New Semogue SOC, thoughts?

[RiderX]

My humble area needs a good cleaning and reset.

 

[Atlantic59]

Maybe I'll start a new thread asking for opinions and comments on breaking them in with an index card showing the days with pics.

This is an opportunity to experiment. If the brushes are all new, you could do a test where one brush of each pair gets the "accelerated break-in" treatment and the other one is just used normally until break-in occurs naturally.

 

[RiderX]

I'm thinking the SOCs are both Cherrywood. Doesn't look like ash.

 

[RiderX]

For comparison.

 

[Atlantic59]

Ash:

Beech:

 

[Timeclo]

My humble area needs a good cleaning and reset.

oh boy, you need some help..... cleaning up.

 

[RiderX]

Ash:
View attachment 1055454
Beech:

View attachment 1055455

They look like neither. Both darker, both Cherrywood.

 

[RiderX]

oh boy, you need some help..... cleaning up.

I have pucs of TOBS sandalwood and Dr. Harris Arlington in each of those steel bowls. Under the Tabac is Castle Forbes Lime Shaving Cream, under the Dr. Harris 29 is Dr.Harris Lavender in the wooden bowl. Don't even start on what's in the cabinet! Extra pucs for all, then the Blades Grim, Williams, Clubman, Conk, Himalaya, Proraso, Marlboro, etc. WTH was I thinking!? Oh wait, I got this thing about wet shaving! Can anyone relate? I'll be dead before they're gone!

 

[lancre]

You like them in pairs, eh?

One for each cheek!

 

[RiderX]

One for each cheek!

Works for me.

 

[BJJ Shaver]

Even though the SOC is not my favorite boar I'd buy two nice examples at that price any day. The SOC is certainly a decent boar. I use mine only to face lather. It's big, but far from being too big.

Actually I don't have any brushes too big for face lathering and I have brushes much larger than the SOC.

Does your friend have other brushes he prefers and is willing to let you borrow? That might be fun. Lucky you, having a local buddy with brushes at all. And, an interest in talking shaving stuff with you over a beer.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Jim what’re your favorite boats?

 

[BJJ Shaver]

Picked up SOCs, picked up the mail, Look what was waiting for me!!!!

Congrats! I got my SOC for Christmas. I’m at about 22 shaves no accelerated method. My favorite brush. Absolutely love it.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Jim what’re your favorite boats?

I like a bunch of my boars.

The Connaught Omega Premium Jade is the boar I think the best of mine (and I've tried a few).

The Mondial boars are excellent (the ones which looks like boars and not like fake badgers; see this post for photos).

I like my Zeniths, too, as well as the Proraso Pro (made by Omega). Really I like most all of my boars. The little Mighty Midget included (pictured ^).

The ones I've not liked so much have tended to be taller than 57 mm. I didn't like the Thater Premium either. Didn't like the Stirling boar.

I've done a ton of posts about boars so if you search...but this is the gist of it.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[RiderX]

And so it begins at 6pm. An overnight soak.

 

[RiderX]

Approximately 50 min and you can see the hairs soaking up the water.

 

[RiderX]

Screw the overnight soak, 2hrs in the water. Made lather with the Dr. Harris Arlington and Proraso brush on the left, TOBS Sandalwood with the SOC on the right. I did NOT shampoo either brush, I DID soak and rinse them in warm and cool water before the lathering. Gonna let them sit in the lather for an hour or so then rinse,shake and let dry over night. Don't think I'll towel dry. Let's see how it goes.
Smells good, no nasty.

 

[RiderX]

1st lather after 2hr soak and rinse.

 

[BJJ Shaver]

1st lather after 2hr soak and rinse.

Yeah mine smelled good right out of the box. Definitely stiff on the first shave but it softened up right away - certainly soft enough to use immediately. And as I mentioned above by the 12-15th use it was beautiful.
Here’s the problem w having 2 - it’s gonna take you twice as long to get em broken in by just shaving.

 

[RiderX]

1st lather after 2hr soak and rinse.

I like a bunch of my boars.

View attachment 1055526

The Connaught Omega Premium Jade is the boar I think the best of mine (and I've tried a few).

The Mondial boars are excellent (the ones which looks like boars and not like fake badgers; see this post for photos).

I like my Zeniths, too, as well as the Proraso Pro (made by Omega). Really I like most all of my boars. The little Mighty Midget included (pictured ^).

The ones I've not liked so much have tended to be taller than 57 mm. I didn't like the Thater Premium either. Didn't like the Stirling boar.

I've done a ton of posts about boars so if you search...but this is the gist of it.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Jim, Thanx for the info.

 

[RiderX]

Yeah mine smelled good right out of the box. Definitely stiff on the first shave but it softened up right away - certainly soft enough to use immediately. And as I mentioned above by the 12-15th use it was beautiful.
Here’s the problem w having 2 - it’s gonna take you twice as long to get em broken in by just shaving.

I'm thinking of waiting on the other 2. Hold off and see how these turn out.