Semogue is well known for their boar brushes but I'm curious what the fine folks here on B&B think of their badger brushes.
Semogue Badger Brushes. Opinions?
- Thread starter DaveL
- Start date
I have the Semogue SOC 2 Band badger and it's a wonderful brush!
I'm really liking my 730 HD Silvertip. It has quite a small knot and a fair bit of loft, but thanks to the high density it's not at all floppy. The tips feel absolutely soft on my cheeks, and it produces copious amounts of lather out of everything I throw at it.
Maybe there are better ones out there (don't have a lot of reference myself), but for this price I'd recommend one any day.
Maybe there are better ones out there (don't have a lot of reference myself), but for this price I'd recommend one any day.
I have the 2011 LE badger size 1. This brush has more backbone (yet good flow through) than any other brush I own/have owned (includes Thaters in silver ant 2-band, Simpsons in Best and 2-band, Rooney in Best, Kent, TGN, etc.). It does have some scritch,,,,,, but not much by my standards (more by other peoples standards). I also think the scritchyness lessens as it is broken in. I don't recall it losing a single hair.
Wonderful brush!
Wonderful brush!
Semogue makes a quality product. I don't think you could go wrong with anything that comes from them
Except for some of their limited edition/SOC badgers, most of the badgers they make are spec'd to have longer lofts and less dense knots. I have the 2015 silvertip and it is a very good brush...very soft hair and luxurious to use but it is not what most people on here are looking for. Admittedly, I prefer shorter, denser brushes myself these days but I still use this brush regularly.
One thing I'd like to see is an HD Silvertip with a ~50mm loft and a 22/24mm knot from Semogue.
One thing I'd like to see is an HD Silvertip with a ~50mm loft and a 22/24mm knot from Semogue.
I have the following badger Semogue brushes:
- 730 silvertip
- 2020 best badger
- ABB Pure badger (similar specs to the 2010 in pure, but different handle)
- SOC Finest 2-band
- Semogue Caravela (well, this one is 50% finest badger
)
- Semogue LE2010 selected silvertip
Basically, one of each type of badger hair that Semogue produces...
plus the LE2010 - that one is not produced any-more 
The first three ones are, as cvac states, brushes with longer lofts and less dense knots. The 2020 and 730 are very soft on the face, and very luxurious, but some people may considered them "floppy". They are excellent brushes, nonetheless, they just have different qualities and I appreciate them for what they are.
The pure badger has a little bit more backbone than the other two (730 and 2020), but it can be a little scrubby for some - but I kinda like it. Still use it from time to time. But for many, maybe it still can be considered a "floppy" brush.
The other three are dense, "shortish"-loft brushes, like the ones that are so appreciated nowadays.
The SOC 2-band, for me, it is one of the most versatile brushes that I found until today. Bowl-lathering, face-lathering, creams, soaps, it does everything well. It can directly be compared to my Duke 3 in best, but with softer tips and a similar amount of backbone - and a better, prettier and more ergonomic handle, IMHO.
The Semogue LE2010 is a very special brush - a nearly perfect combination of soft tips with a good amount of backbone. The tips are perhaps one of the the most luxurious that I've found on any brush until today. The brush is very dense, and so, it still retains a huge amount of backbone - not so much as the SOC finest, but the tips are incredible soft. Some users compare it to the Shavemac D01, but since I never tried that type of hair, I cannot comment on that issue. For me, this brush is simply the best Semogue ever made - and I also think that Semogue should seriously consider to have something similar to this brush in its current portfolio.
As for the Caravela, it has a HUGE amount of backbone - but with the soft tips that are typical of the two types of hair that it have - finest 2-band badger and premium 90% boar.
- 730 silvertip
- 2020 best badger
- ABB Pure badger (similar specs to the 2010 in pure, but different handle)
- SOC Finest 2-band
- Semogue Caravela (well, this one is 50% finest badger
)- Semogue LE2010 selected silvertip
Basically, one of each type of badger hair that Semogue produces...
plus the LE2010 - that one is not produced any-more The first three ones are, as cvac states, brushes with longer lofts and less dense knots. The 2020 and 730 are very soft on the face, and very luxurious, but some people may considered them "floppy". They are excellent brushes, nonetheless, they just have different qualities and I appreciate them for what they are.
The pure badger has a little bit more backbone than the other two (730 and 2020), but it can be a little scrubby for some - but I kinda like it. Still use it from time to time. But for many, maybe it still can be considered a "floppy" brush.
The other three are dense, "shortish"-loft brushes, like the ones that are so appreciated nowadays.
The SOC 2-band, for me, it is one of the most versatile brushes that I found until today. Bowl-lathering, face-lathering, creams, soaps, it does everything well. It can directly be compared to my Duke 3 in best, but with softer tips and a similar amount of backbone - and a better, prettier and more ergonomic handle, IMHO.
The Semogue LE2010 is a very special brush - a nearly perfect combination of soft tips with a good amount of backbone. The tips are perhaps one of the the most luxurious that I've found on any brush until today. The brush is very dense, and so, it still retains a huge amount of backbone - not so much as the SOC finest, but the tips are incredible soft. Some users compare it to the Shavemac D01, but since I never tried that type of hair, I cannot comment on that issue. For me, this brush is simply the best Semogue ever made - and I also think that Semogue should seriously consider to have something similar to this brush in its current portfolio.
As for the Caravela, it has a HUGE amount of backbone - but with the soft tips that are typical of the two types of hair that it have - finest 2-band badger and premium 90% boar.
SOC 2 band cherry rocks, it's actually now available in Ash handle which is new to the line at Vintage Scent.
I am still awaiting my 11' Finest size 1 from Semogue since I sent it back for ring repair back in December. Grrr......
I am still awaiting my 11' Finest size 1 from Semogue since I sent it back for ring repair back in December. Grrr......
Based on what I'd read here, I didn't want to buy Semogue 2-band. At some point I bought SOC Finest 2-band cherry though. I liked it so much that I bought 2011 LE 2-band size 2. It feels similar to SOC but the knot seems denser. Both brushes have stiffer and more scrubby (but not prickly) hair than any of my other badger brushes. They are very efficient at making lather in a bowl or on face. SOC feels stylish and traditional with its Cherry wood handle. The 2011 LE feels solid and heavy built. I find both handles comfortable. I don't regret buying them.
Can anyone describe the size of a broken in SOC 2 band to an SOC boar? Along with my 610, the SOC boar is my favorite brush, but I don't want to get any bigger than that. I'm worried that once broken in the SOC 2 band will splay a little too much for my tastes. The 55 loft is the one thing that has kept me from pulling the trigger.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Thanks in advance for any help.
The SOC 2-band does NOT splay more than the SOC-boar. It is otherwise - the SOC boar is the biggest of the two, and splays more.
And the loft of the SOC 2-band is 53mm, not 55mm
I too am a big fan of my 2011 LE Badger size 1 and 2. For me they are fantastic everyday brushes with terrific backbone and just the right amount for scritch. They remind me a bit of my Rooney Finest 1/1 in terms of backbone and scritch.
- Thread starter
- #15
Thanks for all the replies, especially yours oversaturn, it was most helpful. I'm actually looking at the 2015 and 2040. I'll probably end up with both. SBAD is a beeyatch! 
