Semogue LE 2011 2-Band Finest model 2, worth purchasing for face lather guy ?

[CHSeifert]

I just saw this brush and have very little knowledge of Semogue brushes in general, since I don't like the look of boar - but this is a limited edition 2-Band Finest badger hair brush.
I can get the Semogue LE 2011 2-Band model 2 for €90 - is it worth it ?

I already have bought (or expect to get) these brushes soon:

Simpsons Duke 3 2-Band Bulb
Simpsons Chubby 2 2-Band Bulb
Rooney Heritage Stubby 2XL 2-Band Fan-hybrid
Shavemac 233 Bruyers Wood D01 2-Band Bulb
Thäter 49125/2 2-Band Bulb
Mühle Stylo Thuja wood 21 mm (have both SilverTipFibre & 3-Band Silvertip Badger - you can exchange the knot easily on this model, just by unscrewing the entire knot)
Mühle Sophist Silvertip 3-Band 24 mm

I also have contacted Lee 1 week ago (still no answer from him) about getting a M&F Blonde Badger 2-Band brush......

My SBAD contiunes for a while - and now I'm looking at this Semogue brush:

http://www.fendrihan.com/semogue-20...r-shaving-brush-size-p-1464.html?currency=USD

How would you rate the quality of the 2-band Finest hairs in this brush up against the 2-Band hairs on the brushes I already own/soon will own mentioned above ?
I facelather exclusively - and only use creams (Acca Kappa 1869, AOS, TOBS, Penhaligon, Floris 89, GFT, TFH, DR Harris, Castle Forbes, Proraso, Musgo, Speick) and croaps (Acqua di Parma, Santa Maria Novella) - never use soaps since they ted to dry out my skin
How well will this brush behave for face lathering of creams ?

Thanks for any help !

 

[Bravado13]

Excellent backbone and a well packed knot BUT compared to your other soft and luxurious brushes, its FAR scrubbier and scritchier.

 

[TonyN]

Excellent backbone and a well packed knot BUT compared to your other soft and luxurious brushes, its FAR scrubbier and scritchier.

+1 this is a great brush with plenty of backbone, but it has some scritch. Easily releases the lather. Also available from Vintage Scent and shaving.ie.

 

[xillion]

+1

I use mine for face lathering and it is great. Excellent backbone.

 

[CHSeifert]

What is exactly finest badger in 2-band compared to the other 2-band brushes I mention in my post ?

Thanks...

 

[xillion]

I've used the Duke and the Chubby and the XXL and to me the Semogue Finest hair is not like any of them.
The density of the knot is somewhere between the XXL and the Simpson's. But the tips are not cloud soft like
the XXL.

Also, please check out the thread below regarding the 2011 Semogue Finest LE Badger brushes.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/302829-Semogue-2011-LE1-Badger-Owners

 

[xillion]

Claus,

The Semogue LE is also available at the link below.

http://www.shaving.ie/products/Semogue-2011-Limited-Edition-Finest-Badger-2.html

But I am unsure of the total cost with shipping.

Cheers,

 

[edgerunner]

What is exactly finest badger in 2-band compared to the other 2-band brushes I mention in my post ?

Thanks...

My 2011 LE 2 is the stiffest, scrubbiest, and toughest of all 2-band brushes I have. It's very scrubby but I can't call it scritchy because the hairs don't feel prickly. To me, the hair is the same like the SOC but the knot is denser and thicker. It almost doesn't splay; it's dense but the flow is good. I like it for bowl lathering. I suspect it's similar to the Shavemac 2-band you've purchased, but this is just a guess. The LE is very well built, with a solid and very comfortable handle.

 

[CHSeifert]

Claus,

The Semogue LE is also available at the link below.

http://www.shaving.ie/products/Semogue-2011-Limited-Edition-Finest-Badger-2.html

But I am unsure of the total cost with shipping.

Cheers,

Thanks - this is exactly the shop where I consider buying it - and I've read through the entire Semogue LE thread, but the thread is clouded with Semogue fans, that are used to Boar stiffness, so I needed some one else's take on what Semogue Finest Badger 2-band exactly is and feels like.

 

[CHSeifert]

My 2011 LE 2 is the stiffest, scrubbiest, and toughest of all 2-band brushes I have. It's very scrubby but I can't call it scritchy because the hairs don't feel prickly. To me, the hair is the same like the SOC but the knot is denser and thicker. It almost doesn't splay; it's dense but the flow is good. I like it for bowl lathering. I suspect it's similar to the Shavemac 2-band you've purchased, but this is just a guess. The LE is very well built, with a solid and very comfortable handle.

Thanks - I will give it a try and take a chance on it - I like a both soft velvet brushes and brushes with some scritch to them - I'm pretty versatile in that regard, I guess.......

 

[CHSeifert]

Still not sure - is Semogue Finest Badger 2-band comparable to D01 2-Band from Shavemac or what ?

 

[xillion]

I also own a custom short loft D01 and I find it to be very different from Semogue LE Finest badger hair. To my face, the tips on the D01 are softer but it just doesn't have the backbone of the LE Finest. I'm not a regular boar user, I only own one boar, so I can't really compare the LE badger to the stiffness of boar as the one boar brush I do own is rather floppy.

As I said in the other thread, the only brush hair I can really compare the LE Finest hair to is the now discontinued Rooney Finest. If you are looking for a great scrubby badger that great for face lathering then the Semogue LE may be what you're looking for.

 

[Teddyboy]

I didn't want people to know I'm paranoid...but here goes. I think there is something fishy about the way the knot looks. I have only one 2-band, but it, and pictures of others look different to me. The LE 2-band knot appears salt-and-peppery to me, and the tips are not as cream-colored as others. On this basis, and other's comments vis a vis the scritchy factor, I would punt on the Semogue LE 2011 2-band. However, I absolutely love my Duke 3 2-band, so it is not simply a bias against 2-band.

I also loved the two weeks I spent in Portugal some years back, so it ain't the company either. Like they say in Brooklyn, I smell una rata.

 

[CHSeifert]

I didn't want people to know I'm paranoid...but here goes. I think there is something fishy about the way the knot looks. I have only one 2-band, but it, and pictures of others look different to me. The LE 2-band knot appears salt-and-peppery to me, and the tips are not as cream-colored as others. On this basis, and other's comments vis a vis the scritchy factor, I would punt on the Semogue LE 2011 2-band. However, I absolutely love my Duke 3 2-band, so it is not simply a bias against 2-band.

I also loved the two weeks I spent in Portugal some years back, so it ain't the company either. Like they say in Brooklyn, I smell una rata.

So you basically say what I think - something is fishy here

I also think the knot looks abit sort of....dare I say.....like a fake 2-bander........sorry.....just a feeling.....
It looks more like a Pure badger kind of hair quality to my eyes - but I have only seen it on pics, not in real life.
But based on what owners of it say, the quality of the hair and the looks make me think this is not real genuine 2-band high grade badger hair.

Please someone tell me I'm wrong - because I love the color of the handle and the handle shape, but the hair quality and looks of the hair makes me rethink buying this brush......
I have it the cart at shaving.ie - almost ready to pull the trigger, this or the Duke 2 in 2-band.....

 

[xillion]

All I can offer is that the LE is a great face lather brush. As for it being "fake" two band, I can't say. All makers grade badger hair differently and there are no standards of grading from maker to maker. On my Simpson's two band I can actually see a third band at the very bottom just peaking out of the handle.

 

[edgerunner]

What is a 'fake' two band brush? Two band knot has three band hair with longer middle dark section. The lower light band is buried in the handle. I think the soft 2-band hairs are treated. Don't forget the hooked tips of Thater, some TGN, etc. I don't think tips are that soft naturally.

 

[jepeck]

I think this is due to the fact that the Semogue is from a Meles Meles (European badger), while some of the other 2-Bands come from the (Hog Badger) which lives further South. There are a few threads floating around the internet where chaps have done research on this, and explain in detail the various species and geographical origins of badger hair.

I didn't want people to know I'm paranoid...but here goes. I think there is something fishy about the way the knot looks. I have only one 2-band, but it, and pictures of others look different to me. The LE 2-band knot appears salt-and-peppery to me, and the tips are not as cream-colored as others. On this basis, and other's comments vis a vis the scritchy factor, I would punt on the Semogue LE 2011 2-band. However, I absolutely love my Duke 3 2-band, so it is not simply a bias against 2-band.

I also loved the two weeks I spent in Portugal some years back, so it ain't the company either. Like they say in Brooklyn, I smell una rata.

 

[CHSeifert]

I think this is due to the fact that the Semogue is from a Meles Meles (European badger), while some of the other 2-Bands come from the (Hog Badger) which lives further South. There are a few threads floating around the internet where chaps have done research on this, and explain in detail the various species and geographical origins of badger hair.

Interesting reading. Thanks. One Semogue Finest Badger 2 LE ordered from shaving.ie