OMG, that is beautiful. If anyone decides it's not to your liking, gimme a holler.
Semogue Caravela - LE to the Extreme
- Thread starter CzechCzar
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Awesome looking brushes gents!
- Thread starter
- #123
CzechCzar
Use the Fat, Luke!
I just have to say that my brush ...
smells
DISGUSTING
I soaked it in water and Palmolive dishwashing soap for 2+ hours. It was all I could do to whip up a scuttle of proraso to let it sit in overnight. This is without a doubt the worst-smelling brush I have ever come across. And for the record, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area too, so it shouldn't be so bad! Right? Right??
smells
DISGUSTING
I soaked it in water and Palmolive dishwashing soap for 2+ hours. It was all I could do to whip up a scuttle of proraso to let it sit in overnight. This is without a doubt the worst-smelling brush I have ever come across. And for the record, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area too, so it shouldn't be so bad! Right? Right??
It does have a bit of a funky smell. I think they use some kind of chemical to take out the real Bad funky stink from the boar. I washed mine for about 3 days then the smell was gone. I have another SOC pure boar the smell went away within 3 days as well.
Now Ive had an omegra professional That thing was probably never treated. I spent 3 months trying to get rid of the stench I washed it with laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, I even let it sit in Rose Oil. after 3 moths the smell went away it was like slaughterer pig stink. horrible.
Now Ive had an omegra professional That thing was probably never treated. I spent 3 months trying to get rid of the stench I washed it with laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, I even let it sit in Rose Oil. after 3 moths the smell went away it was like slaughterer pig stink. horrible.
Two things to say, first the smell is naphthalene, not pleasant (far from it) but it's there for conservation purposes, and eventually it washes off. Second, when I first got the brush I did 9 or 10 break-in cycles in order to accelerate the full potential of the brush, fellow tester of the Caravela prototype warned me that I could do as many as I wanted, but that only after 15-20 REAL uses would the brush truly show it's awesomeness. Having done that all I can say is that they were right, so stop doing tests and start using the brush, in a month from now we'll see how much your opinions have changed!
The SOC2 comparison is a little unfair one, but having both as well I can agree with almost everything that james7604 said, but the truth is that they are two very different brushes. The part that I most disagree with is this "SOC brush has better backbone and the tips feel softer on the face" - Use the Caravela more, mine's tips are almost as soft and it's backbone makes the SOC look like a floppy brush!! But for first impressions you are dead on spot, well done!
The SOC2 comparison is a little unfair one, but having both as well I can agree with almost everything that james7604 said, but the truth is that they are two very different brushes. The part that I most disagree with is this "SOC brush has better backbone and the tips feel softer on the face" - Use the Caravela more, mine's tips are almost as soft and it's backbone makes the SOC look like a floppy brush!! But for first impressions you are dead on spot, well done!
Hm... Well #90 just showed up last night - I will agree with all the previous statements that the brush has a strong "funk" but I ran it thru two cycles (tabac / musgo) and it is has decreased in odor quickly. It is waaaay to early to pass judgment on the brush but I will say that it appears to be quite soft but dense with a large amount of backbone (well at least compared to my 404 blended)...
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So far, soaps lathered are MWF (my default break-in conditioning soap), AoS Sandalwood (my go-to defunker), and for the first time in actual shave duty, Tabac (because it's a solid performer and well-scented). The funk is fading fast. Shave went really well. There's some tip scritch owed to fresh boar hair, but it built and applied lather very well. Second pass left something to be desired, but again - brand new boar hair could be to blame. I will say it did a better second pass than most of my brand new all-boar brushes ever did (thanks, badger). The handle is actually quite good, though I will agree that the shape isn't the most ergonomic. It is, however, easy to get a good grip on it and it feels stable and substantial in my hand.
Something worth noting that sets this apart - it's a large-ish brush for my tastes, on paper - but it's rather compact on the face for such a size. Owed to the boar hair no doubt, as a badger only brush of this size would see the BST pretty quickly. I remain very optimistic about this brush. Once those boar hairs split, we may have a real winner on our hands.
Something worth noting that sets this apart - it's a large-ish brush for my tastes, on paper - but it's rather compact on the face for such a size. Owed to the boar hair no doubt, as a badger only brush of this size would see the BST pretty quickly. I remain very optimistic about this brush. Once those boar hairs split, we may have a real winner on our hands.
PS, sorry Jessie - I know that list of "break in" soaps is making you wince a bit. I just don't keep any cheap stuff around.
I strongly agree with this. Having used the Caravela brush for 2 or 3 weeks now, it has much more backbone than the SOC-2 band.
Picked mine up (#96) at the post office this morning. What a beautiful brush! The handle has the great feel and contours of the 1305. Mine didn't have any odor at all; then again, I haven't put any water on it.
The first Caravela has already been sold on BST 
The first Caravela has already been sold on BST
The B&B BST - Curing Buyer's Remorse since 2005...
The first Caravela has already been sold on BST
Aw... and it was still new too... killin' me here.
#64 is now sitting proudly on my counter downstairs with the SOC on one side and the 830 on the other. Pics to come when I shave with it next.
#5 Just went on the maiden voyage, first impression is that this is a keeper !!!
took 97 out for its inaugural today also, marcel was correct, after todays use the stink is nearly gone. had a great first run and can't wait to get it broken in. fingers still crossed on where its heading. really liking the backbone.
Ian
Ian
#84 arrived today. Pleasant surprise as I've had to sign for everything in the past from vintagescent, but since moving my new post-man hasn't made me sign for anything despite receiving several signature confirmation items. I guess I can't complain as I'm never home during the week.
Anyway, holy badger/boar funk. Mine has been through 2 dish soap cycles and lathered with some Nancy Boy cream and Klar. Scent is fading, so I'll give it a go in the morning. Might stick with it for a month to get it to it's full potential before deciding if it's a keeper.
Anyway, holy badger/boar funk. Mine has been through 2 dish soap cycles and lathered with some Nancy Boy cream and Klar. Scent is fading, so I'll give it a go in the morning. Might stick with it for a month to get it to it's full potential before deciding if it's a keeper.
Yeah, I sold that one. And it wasn't because this isn't a quality brush (at least from what I can tell without using it), I just went a little overboard on brush purchases recently.
#56 landed in my Boston area mailbox yesterday and took it's maiden voyage on my face today with Colonel Conk's Bay Rum shaving soap. A bit of unbroken boar scratch, but a very interesting and promising brush. Not much funk with mine, just some mothball smell. Much denser and "badger-like" than either my Vulfix 404 badger/boar or Omega badger/boar. I'm thinking this is a pretty good interpolation of the B&B LE boar on one hand and the SOC 2-band on the other in terms of characteristics. Pre-bloom (not a huge bloomer) pics below...
Beautiful Brush Mike Congrats..
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