Going to buy a boar brush and need a little advice

[Cochese2323]

I haven't done a ton of research on boar brushes, but from what I gather Omega or Semogue is the way to go. I do have a couple questions about the two brands and boar in general.

1. Is there a big difference in quality of knots between the two brands?

2. Is there a difference between the ones that are all one color vs the ones that are dyed to look like badger?

3. Does price reflect quality? Is the knot in an Omega 10049 inferior to Semogue Owners Club?

Would be open to recommendations in the $20-25 USD range.
Thanks

 

[mistervee123]

I would take a look at the Semogue 620 after all the accolade that particular brush has gotten here and elsewhere. At $22, you could buy 3-5 of them for the same brush in badger. BTW, I still like my badgers for softness.

 

[Cochese2323]

I have a Thater 49125/1, so I have the softness department covered. I am going to order a couple new soaps and figured for $20 I would give boar a shot.

 

[Mick]

Are you looking for something stiff or soft. SOC is going to be soft. 620 will have more stiff to it. All boars are going to get soft once the tips splay and they are broken in so if it starts off soft it gets a lot softer once it is broken in.

 

[Cochese2323]

I only have two brushes now. One is my Thater which I use pretty much exclusively with soft soaps like RazoRock, MdC and Castle Forbes. My other brush is a custom brush with a TGN 26mm Finest XH knot set about 50mm. Lots of backbone, used pretty much only for hard soaps like DR Harris, MWF, etc. I know nothing will ever be as soft as the Thater, so I guess I would want something different from these two.

**Edit: I would want it to use with hard soaps and I prefer bowl lathering.

 

[hometownhero]

Semogue 1305. I just got one and it blows all my other brushed out of the water (yes even my simpson best badger and custom finest badger). The omega boar is like a shoe shine brush in comparison

 

[nav]

1. Is there a big difference in quality of knots between the two brands?
A: Both have great quality knots. I have previously had several of each brand and my preference is slightly towards Semogue.

2. Is there a difference between the ones that are all one color vs the ones that are dyed to look like badger?
A: Both brands have different grades of hair but it's not dependant on whether they are dyed or not.

3. Does price reflect quality? Is the knot in an Omega 10049 inferior to Semogue Owners Club?
A: In many cases yes but at the same time, it also comes down to preference. eg. I don't like the specs of the SOC so I would never buy one.

My personal preference in boar brushes is the Semogue 1800. This brush is a hidden treasure which has recently come out of hiding. I love the scruby feel yet soft tips, great back bone, fantastic looking and very ergonomic handle. This brush has it all. The Semogue 1305 is similar but less backbone, softer face feel and a bigger bloom, plus a painted handle instead of a natural wood one like the 1800.

 

[Sunflake]

I have a Semogue 1305 and a 830 both work wonderfully the 830 has a softer face feel and works well with everything. The 1305 seems to have more backbone and is great especially with small containers like Cella.

 

[Kooze]

My personal preference in boar brushes is the Semogue 1800. This brush is a hidden treasure which has recently come out of hiding. I love the scruby feel yet soft tips, great back bone, fantastic looking and very ergonomic handle. This brush has it all.

I too have the 1800. It is an excellent brush, and highly recommended for what you want it for: bowl-lathering hard soaps.

 

[rxonmymind]

+1on the 620

 

[Bengal Tiger]

Knots: The knots are great for both brands. The difference in quality and price is more noticeable in the handles. If you want low cost, omega has plastic handle that fit the bill. If you want something that looks nicer, both brands have wooden handle brushes that fit the bill. For knots, look at the sizes depending on your preferences.

Dye: If I were buying another one, I would choose to get non-dyed just because the stuff comes off when soaked. Performance wise, my dyed brush works great.

I have a semogue 1305 and love it. It performs well with everything, looks great, and is a fantastic value.

This blog helped me a lot: http://www.bruceonshaving.com/2010/10/10/a-beginners-guide-to-boar-brushes/

 

[Cochese2323]

Thanks for all the great info guys. Exactly what I needed to know. I pulled the trigger on a Semogue 620 this morning. Couldn't resist the plexi handle. Phil at bullgoose already emailed me back saying he would ship today. Top notch service! Can't wait to give it a go after the holiday. I will post some pics and report back when I get it.

 

[Brent]

Great choice. I don't have a 620 but have heard great things about them. I hope you enjoy!

 

[utahusker]

Thanks for all the great info guys. Exactly what I needed to know. I pulled the trigger on a Semogue 620 this morning. Couldn't resist the plexi handle. Phil at bullgoose already emailed me back saying he would ship today. Top notch service! Can't wait to give it a go after the holiday. I will post some pics and report back when I get it.

+1 on Bullgoose customer service. I bought my SOC and some soap from him, and the stuff was at my door in 2 days.

 

[SteveWY]

I've been reading with interest (an appreciation) this thread and others as I was determining which boar would be my next. So many great ideas. I'm really down to deciding among the 620/830, and 1250/1305/1800. I am down to my last comparison but I submit some final questions to the Brothers of the Boar:

-The 620 & 830 seem similar but I am leaning towards wood rather than acrylic handles. What knots of these are comparable to the wooden handle models? Do the 820 and 1250 have the same knot?

-It looks like the 1250/1305/1800 have some similarities. The 1305 gets a lot of love but I think I'm partial to natural wood handles. Does anyone know who the hair type and knots of the 1250 and 1800 stack up?

-I see that the knots have various quality descriptions such as 75% extra, 90% premium, 75% mixed with 90%, etc. Any wisdom on if any of that matters?

-The SOC: Looks like the wood handle and stamped in logo is a difference. Is the knot different/same as any of my other choices?

 

[Captain Coconut]

Steve,

The SOC has a higher grade hair than any of the other production Semogues, so no, that knot's not the same as any of your other choices. The SOC's not going to have as much backbone as any of those other ones either, but it's a great brush.

The 1800 is supposed to be very similar to the 1305 but with more backbone.

The 830 is supposed to be pretty much the same knot as the 1305, but it ends up being slightly different because of the handle. I think the 830 knot is splayed out a fraction of a degree more (as in the angle coming out of the handle) than the 1305, with 10% more hair added to compensate.

The 620 is also a shorter loft than all the others you've listed here. I think the 1520 and 1438 have the same knot as the 620 but with wood handles.

It really all depends on personal preference. Are you a face- or bowl-latherer, or both? What are you using now, and what would you change about it?

 

[pipskicks]

Seems like there's very few different grades, I would look at those and then after that just pick a brush with a knot you like...

The varieties of boar isn't like badger...

 

[Captain Coconut]

That seems like a pretty bold statement, David, what are you basing it on? There's a big variation in boar, I'd say as much as badger.

 

[Predict]

Honestly at the price of boars I would get one that appeals to you aesthetically. Then try a different one down the road. Nothing anyone can tell you will lead you to the best brush for you. That being said I am a big fan of semogue SOC boar.

 

[pipskicks]

That seems like a pretty bold statement, David, what are you basing it on? There's a big variation in boar, I'd say as much as badger.

Doesn't Semogue only have 2 grades of Boars other than top % (which is basically backbone/dimension choice).

Omegas don't seem to have a better or worse one. The reviews or dimensions is all there is to go on.


I am pretty inexperienced, but I tried to read whatever I could. What are the different grades of Boars?

Edit: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Semogue