Semogue SOC Mistura Hair Mix

[Feldgrun]

I understand that this brush has a mix of boar & badger hair, but what type of badger? I hope mine breaks in comfortably, but it's really quite pokey, which others have noted. Without soaking it's like needles stabbing my face. Soaking softens it considerably, but even then, if placed against my face it's harsher than any boar brush I own (Omega or Zenith). I'd guess the pokiness may come from a tough badger hair? Do we know what grade it is? I'd guess it's "best" badger (which I find to be anything but best). Do "best" badger hairs soften with age? Do they split like boar?

FYI - my brush measures as advertised - 24mm knot, and 53mm loft.

 

[Mr Konrad Dundee]

This brush is made of 50% wild boar and 50% Finest Badger, same hair as the Soc Finest Badger
After about ten uses it starts to work better

I would add that I prefer it over the Soc Boar and Soc Finest Badger

 

[Swistak]

I recently received my SOC Mistura and also have questions about the hair. I haven't broken it in (at all) yet, as I have only put it through a single shave. Quite stiff. If it didn't know otherwise, I would have thought it was a banded boar brush, 100% boar through and through. Though, I suppose the stiffness even after 10 minutes of soaking is a sign that the badger, which does not soak up water like boar, is doing its job well.

 

[musicman1951]

I always assumed the initial stiffness came from the boar hair, but I don't really have a clue. You definitely want to soak it like a boar brush before using. It will, unfortunately, take quite a while to break in. I find that if you splay it a bit and use a back and forth motion rather than circular swirls it's less pokey. The backbone is magnificent, and after months it's one of my favorites, but I do admit that I occasionally get a bit of a poke from it - which pleases me not at all. Still, a lovely brush over all.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I always assumed the initial stiffness came from the boar hair, but I don't really have a clue. You definitely want to soak it like a boar brush before using. It will, unfortunately, take quite a while to break in. I find that if you splay it a bit and use a back and forth motion rather than circular swirls it's less pokey. The backbone is magnificent, and after months it's one of my favorites, but I do admit that I occasionally get a bit of a poke from it - which pleases me not at all. Still, a lovely brush over all.

I went away from syths because the ones I had were either pokey or just too soft for my liking... I recently purchased a Pegasus Mistura... and while I can feel the bristles, I don't get poked... I like natural badger or boar brushes that give me that face feel.. enough bristle presence that I find them pleasurable to use. I doubt my 4 Zenith boars are fully broken is as they only get used in DecemBOAR.... None of them are floppy or too soft at this point..... I do wonder what they'll feel like if I ever break them in fully.... They all did get weeks of warm water rinse, fully drying cycles before I used them.. I think most of them have those split ends boars are supposed to get after some use... but I don't know what they'll feel like in a year or two. <eg> evil grin

 

[Mr Konrad Dundee]

I recently received my SOC Mistura and also have questions about the hair. I haven't broken it in (at all) yet, as I have only put it through a single shave. Quite stiff. If it didn't know otherwise, I would have thought it was a banded boar brush, 100% boar through and through. Though, I suppose the stiffness even after 10 minutes of soaking is a sign that the badger, which does not soak up water like boar, is doing its job well.

10 min soak? You can also do more soaking at first
lukewarm water, not hot water

 

[NorthernSoul]

This brush uses 50% Semogue Finest grade badger and 50% Premium grade boar hair. It has a fairly scrubby feeling because the hair is dense. Also, Semogue boar hair takes awhile to break in. I would give it 40+ shaves to be fully broken in. It will be softer once the tips of the boar hair split.

Soaking the bristles in warm water for around 5-10 minutes before each use should be enough. Don't soak the handle, just the lower 2/3 or so of the bristles.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I am not a fan or user of boars. However, I do love my Mistura knotted brush very much!! It has some nice backbone, yes, scrubby, but by no means scritchy. It gets soaked for some 5-10 in warm-hot water (from my tap) while I take my shower. In my opinion, it is a great hair/bristle mix.

 

[musicman1951]

I am not a fan or user of boars. However, I do love my Mistura knotted brush very much!! It has some nice backbone, yes, scrubby, but by no means scritchy. It gets soaked for some 5-10 in warm-hot water (from my tap) while I take my shower. In my opinion, it is a great hair/bristle mix.

I agree, although I found it a little scritchy for the first handful of shaves. It definitely takes quite a few shaves to be fully broken in.

 

[helicopter]

I am not a fan or user of boars. However, I do love my Mistura knotted brush very much!! It has some nice backbone, yes, scrubby, but by no means scritchy. It gets soaked for some 5-10 in warm-hot water (from my tap) while I take my shower. In my opinion, it is a great hair/bristle mix.

It is certainly better than the Omega mixed brush I tried. I am not sure the Semogue is the best of both badger and boar, but the Omega seemed to be the worst of both.

I still prefer Semogue's Finest Badger and Black Badger to the Mistura.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I am not a fan or user of boars. However, I do love my Mistura knotted brush very much!! It has some nice backbone, yes, scrubby, but by no means scritchy. It gets soaked for some 5-10 in warm-hot water (from my tap) while I take my shower. In my opinion, it is a great hair/bristle mix.

Rudy, have you heard if you will be able to source the newer Pegasus knot line from Semogue? I love the larger diameter Pegasus Mistura brush I got a while back.... Same face feel as the SOC but larger... Very nice.... That knot would look amazing, set off my one of your amazing handles... I even have one in mind. <eg>