I recently picked up a very lightly used SOC 2-band badger out of curiosity. I really like the handle shape and color and the size is nice as well. I've been meaning to try it for years now but the reports of it being somewhat scratchy held me off. I have sensitive skin and don't like any scratch, scritch, or prickle.
Comparing it to the SOC boar, the handle is the exact same which is great. Very comfortable with nice color and a smooth finish.
I haven't measured the knot, but I'd bet it's around 24x52. From what I've seen of Semogue knots, they are a bit different than many others due to the metal ring. The knot is not a deep plug of hair that sticks straight up and down, but hairs shallowly set in the plug at a predefined splay. That may be why they look so "wild" compared to Omega. As such, I think they tend to measure a bit smaller and have less density than expected.
Out of the box it seemed fairly scratchy, but badger changes when wet. I soaked it for a few minutes and it softened a bit. Then I gave it a good half dozen palm lathers and it softened even more.
What really surprised me was that I expected a stiff 2-band hair with plenty of backbone and some degree of soft tips. To me, the knot felt EXACTLY like a Simpson Best brush. There was much less backbone than any 2-band I've used, including Shavemac, Thater, TGN Finest, and Vintage Blades. The tips were also a bit of a darker, grayish blond rather than the brighter tips of most 2-band brushes.
And while the tips did not curl to become gel soft like many 2-band badgers, they were relatively soft when wet and especially after being loaded with soap. Again, the feel was very similar to a Simpson, but the density was much less. So while a Simpson Best is too scratchy for my skin, this was acceptable because the lower density resulted in lower backbone and less pressure on the skin.
Another unexpected advantage was the lower density badger in building lather. For the last several years, preferences have shifted from high lofted badger brushes with lower density that are very soft (think Kent) to lower lofted badger brushes with high density that are very scrubby (think Simpson). Having a lower density badger might not provide the scrubby sensation, but it does build lather quickly and release it easier as well.
Overall, I would say it is a good brush, though not great. I don't think this is 2-band hair the way we normally think of it but rather Best badger hair. But the knot is good quality and the handle is excellent. While there are probably better values closer to $100 (like Shavemac Finest), I have seen it between $70-75 some places. If you're looking for a badger for both face and bowl lathering and like a larger handle, this is definitely worth checking out.
Here it is compared to the SOC boar and the Shavemac 2 band silvertip 24x48 fan:
Comparing it to the SOC boar, the handle is the exact same which is great. Very comfortable with nice color and a smooth finish.
I haven't measured the knot, but I'd bet it's around 24x52. From what I've seen of Semogue knots, they are a bit different than many others due to the metal ring. The knot is not a deep plug of hair that sticks straight up and down, but hairs shallowly set in the plug at a predefined splay. That may be why they look so "wild" compared to Omega. As such, I think they tend to measure a bit smaller and have less density than expected.
Out of the box it seemed fairly scratchy, but badger changes when wet. I soaked it for a few minutes and it softened a bit. Then I gave it a good half dozen palm lathers and it softened even more.
What really surprised me was that I expected a stiff 2-band hair with plenty of backbone and some degree of soft tips. To me, the knot felt EXACTLY like a Simpson Best brush. There was much less backbone than any 2-band I've used, including Shavemac, Thater, TGN Finest, and Vintage Blades. The tips were also a bit of a darker, grayish blond rather than the brighter tips of most 2-band brushes.
And while the tips did not curl to become gel soft like many 2-band badgers, they were relatively soft when wet and especially after being loaded with soap. Again, the feel was very similar to a Simpson, but the density was much less. So while a Simpson Best is too scratchy for my skin, this was acceptable because the lower density resulted in lower backbone and less pressure on the skin.
Another unexpected advantage was the lower density badger in building lather. For the last several years, preferences have shifted from high lofted badger brushes with lower density that are very soft (think Kent) to lower lofted badger brushes with high density that are very scrubby (think Simpson). Having a lower density badger might not provide the scrubby sensation, but it does build lather quickly and release it easier as well.
Overall, I would say it is a good brush, though not great. I don't think this is 2-band hair the way we normally think of it but rather Best badger hair. But the knot is good quality and the handle is excellent. While there are probably better values closer to $100 (like Shavemac Finest), I have seen it between $70-75 some places. If you're looking for a badger for both face and bowl lathering and like a larger handle, this is definitely worth checking out.
Here it is compared to the SOC boar and the Shavemac 2 band silvertip 24x48 fan:
