Are there different versions ("finest" vs "silvertip") of the Semogue 2015 HD badger brush?

[Hentrox]

A local (New Zealand) retailer sells a Semogue 2015 HD "silvertip" badger brush. Link: Semogue 2015HD Silvertip Shaving Brush - https://fineshave.co.nz/products/semogue-2015hd-silvertip-shaving-brush

Whereas, Australian retailer Ozbarber sells one listed as "Semogue 2015 HD Finest Badger Shaving Brush", which states in the description that it has finest badger hair. Link: Semogue 2015 HD Finest Badger Shaving Brush - https://ozbarber.com/products/semogue-2015-hd-silvertip-badger-shaving-brush

I called up and asked Ozbarber about this recently but I was left a bit uncertain. The employee seemed to claim that the 2015 HD finest they sell and the 2015 HD "silvertip" (which is sold all around the world) were one and the same brush and that the retailers that listed it as a silvertip brush were infact wrong, and that it is actually a finest brush (yes, I know those labels/terms in it of themselves mean very little/nothing, but in this context, there must be reason why Ozbarber sells it as a finest badger brush, while every other retailer I could find on the internet, sells it as a 2015 HD "silvertip"). Another strange thing is that if you look under picture, on the product page on Ozbarbers website, there are some words that look they aren't meant to be showing (like coding or something), which say "title="SEMOGUE 2015 HD SILVERTIP BADGER SHAVING BRUSH - Ozbarber">.

The reason why I ask all this is because I'm after a soft badger brush (Semogue SOC 2-band was too harsh for me), and even after AUD to NZD conversion, and international shipping, I could save a meaningful amount of money buying it from Ozbarber instead of Fineshave (especially if Ozbarber has a 10% off sale - which they do periodically). I read on some forum posts on here that the 2015 HD silvertip was noticably/significantly softer than the SOC 2-band.

Thanks!

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I have no experience of the brush you mention but I do have four Semogue brushes which are definitely Finest grade and they are two band knots with significant backbone, and some scrub. I would not describe them as soft, but very close indeed to Simpson Manchurian. I have always assumed that all Semogue Finest brushes are two band.

Looking at the brushes you mention, they both look to me to be three band brushes and I suspect they are both the same Silvertip knots, although I note that the dimensions appear different on the two sites. I would expect them to have a softer face feel than two band Finest.

 

[NorthernSoul]

I have a Semogue SOC with the Finest knot. Personally, I prefer this knot over something softer. It is not harsh, just has some backbone to it. Maybe look at the Semogue catalog online to see if there is a distinction with the Silvertip.

 

[Flanders]

After reading your post last night, this morning I did some research at US resellers. I did find one labelled as Finest and the rest call it Silvertip, but they all show the same brush. Some don't look like stock images which would give them more value. Finest has always designated the 2 band hair so I don't know why some are calling it that. I wouldn't want to bet on what you will receive, but I haven't yet found one that actually has the 2 band hair.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Here is the 2015 Silvertip (22mm/55mm loft) compared with SOC Finest (24mm/53mm loft). It seems to be a different type of knot. Being smaller, with higher loft, it should have less backbone. There is also a 2015HD (high density) version.

 

[helicopter]

If I understand correctly, the permanent lineup only has two brushes in the 22mm C3 Finest Badger, a Gallahad and a Torga. It's too bad there isn't one in a nice cherry handle or a C3 22mm Pharos handle.