.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
5.00 star(s)
Latherability
5.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
5.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
5.00 star(s)
Linux's experience above is unfortunate. But if you think you'll like this brush, I wouldn't let it put you off.

The paint issues were limited to a bad batch, and it's been well covered on another forum. I asked Leon the vendor before buying, and he assured me there were no re-occurances since. I've no issues with this brush, and don't mind wooden handles at all.

I have 2 other Semogues, the SOC and 620. This fits between the two for size, and I find it an ideal blend of softness and backbone. The SOC really softens up a lot and this won't suit some people, as it's a pretty large brush.

The 1305 was very pokey during break in, has softened nicely, but is retaining more backbone than the SOC.

Great lather, easily built. I find this takes more cream for 3 passes than other brushes, but that may change as it goes on.
I've been using this brush for between one and two months now after finally giving up my dispute over its quality with the now defunct Shaving Essentials. I have been both very pleased and utterly disappointed by this brush, due to it's ability to work so wonderfully while falling apart at its seams.

This brush has a beguiling polarity of quality that I cannot reconcile when imagining its manufacture. Half the brush is falling apart while the other gets better and better with each use. Let me say that the knot in this brush, that is its bristles, is a pleasure to rub across my mug due to its perfect balance of feathery tips and stiff suspension. The handle, on the other hand, is of a quality I'd have expected from a Chinatown knock-off. When delivered, the handle had several cosmetic flaws which continue to worsen and the number of which continues to grow.

Issues-

Firstly, there is a good sized chip taken out of the bottom of the brush in the white, through which the color of beechwood can seen through the very thin layer of green paint that still clings to it. On either side is a chip of paint missing, exposing the wood in the handle, and when delivered the area around the sticker was covered in what I can only imagine was sticker goo caked with dirt. On the bottom there are many spots where micro-bubbles popped in the paint, though I don't really consider these flaws, but an inevitable part of the painting process. Having used the brush, but having never submerged the brush in water past its metal ring, and rarely sinking it past its faux badger band, I was surprised when there developed a strip of paint now missing around the ring while paint is being warped and cracked, from what appears to be water damage originating from under the paint. Having never put the handle in water, the moisture, I assume, must originate in the knot. The last area of damage, for now, is a hole in the paint which appeared while I ran my fingernail through the center groove trying to remove what looked like caked on lather. It turned out to be a fleck of paint and the paint collapsed where a paint bubble had been. All of this can be seen in the attached photos, though some may be difficult to see such as the paint warping.

Point by point:

Price-
Compared to other boar brushes this one cost a fair bit at around $18 with shipping. This is well within range of many other brushes, but is by no means a steal.

Quality-
See above. While the quality of the knot is stupendous the handle is nothing short of crap.

Density-
The knot on this brush is a little on the light side. From the get-go I felt that this brush was slightly too sparse, which I feel is why the 830 offers the same knot with 10% more bristles. Overall the feel is very nice, but could be added to with the inclusion of some more bristles.

Stiffness of Tips-
The bristles in this brush balance extremely well between holding shape and giving way for a truly pleasant brushing experience

Softness of Tips-
This is the only category in which I'd rank this brush superior to my Omega. The tips on this brush have softened so well that I am contemplating trying to save the knot while killing the handle somehow. The ends split exceptionally well which I believe is a product of their treatment before shipping, which makes the brush smell wonderful I might add.

Ergonomic-
Overall it has a nice shape, though it may be a little small and was slightly awkward to begin with.

Latherability-
Due to the splaying of the tips, this brush lathers beautifully, and the stiffness of it allows for proper use with any soap or cream.

Conclusion-
For the price, one could easily get another brush of far higher quality. While I enjoy using it for its softness, it is definitely was not worth what I paid, given that the handle will likely disintegrate. If you, or someone you know, is thinking of buying a brush, and must have a Semogue, stay away from the painted handles, and preferably wooden handles all together. I'd suggest, instead the 830 with its denser knot and acrylic handle, or avoiding the brand completely and buying an Omega which has been my workhorse for about 8 months with zero issues and excellent performance.
Price
3.00 star(s)
Density
3.00 star(s)
Quality
1.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
4.00 star(s)
Latherability
5.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
This brush is the same as the 1800 except for the finish of the handle. I have compared it 13 other brushes at <http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1991663#post1991663>
Price
4.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
5.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
4.00 star(s)
Latherability
3.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
5.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
This brush is my second boar and it is quite fantastic. Very reliable, not stiff on the face but stiff enough to pick up a lot of soap on a puck. After it becomes broken in it is very gentle and quite dependable. Price wise it is okay. A little bit more than some other options but definitely worth it.
Price
3.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
4.00 star(s)
Latherability
3.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
I have had my 1305 for 8 months and used it at least 3 times a week since I got it. This is a work horse of a brush that can tackle and make a first class lather out of anything that I throw in front of it. I predominantly face lather soaps, it can bowl lather equally as well. Every boar enthusiast should have at least one!

I gets all 10's and thoroughly deserves them IMO.
Price
5.00 star(s)
Density
5.00 star(s)
Quality
5.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
5.00 star(s)
Latherability
5.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
5.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
5.00 star(s)
One of my favourite looking brushes from the Semogue range. Nice stand out colour combination and really stands out in my cabinet. Takes a while to break in but once it is it works exceptionally well with soaps.
Price
4.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
5.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
I heard some murmurings about this brush on the boards and decided to take a chance and purchased from Vintage Scent online. I was a bit put off on the lag time from order to delivery (eleven days) but the brush has proven to be worth the wait. The boar hair had an initial "peppery" scent to it that I did not find objectionable, in fact I'd like to see an A/S or cologne made with that scent

I like the two tone painted handle, gives it an old world flavor. Ergonomically, the shape of the handle rocks!. Exceptional grip allows you to make use of the stiffer nature of the boar bristles to make some lather. See this thread, http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=119161, post #13 for pic of my 1305 making meringue off a round of VDH Deluxe in its first use!.

Bristle tips are surprising soft for boar and after several cycles, I can see the tips starting to split which means even better results are to come.

Some smal negative points;
1)actual finish of the handle is uneven either due to paint application or the wood itself, 2) water in mug discolors after soak, making me think a dye is releasing from the bristles. Neither of these are deal breakers as this brush has a great price/value point, only a few dollars more than the mediocre Tweezerman most of us buy from Amazon initially. Highly recommended.
Price
5.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
5.00 star(s)
Latherability
4.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
D
This is by far the best boar bristle brush I have used. I like the van der Hagen brush, but this 1305 outperforms and completely outclasses it. I am very happy to report that after a couple months of use the handle has held up perfect (I don't normally like wood handle brushes as wood and water don't get along).

Don't miss this thing, it is a great brush for soap and cream users alike. If you face lather, buy this brush.
Price
4.00 star(s)
Density
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Ergonomic
4.00 star(s)
Latherability
5.00 star(s)
Softness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
Stiffness of Tips
4.00 star(s)
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