EJBB or SOC?

[Kirby]

So with Christmas time rolling up I am putting a few upgrades on my wishlist! I'll likely toss the EJ Apothecary Mug on the list because it's one of those things I'd love to have but not so sure I'd want to spend $35 on it.

More importantly, though, I was going to put an upgrade from my Tweezerman on the list and I'm torn between the Edwin Jagger Best Badger or the Semogue Owner's Club. They're both about $35, so price point isn't much of an issue and I've heard nothing but good things about both. Obviously one is badger and the other a boar, but what other differences do they have?

Of course, maybe the answer is to put both on the list and buy whichever one Santa doesn't bring!

 

[MaxJ]

I can't speak for the Edwin Jagger, but the SOC is my daily brush and it's widely considered one of the top, top boars around. Does great with creams and is an absolute beast with soaps, has great lather flowthrough, and feels soft on the face even before it's broken in (which didn't take long for me) but still has a good comforting scrub to it. IMO you're better off asking someone to get you a top of the line boar rather than an entry-level badger.

 

[Vlad]

They're two totally different kinds of brushes, though. Are you sure you've really thought about what you want in a brush?

 

[SubmarinerLV]

They're two totally different kinds of brushes, though. Are you sure you've really thought about what you want in a brush?

+1 they are VERY different 2 totally different animals literally, this alone makes direct comparison and thus succinct and useful advice difficult to dispense. Personally I'd....get both (I know you never saw that one coming) sell the one you don't like on the BST you'll get some good coin back.

Also Vlad did you ever hear from Bernd? I'd be balding right about now if I hadn't heard after all this time, hope everything is resolved.


Regards Grant

 

[Kirby]

I would say I don't know enough about what other, nicer brushes offer over the Tweezerman I've used since January to say what I'm looking for in a brush. I can say what I'm disliking in the Tweez though.

Now that I've gotten better at making nice foam I find that it all either slides down the sides and onto my hand as I'm using, or it gets trapped in the center and doesn't like to come out without a good squeeze.

I have also found that it doesn't pick up much soap during initial lathering. I have to work it over my Puck of Conk's for a good while before it gets loaded. It does alright with the proraso cream though.

Lastly, I have tried face-lathering a couple times but the brush just does not seem to want to scrub. I like bowl lathering just fine but would be nice to give alternatives a fair try.

 

[Vlad]

+1 they are VERY different 2 totally different animals literally, this alone makes direct comparison and thus succinct and useful advice difficult to dispense. Personally I'd....get both (I know you never saw that one coming) sell the one you don't like on the BST you'll get some good coin back.

Also Vlad did you ever hear from Bernd? I'd be balding right about now if I hadn't heard after all this time, hope everything is resolved.


Regards Grant

I haven't heard from him since I finalized my order, but my guess is he has nothing to say until he's ready to ship it. I'll probably inquire if I don't hear from him by the end of the week. If I didn't have a new 1XL--which I'm almost positive will be my favorite brush--to play with I would be going nuts for sure.

 

[SubmarinerLV]

I haven't heard from him since I finalized my order, but my guess is he has nothing to say until he's ready to ship it. I'll probably inquire if I don't hear from him by the end of the week. If I didn't have a new 1XL--which I'm almost positive will be my favorite brush--to play with I would be going nuts for sure.

At least you got your order finalized, I'm almost positive you usually get an "this is your brush are you ok with it email". They are massively overworked at Shavemac right about now from what I hear so it wouldn't surprise me if nothing comes your way, try to stay calm you'll get your brush before you lose a grip on your sanity .

Try not to go too hard on Bernd or you might end up with a package containing: 1 Badger now very grumpy at having been in a box since Germany, thus causing the badger to attempt to register its protest by making a concerted effort at parting you with your crown jewels! 1 handle, some epoxy glue and a note saying "you do it!"

Regards Grant

 

[Vlad]

At least you got your order finalized, I'm almost positive you usually get an "this is your brush are you ok with it email". They are massively overworked at Shavemac right about now from what I hear so it wouldn't surprise me if nothing comes your way, try to stay calm you'll get your brush before you lose a grip on your sanity .

Try not to go too hard on Bernd or you might end up with a package containing: 1 Badger now very grumpy at having been in a box since Germany, thus causing the badger to attempt to register its protest by making a concerted effort at parting you with your crown jewels! 1 handle, some epoxy glue and a note saying "you do it!"

Regards Grant

If it takes until spring I'll still send him a thank you note for the privilege of having his brush. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=176300

 

[SubmarinerLV]

If it takes until spring I'll still send him a thank you note for the privilege of having his brush. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=176300

If the brush arrives after say April I think you may be excused a formal note of thanks and may be allowed merely to email in recognition of your patience! I was joking at the end there and TBH you have been extremely patient and conducted yourself in an exemplary way about the whole thing, loads of guys would have lost it by now(they might not admit it here but they would, trust me). However I am sure the final product will be worth the wait.

Regards Grant

 

[Kirby]

So about those brushes...

 

[Vlad]

Oh, yeah, brushes. Even though I'm a badger guy, the boar guys are really on to something. If I were not already badger-brush crazy, I'd buy the SOC and be done with it and on to soap AD!

 

[tchmango]

The SOC is a nice brush with a decent size handle that you can grip pretty well. I have been on a boar binge for the last month and have stopped using the badgers altogether for now. For the money the SOC is a great brush. The Frank best badger is a great brush in the price range you have in mind. Currently have an EJ boar, SOC, 830, and a Koh I Noor in a barber shop size brush. Lots of choices. Good Luck

 

[Drubbing]

I would say I don't know enough about what other, nicer brushes offer over the Tweezerman I've used since January to say what I'm looking for in a brush. I can say what I'm disliking in the Tweez though.

Now that I've gotten better at making nice foam I find that it all either slides down the sides and onto my hand as I'm using, or it gets trapped in the center and doesn't like to come out without a good squeeze.

I have also found that it doesn't pick up much soap during initial lathering. I have to work it over my Puck of Conk's for a good while before it gets loaded. It does alright with the proraso cream though.

Lastly, I have tried face-lathering a couple times but the brush just does not seem to want to scrub. I like bowl lathering just fine but would be nice to give alternatives a fair try.

No idea on on EJ.

The SOC will take care of any soap you throw at it. A tad big for face lathering for me, but that is all I do with it. It's very very soft for a boar, but still has more bone than my silvertip. So as far as scrub goes, there are scrubbier, lesser lofted boars.

It is a medium sized, dense brush, so you'll need to give it a few weeks to break in. It's a good opportunity to practice lathering.

 

[roboboticus]

Go for the SOC. I have a EJBB as well as a Semogue boar (not a SOC, but an 830). Badger brushes and boar brushes behave quite differently, but can both do a superb job. I feel like the EJBB is a good badger brush, while the Semogue is probably a great boar brush. I say "probably" because I haven't tried a SOC, but it sounds like they're on par with the 830. Plus, I find the EJ's tips to be too prickly.

You mentioned lather either dripping down your hand or hiding in the knot, and I have the same problem, but only with my badger brushes. The Semogue whips it up and gives it up where you need it. Good backbone and very comfortable tips - I love it for face lathering as well as bowl lathering.

Hope this helps.

edit: I didn't mean for this to sound like an anti-badger rant. I'm still searching for the badger brush that's right for me, and in the meantime I've found a boar that's outstanding.

 

[SubmarinerLV]

So about those brushes...

Sorry for hijacking your thread. I've already said I'd get both but if I had to choose one I'd get the SOC as I think a great boar beats a good badger (if only just).


Regards Grant

 

[Bestarrkin]

At first welcome to Badger & Blade,

And here I go. Personally I am an EJ Super fan. It has a little difference on softness of tips than EJ Silvertips. When I do a little search North American based shaving web sites do not have any super badger brushes in many sites. They have just best and silver tip and no super. IMHO EJ Super is a beautiful "cost/performance/luxury" brush in all Edwin Jagger series. If you want more luxury you can choose super. But it is all up to you and I did not see any bad reviews about EJ Best. Good luck.

 

[Hex]

Knowing what I know now, and admittedly that's not much, I might go with a Penworks Finest. $35.16
http://www.penworks.us//index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_73&products_id=383

I am not a fan of the boars, so put that in the mill.

I had both the SOC and EJ and wound up selling the SOC so I could buy another badger. I have been told that I did not wait long enough for the tips to soften and that's probably true but I doubt that, given my rotation, the tips would ever soften.They were too prickly for me.
I like a soft feel and kept the EJ until I decided to upgrade.

Plus the SOC is really, really ugly. All the other performance features are right on. A soap monster, lathers well with both soaps and creams.
Beauty is in the eye,,,etc., etc.

 

[Drubbing]

I had both the SOC and EJ and wound up selling the SOC so I could buy another badger. I have been told that I did not wait long enough for the tips to soften and that's probably true but I doubt that, given my rotation, the tips would ever soften.They were too prickly for me.

I thought DE shavers had a modicum of patience?

If you buy a boar, you drop brush rotation and use it til it's broken in. If you have more than 2 brushes and use them all, it will take 3 months or more if you keep switching them.

The SOC is about the softest boar available, that still feels like a brush, and not a $150 mop.

 

[SubmarinerLV]

I thought DE shavers had a modicum of patience?

If you buy a boar, you drop brush rotation and use it til it's broken in. If you have more than 2 brushes and use them all, it will take 3 months or more if you keep switching them.

The SOC is about the softest boar available, that still feels like a brush, and not a $150 mop.

I respect what your saying and partly agree (as everyone knows boars need to break in) but I think you were a tad harsh, some guys just don't go for the boar way of doing things. They like the immediate lather explosion of a new badger his milage varied obviously to him the SOC wasn't worth wrecking his enjoyment of his rotation for, I nearly gave up on my 830 but am now glad I didn't.

In short what I will take from this is don't buy a boar if you don't want to wait to break it in.

Regards Grant

 

[Kirby]

Thank you all for the replies! They both sound good for different reasons so I went ahead and put both on the list. Whichever one comes wrapped in a bow will be used for a while until I feel like I've gotten the hang of what it does and does not offer as a brush.

If it turns out I don't like one or the other, I'm sure one of our friendly members perusing the BST area will help put a down payment towards the next one!

An added thank you to those advising of the SOC's break-in period. I know boars tend to have a bit of stiffness out of the box so I'll be sure not to pass on it without ample time.