SOC SEMOUGE ESTANDAR BOAR

[JoWolf]

Mail Call

A pleasant surprise today. The SOC Semogue Estandar was delivered. I bought it on spec without any measurements posted by Semogue. After learning it wouldn’t be a 27 or 28 mm knot I had it in my head that I would probably just return it. First impressions are valuable in all we experience. Removing it from its carton I was immediately delighted with the weight and balance of the brush in my hand. The handle looks and feels very much like an excellent acrylic. With its chrome ring at the top of the handle it is a handsome brush. It weighs in at 83 grams for comparisons sake my Zenith Chubby Scrubby weighs 79 grams. The Estandar knot measured 26mm with the loft measuring 56mm comparable to Zenith’s Big one also a 56mm loft. Being a smaller knot I thought it might be a bit floppy. The backbone felt very balanced for the loft length. The knot density is a tad lighter than the Zeniths. But adequate. The bristle hairs are a tad thicker than both of the Zeniths I have. After shampooing the knot. Only a slight odour of bristle rather than barnyard. I hand lathered it three times and was very happy with the bloom. I gave it a good towelling and was pleased and surprised to see hair splits uniformly appearing across the knot profile. My first latherings with the Estandar I feel that it will break in fairly quickly. The Estandar is in water up to it’s ring in the back of the refrigerator where I’ll leave it for two days and then repeat the cycle. When I consider it 95% broken in I’ll shave with it. No rush maybe a New Years shave.

Happy Shaves​

 

[Brutus]

Yes, Semogue don’t do huge knots and 27 mm is about as big as they get, but on the positive side I never bought a Semogue (a total of 9 now) that I didn’t like.


B.

 

[Goblin]

Estander is Spanish for "standard". It just looks like a regular, white handled SOC...or am I missing something?

 

[JoWolf]

Estander is Spanish for "standard". It just looks like a regular, white handled SOC...or am I missing something?

You are exactly right. The distributor in Dunmore PA referred to it as a Taj handle. I guess it depends on who your talking to.

Amazon.ca

That is how Amazon listed it in their post.

 

[1e4]

Yep, it’s just an SOC. “Just” not being a negative, in this case. The SOC boar is a phenomenal brush — my personal favorite.

 

[silverlifter]

The Estandar is in water up to it’s ring in the back of the refrigerator where I’ll leave it for two days and then repeat the cycle.

Why do this with a bleached boar brush? It seems completely pointless.

 

[Captain Coconut]

Of course anyone is free to do whatever they wish with their own things, for better or worse, but a large part of why I won't buy used brushes is all of the "break-in" methods I've seen circulated on here.

 

[Brutus]

Why do this with a bleached boar brush? It seems completely pointless.

My guess is that it is just another member who hasn’t read the memo.

The memo that says that placing a new boar brush into a glass of water and then putting it in the refrigerator is a translation error from an Italian video where an old fashioned barber talks about putting new boar brushes into cold water, like in cold water as it comes out of the faucet, NOT cold water as you take it out of the fridge.

This myth has taken a life of its own, it seems.

It’s pointless, but I see no harm unless I have to take a bottle of my favourite brew out of the fridge.


B.

 

[Brutus]

Estander is Spanish for "standard". It just looks like a regular, white handled SOC...or am I missing something?

Yes, it certainly is NOT Portuguese and I never have come across a shaving brush with that name from Portuguese Semogue anywhere else. Have been wondering what sort of critter that might be, but it seems now we have the answer.


B.

 

[BigJ]

Lovely brush!! Enjoy!

 

[JoWolf]

My guess is that it is just another member who hasn’t read the memo.

The memo that says that placing a new boar brush into a glass of water and then putting it in the refrigerator is a translation error from an Italian video where an old fashioned barber talks about putting new boar brushes into cold water, like in cold water as it comes out of the faucet, NOT cold water as you take it out of the fridge.

This myth has taken a life of its own, it seems.

It’s pointless, but I see no harm unless I have to take a bottle of my favourite brew out of the fridge.


B.

My grandfather and my father in law both used straights and boar brushes. They both left the boars in their shave cups without rinsing after their shaves. Once those boars hit their soap cups they never saw the light of day again. They both did this for decades. Maybe we’re all doing it wrong? I don’t believe my system of braking in boars is incorrect in any way. I have broken in eight or so boars in this fashion. The two Zeniths that I presently use are excellent in performance. They are softer than my two band badgers. They have excellent split ends. They are extremely comfortable and luxurious to use. I will not use a brush that isn’t broken in. My method accelerates the break in process. My sensitive skin remains healthy and comfortable with no chance of brush burn.

Happy Shaves

 

[Captain Coconut]

My method accelerates the break in process.

In your experience, how much sooner is a brush broken in to your satisfaction using this method compared to simply soaking it for 20 minutes, palm-lathering & rinsing thoroughly, letting it dry completely, and repeating the process a few times?

 

[JoWolf]

In your experience, how much sooner is a brush broken in to your satisfaction using this method compared to simply soaking it for 20 minutes, palm-lathering & rinsing thoroughly, letting it dry completely, and repeating the process a few times?

When I get the initial harshness removed and the brush nicely bloomed. I then let the brush completely dry out between breaking in cycles. After palm lathering I always give the brush a robust workout in towelling, this speeds up hair splitting. Softness is unavailable without hair splitting. Before I place the brush to completely dry I groom it with a dog comb. Making sure the bristles are lined up and the knot nicely bloomed.

Even identical knots rarely break in at the exact same rate. I’m a weekly face and head shaver, 52 shaves a year. This current brush is in its third cold cycle with twelve palm latherings. I will probably let it dry out completely after the next workout which will be fifteen palm latherings. My best guess would be another six to eight workout cycles before I might be tempted to shave with it. In two weeks I’ll be seventy-eight years old. I really don’t have the time nor the patience to drag out breaking in a brush over a long time frame. From start to finish I can usually get a brush to my shave satisfaction and softness within a month.

 

[Captain Coconut]

When I get the initial harshness removed and the brush nicely bloomed. I then let the brush completely dry out between breaking in cycles. After palm lathering I always give the brush a robust workout in towelling, this speeds up hair splitting. Softness is unavailable without hair splitting. Before I place the brush to completely dry I groom it with a dog comb. Making sure the bristles are lined up and the knot nicely bloomed.

Even identical knots rarely break in at the exact same rate. I’m a weekly face and head shaver, 52 shaves a year. This current brush is in its third cold cycle with twelve palm latherings. I will probably let it dry out completely after the next workout which will be fifteen palm latherings. My best guess would be another six to eight workout cycles before I might be tempted to shave with it. In two weeks I’ll be seventy-eight years old. I really don’t have the time nor the patience to drag out breaking in a brush over a long time frame. From start to finish I can usually get a brush to my shave satisfaction and softness within a month.

View attachment 1959439

That isn't what I asked.

I asked, in your experience, how much this accelerates the break-in compared to the much simpler method that I gave.

 

[JoWolf]

That isn't what I asked.

I asked, in your experience, how much this accelerates the break in compared to the much simpler method that I gave.

I’d say ten times faster. When I first started using boars I got serious brush burn by trying to break them in on my face, while shaving. With sensitive skin that turned out to be a painful experience. Breaking them in quickly also allows you to rotate your brushes. I don’t wait for a shave to break in my brushes. And I don’t use brushes that are not broken in.

 

[Captain Coconut]

I’d say ten times faster. When I first started using boars I got serious brush burn by trying to break them in on my face, while shaving. With sensitive skin that turned out to be a painful experience. Breaking them in quickly also allows you to rotate your brushes. I don’t wait for a shave to break in my brushes. And I don’t use brushes that are not broken in.

You won't take the time to read what I'm asking you, so I guess I'll give up.

I'd wager that you've never tried a simple break-in like I outlined, which I believe will break a boar brush in far quicker than your method, and without the dangers associated with over-soaking or refrigerating.

 

[JoWolf]

You won't take the time to read what I'm asking you, so I guess I'll give up.

I'd wager that you've never tried a simple break-in like I outlined, which I believe will break a boar brush in far quicker than your method, and without the dangers associated with over-soaking or refrigerating.

 

[JoWolf]

You won't take the time to read what I'm asking you, so I guess I'll give up.

Well Sir. I have read your inquiries and answered each one to the best of my abilities and understanding. Obviously you do not agree with my method of breaking in boar brushes. I get that as I also don’t agree with some methods others use as well. Good luck with your boars. Happy Shaves.

 

[Brutus]

My grandfather and my father in law both used straights and boar brushes. They both left the boars in their shave cups without rinsing after their shaves. Once those boars hit their soap cups they never saw the light of day again. They both did this for decades. Maybe we’re all doing it wrong? I don’t believe my system of braking in boars is incorrect in any way. I have broken in eight or so boars in this fashion.

Regarding your first point, I wouldn’t do it as alkaline soap damages natural shaving brush fibers, but some people do it and seem to get away with it - at least for some time. Boar bristles may also more tolerant in that respect than badger hair.
Judging from unanimous comments from shaving brush manufacturers, I very much doubt that those who meticulously rinse out their shaving brushes are doing it wrong.

Regarding your second point, your method of breaking in boar brushes is not ‘incorrect’ as such, but it serves no purpose, requires an extra effort, and is based on an incorrect translation.

But in the end, as with not rinsing shaving brushes, everyone can do with his shaving brush what he likes…


And yes, boar brushes are underrated.
When broken in they can give sublime shaves that belie their humble, rough appearance when new or dry, something that professional barbers have long caught on with.



B.

 

[Guido75]

Looking good there John! Also looking forward to your comparisons with the Zenith brushes - particularly given that this a smaller knot that you usually use. I have a SOC finest badger and I too was a bit taken back about the size when it first arrived. The picture implies something very different when ordering at least! It works just fine, but is indeed a smaller knot to be working with.