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Calling all (Boar?) Brush Fanatics - Pls Recommend me a great face-lathering brush

Hi Guys,

My first ever brush was a $40 Muehle Pure Badger. I have also tried another pure badger since and realise pure badgers are often prickly and scratchy.
I have also tried a $15 men-u boar that you get with the black plastic stand. This was surprisingly good but did not hold enough for 3-4 passes (heavy beard).

For a year now, I have been using a very nice silvertip badger brush. It was expensive and is serving me well. It is a jack of all trades as it works well with creams and soaps, bowl lathering and face lathering. The major reason I like it is because it provides great exfoliation but is NOT prickly or scratchy. The tips are soft but not so soft that I don't feel anything. Luxorious exfoliation, if that makes any sense. It is also quite a large brush, and I wish it was a little smaller, but the plus side of this is that it holds more than enough lather for 3+ passes. It also has a great backbone

Regularly browsing on forums has created an itch for boars!

Can those with a good experience of various Semogues please recommend me a great face lathering brush that is not scratchy and prickly like a pure badger?

I'd like the brush to last me a long time too.
I would use this brush with 'soft' soaps like Cella and Mama Bears. It would occasionally be used with shaving cream and MWF. I am in a rush most mornings and I face lather. I use a slant and feather blades daily.

On the other hand, do I need a new brush? Shall I resist the temptation and stick to my lovely badger, which I am perfectly happy with? I guess only I can answer this one.


To summarise: Please recommend a brush for my requirements:

Daily Shaver - 3 Passes - Soft Soaps - Slant + Feather - FACE LATHERER - Luxorious exfoliation





Thank you very much



RSJ
 
There's always room for boar - check out the Semogue Owner's Club brush for what you've mentioned. That, or the 830 or 1305.
 
Try the Semogue 1460 or 1470. I really enjoy the White Best grade of grade, which break in really nice - the bristle is stiffer than the Premium grade of hair, but not as scratchy as the Extra at the tips. They're on the small side, but can manage 3 passes easily enough as long as you're willing to load the brush.

Otherwise, the Semogue Owner's Club should fit the bill. However, you'll notice it might take a couple dozen lather/dry cycles before the lathering capabilities really start to improve. The bristle is thick and there's a good amount of it, so breaking it in will take some time.
 
I think you will enjoy at least TRYING a boar. Not too expensive, and you can always resell a Semogue, if you don't like it. You can use your silvertip for creams, and alternate days you use it, to let your brushes dry completely between uses. My boar experience is limited to an Omega 49 (sold) and the SOC (currently being broken in). I am really enjoying my SOC, great handle, love the wood, and I find I DO enjoy a stiff, scrubby brush.
 
You should try a boar, my Silvertip had a run yesterday but it really does feel moppy now. That's fine, sometimes I want moppy.

I like the SOC, but after break in it goes reallly soft right down to the knot, and I like backbone in my boars.

I find the 1305 is softer than the 620, but has pretty close to the same sort of backbone. The 1305 will be a bit pokey to begin with, but is a brilliant face latherer, it's winning over as my favourite. The 620 may just be a bit too pure badger prickly for you.

There's a fair bit of choice with Semogues, and with boars pricing, you can afford to try a couple. I don't think I'll ever buy another badger.
 
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The SOC, one's it's broken in properly (takes a couple of weeks)
is a beast on the face. A nice & very efficient beast that is :w00t:
 
R

rodeo

Semogue 830 boar or 620 boar. I use them both for face lathering.
 
Im picked up an Omega 10018 for around $12. Great with soaps and creams and a real face latherer. The Omega 31064 gets pretty good reviews on B&B as well.
 
buy a couple suggested above probably the SoC/ 1305. Semogues always move on the B/S/T so it's worth the risk of a couple of dollars to pick the 1 you like the best.
I only have the 1305 but the SoC sounds very popular. If you wanted to try an Omega in the future between Ntguys and Shoebox you should be able to find the one for you.
 
I really like my tallows and Seomgues. I have three (SOC, 2000 and 1470). They really beat up the hard soaps and feel great on the face.
 
The shorter loft of the 620 makes it great for face lathering. It may feel a bit more prickly than others at first, but like all boars, the tips become very soft with time! My 1305 I prefer for bowl lathering.
 
The Vulfix 404 Grosvenor mixed/boar badger is a good brush.......

Agreed, but as a face latherer it would not rank in my top 10

I've tried the cheaper Vulfix boars and didn't think much of them.

Thought so too when I first tried them. The strange thing is that they hardly seem to need a break in period but at the same time never reach the level of a broken in Omega.

When I used the Vulfixes (much) longer though they became better and better or I got more used to them. The hairs on my #2189 needed much more time to split and are thinner than any other boar I ever used but I think it might be the best brush for me after all.
 
Another vote for the 620, I prefer the shorter loft over the 830.

Be warned though its not a quick fix, I would say it took me 3-4 months to become really comfortable with it, that may be my own doing though as it was also what I learned to face lather with.

The 830 is a fantastic brush but I always reach for the 620 when a shave stick gets its turn in the rotation.
 
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