Semogue Owners Club, Men-U Synthetic and being Content

[sj184]

Hi guys,

My current daily brush is my badger silvertip.
I face lather and have a very tough beard - because of this, I have to use slick and/or beard softening soaps. My silvertip is an excellent face latherer and provides a wonderful exfoliation to my face with it's soft bristles. Even though they are soft, I can feel them 'working'.

My first brush was a pure badger that was prickly and scratchy, which I didn't like at all.
I am pretty much a soap convert now. I shave daily and am almost always in a rush in the mornings.


I also own the cheaper men-u pure (boar) bristle brush that costs $10-15. This one:

http://www.ulta.com/images/products/detail/2117617.jpg

I found it surprisingly good for daily use with easy-to-lather soaps like Cella and Mama Bears. It was also ok for MWF.

My daily routine is simply 1 x WTG OR 1 x WTG and 1 x XTG -
Therefore I only need enough lather for 2-2.5 (touch ups) passes.


I have an opportunity to purchase a couple of brushes at the same price.


Men-U Synthetic
http://www.men-uusa.com/ProductImages/premier.gif
I can get this for $20

or

Semogue Owners club
http://img202.imageshack.us/i/smgsoclrg.jpg/
I can get this for $20



1. Should I go for any of these or use the money on soaps/blades and sit happy with my badger brush and cheaper pure bristle men-u ?


I know, it's an odd question - I was hoping to get some views from fellow shavers. I looked up reviews and from them, it looks like I can skip the men-u synthetic altogether. Whereas, the SOC I am not too sure. Some badger lovers cannot get along with boars, and others seem to be converted to the SOC. Note, this is not a badger vs boar post.

Thoughts from people who have actually used the brushes in question are always appreciated.

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When I face lather, I end up with small bits of lather flying onto my vest/shirt,mirror etc. This tends to happen more with the badger brush. The lather is perfect and I love it but I need to reduce how much ends up on the walls! At the moment, I have to bend over with my head pointing down at the sink. Luckily, our sink is made of glass and I can see a reflection of myself and therefore, see where I am lathering. This contant bending down is doing my back in. If I scrub less vigorously (although, it's not particularly vigorous at the moment), i won't produce the lather I need. I see Mantic and other videos where shavers have their sweat shirts on and shave - I can't do this.


2. Am I the only one or does this happen to you too?



Thank you

 

[sj184]

I changed the title of this thread but the change hasn't registered in the in the 'General Shaving Discussion' Main Page.

 

[Loric]

I have the SOC and it is well worth picking up, especially if you can find one for $20. It is a different experience than any of my good badger brushes. I have only had it for a month, and it is maybe 60% broke in so its not even up to its full potential. It has amazing backbone, and the tips are already cotton ball soft with out the advantage of a full break in. My beard and shaving style are very similar to yours (thick beard big hands and I face lather with soap 70%). I say pick it up.

I have only had exeriance with one synthetic and it was an Omega. Omega makes Men-U boar brushes so I can only assume they do the same for the synthetics. Mine felt very cheep (not like the Omega Boars). The handle was way to light, the knot was small, and not dense. It was soft in a weird way, but it just did not do anything for me. I used it once and passed it on to my brother who has used it about the same number of times.

I say pick up the SOC, you wont be disseminated.

 

[mdevine]

I have the SOC and it is well worth picking up, especially if you can find one for $20. It is a different experience than any of my good badger brushes. I have only had it for a month, and it is maybe 60% broke in so its not even up to its full potential. It has amazing backbone, and the tips are already cotton ball soft with out the advantage of a full break in. My beard and shaving style are very similar to yours (thick beard big hands and I face lather with soap 70%). I say pick it up.

I have only had exeriance with one synthetic and it was an Omega. Omega makes Men-U boar brushes so I can only assume they do the same for the synthetics. Mine felt very cheep (not like the Omega Boars). The handle was way to light, the knot was small, and not dense. It was soft in a weird way, but it just did not do anything for me. I used it once and passed it on to my brother who has used it about the same number of times.

I say pick up the SOC, you wont be disseminated.

+1. This is quite similar to my experience.

 

[Klarion]

If Omega really does make the Men-U synthetic brushes, I'd say skip that one entirely, unless you really want one. I'm using the Omega 346235 model, with a 25mm diameter, and 57mm loft. Not very keen on it. I should mention I'm faithfully dedicated to boar brushes, and face lathering soaps.

So, I'd recommend getting the SOC, and giving it about a month's worth of use to properly judge the brush. It'll definitely be stiff enough to use for soaps and face lathering.

 

[Drubbing]

I have the SOC and another boar. They can make a bit more of a mess than my badger, but that because until recently I have left them wetter during the breaking in process, as they don't retain as much water in the early days.

Now I leave them just a bit damper than a squeezed badger and the only reason the SOC loses a bit of lather here and there, is because it makes so much, and I face lather fairly aggressively.

A silvertip shouldn't make any mess at all, I have one too. I can only assume you're leaving it really wet. Soak, squeeze and load, add water sparingly as necessary while face lathering.

 

[sj184]

Thanks for the replies so far guys. I wish the title of the thread would change in the forum list Main Page as it would invite more shavers to comment

 

[Loric]

Where does one pick up a SOC for $20?!?!?! Is it from a vendor or from a wet shaver?

 

[sj184]

A friend across the pond. Sorry, I should have been clearer: 20 bucks + 5 for delivery. So, 25 in total.
How much are they usually?

 

[Loric]

They are about $32 + 6 or 7 dollars for shipping to the US from Vintage Scent. It is worth every cent at that price, so $25 is a steal especially if someone else did the leg work of breaking it in! Like I said around one month in for me and its still only partially broken in. The possess is fun, it gets softer and holds more lather with every wet/dry cycle. I am left wondering what potential it has once its finally finished.

 

[sj184]

It's partially broken-in. I can still use it whilst breaking-in right?
My cheap men-u hasn't 'bloomed' at all yet it offfers very decent shaves.

 

[Drubbing]

It's partially broken-in. I can still use it whilst breaking-in right? My cheap men-u hasn't 'bloomed' at all yet it offfers very decent shaves.

Using it is the only way to break it in. Bloom is no indication of a boar breaking in. It's ability to retain more water and the tips starting to split, is.

 

[Loric]

Of coarse you can still use it. It just wont be quite as soft or hold quite as much lather as it will fully broken in. In fact the more you use it the faster it will break in. Its win win that way.