Considering trying a zenith and semogue to compare. These are inexpensive 10 euro brushes. Anyone know why this one has a three band look?
Thinking of Giving Boar Another Try
- Thread starter eezee
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Just dyed for aesthetics. More important is the hair grade used as that makes the Semogues feel different on the face. Unfortunately you have to try them to find out what ya like. That in your pic is the 1438 which has the same hair grade and knot size as the 620, but in a different handle.
I really like the face feel of the 1438. It doesn't hold enough lather for 3 full passes but doesn't bother me though.
Of the brushes below, two have the same grade of hair in different set knots, so there's three different grades among the four brushes. The two dyed fake badger brushes are very different even if they look the same, the 1438 and 1800. The 1800 might just be my favourite face feel wise. Like yourself I have a Zenith incoming just for comparisons sake.
I’ve only tried the the Semogue OC brushes so I don’t have a baseline to say if I like the other semogue boars. I have tried a handful of omegas and they are just not for me, which puts me in the minority in these parts. The zeniths have just wow’d me and I’ve kinda got all my brush focus on them. I lack some smaller boar knots at this time. I think I’ll probably go semogue at some point to secure a smaller face lathering brush. Maybe a 610 or 620.
Someone on another thread was impressed by the smaller B17 and B24 by Zenith. I considered one before ordering the 506 but couldn't find any outside of The Gentle Shave in the States.
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I went and found this thread from a couple of years ago. I wanted some more input from you gentlemen.
My Semogue 610 and Zenith are broken in and give good service. One thing that I am discovering and just wanted to see if others are of the same opinion, but I believe that boar bristles on the whole retain water to a much greater extent than any other bristle. I feel like it is quite a bit easier to water log your lather with a boar then other materials, be they natural or synthetic.
Thoughts?
My Semogue 610 and Zenith are broken in and give good service. One thing that I am discovering and just wanted to see if others are of the same opinion, but I believe that boar bristles on the whole retain water to a much greater extent than any other bristle. I feel like it is quite a bit easier to water log your lather with a boar then other materials, be they natural or synthetic.
Thoughts?
Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
I think you are correct in that boars absorb more water into the fibers than other naturals. Badger seems to soak up a little but hold water to the fibers as much as anything else. To me a badger or horse brush can be wet and go (not optimal but can be) whereas boar MUST be soaked for a few minutes.
I haven't had them water log my lather but then I start with a pretty dry brush. I soak it and then I turn and shake the water off the brush vigorously into the shower behind me. I get a lot more water out of the brush that way than if I did gentle shakes into the sink as most do. I like to start dry and work up a soap paste and then add water as needed rather than start wet and load until there is enough soap to make the correct ratio.
I have found the unbleached boars to absorb the most water but don't find it a threat to over saturation. In fact I've felt the opposite, that it mops up so much water that extra water doesn't wreck the lather.
Guess I like Boar better than Badger, since I've manged to accumulate several Boar, but only a couple of Badger. I still have way more synthetics of various brands.
You see the Youtube Gurus soak a brush, then slop it wet & dripping into a soap tin. They slop the brush around spilling excessively wet soap until they finally get a good solid lather.
I've tidied up all that slop & spill by squeezing the Boar brush until it quits dripping. I get a great lather without the need to mop up the floor, walls and countertop afterward.
For my synthetic brushes, I still soak them for a couple of minutes, but shake them out well before picking up soap from a tin. if more water is needed, a few squirts from a little fine misting bottle into the bowl give me the right amount of water to whip up my perfect consistency lather.
You see the Youtube Gurus soak a brush, then slop it wet & dripping into a soap tin. They slop the brush around spilling excessively wet soap until they finally get a good solid lather.
I've tidied up all that slop & spill by squeezing the Boar brush until it quits dripping. I get a great lather without the need to mop up the floor, walls and countertop afterward.
For my synthetic brushes, I still soak them for a couple of minutes, but shake them out well before picking up soap from a tin. if more water is needed, a few squirts from a little fine misting bottle into the bowl give me the right amount of water to whip up my perfect consistency lather.
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