We have had lots of talk here - much of it in this wonderful thread - about the Semogue Owners' Club Mistura brush/knot. It's a marvelous brush that I have used more than any other over the last two-plus years.
However, there is a Mistura that is talked about as an SOC-adjacent now and then but seldom given its full due: the C3 Torga (there is a C5 Torga, too, but I haven't used it and can't comment).
My C3 Torga was picked up on a whim several months ago on the B/S/T, and like its SOC brother, it is one of the happiest spur-of-the-moment buys I've made in this hobby. The 22mm knot on the C3 keeps the mixed hair from blooming as much as it does in the 24mm SOC, and the size difference between the brushes feels greater than a nominal 2mm knot shift would indicate (for the record, I've always though the SOC feels larger than it is). But rather than describing the Torga C3 Mistura in terms of what it isn't (i.e., an SOC), let's talk about what it is:
The handle is small but ergonomic, with a thumb groove that starts just below the waist of the handle. It can be held between the thumb and three of your fingers, or it can be cupped in the palm with your fingertips at the base of the knot.
The knot is compact but holds an unreal volume of lather, enough for 4-5 passes easily. It is soft-tipped but quite scrubby thanks to backbone from both 2-band badger and boar bristles. It doesn't bloom out a whole lot, but it will splay with only a little pressure, and it yields lather to the face rather than hogging it.
What is remarkable about the C3 Torga Mistura, though, is that it's greater than the sum of its parts. In use, without analysis, the thing just works, and works well. It is really a prototypical shave brush in its form, its feel, and its function. That is, it does everything I would have imagined a shave brush would do when I got into this hobby, and everything I want one to do now. When I reflect on my favorite brushes over the years - the Duke, the Semogue 610 and 620, the Shavemac 2-band silvertip, and of course the SOC Mistura - I find that all of them are reflected in some aspect of the C3 Torga.
Oh, and it clocks in at around 50 bucks.
It's one of the great values in wetshaving, and IMO is the equal of its SOC brother. I bought a backup of each, although I expect not to need them for many, many years. If you're looking for a new face-lathering brush, a soft-scrubby lathering tool that you can use every day, this unsung hero is worth a look.
Anyone else have some great experiences with the Torga Mistura?
However, there is a Mistura that is talked about as an SOC-adjacent now and then but seldom given its full due: the C3 Torga (there is a C5 Torga, too, but I haven't used it and can't comment).
My C3 Torga was picked up on a whim several months ago on the B/S/T, and like its SOC brother, it is one of the happiest spur-of-the-moment buys I've made in this hobby. The 22mm knot on the C3 keeps the mixed hair from blooming as much as it does in the 24mm SOC, and the size difference between the brushes feels greater than a nominal 2mm knot shift would indicate (for the record, I've always though the SOC feels larger than it is). But rather than describing the Torga C3 Mistura in terms of what it isn't (i.e., an SOC), let's talk about what it is:
The handle is small but ergonomic, with a thumb groove that starts just below the waist of the handle. It can be held between the thumb and three of your fingers, or it can be cupped in the palm with your fingertips at the base of the knot.
The knot is compact but holds an unreal volume of lather, enough for 4-5 passes easily. It is soft-tipped but quite scrubby thanks to backbone from both 2-band badger and boar bristles. It doesn't bloom out a whole lot, but it will splay with only a little pressure, and it yields lather to the face rather than hogging it.
What is remarkable about the C3 Torga Mistura, though, is that it's greater than the sum of its parts. In use, without analysis, the thing just works, and works well. It is really a prototypical shave brush in its form, its feel, and its function. That is, it does everything I would have imagined a shave brush would do when I got into this hobby, and everything I want one to do now. When I reflect on my favorite brushes over the years - the Duke, the Semogue 610 and 620, the Shavemac 2-band silvertip, and of course the SOC Mistura - I find that all of them are reflected in some aspect of the C3 Torga.
Oh, and it clocks in at around 50 bucks.
It's one of the great values in wetshaving, and IMO is the equal of its SOC brother. I bought a backup of each, although I expect not to need them for many, many years. If you're looking for a new face-lathering brush, a soft-scrubby lathering tool that you can use every day, this unsung hero is worth a look.
Anyone else have some great experiences with the Torga Mistura?
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