Needing a boar recommendation...

[stevodevo]

I could spend all day researching so I figured I'll go where the experts are and ask first... I'm looking to add a boar brush as my 2nd shaving brush.

Currently I have the EJ Best Badger (medium) and love it... mostly I'm wanting to build up my shave den a bit and experience boar for myself. Eventually I'd also like to acquire a silvertip but that's not the point of this post.

The EJ BB has, I believe, a 53mm loft, 21mm knot, and a 46mm handle. I'm looking for a boar that has a longer handle, preferably a thicker knot, and could be the same or slightly shorter (50mm or so) loft. I'd also like a natural wood looking handle but that's not essential.

I've looked at some Semogues but so far they all seem to have somewhat shorter handles, and the Omegas I've seen look to have larger lofts... maybe the taller loft is normal and more desirable in a boar, I'm not sure, if so please enlighten me!

Cheers!
Steve

[StuMcB]

It's one or the other from what I can see. The Omega handles while bigger aren't huge. They tend to be a little cheaper than the semogues as well. Saying that the best Semogue I have is the 620 while my best Omega is my trusty 10777, a super cheapy but gives a good lather no matter what.

[stevodevo]

Thanks StuMcB... actually, as soon as I posted this I saw Dave had posted a Semogue 620 and 1520 in the BST! Ended up snagging those so we'll see how they go. Sounds like the 1520 might just fit the bill!

[SOS]

Thanks StuMcB... actually, as soon as I posted this I saw Dave had posted a Semogue 620 and 1520 in the BST! Ended up snagging those so we'll see how they go. Sounds like the 1520 might just fit the bill!

Nice buy, the 1520 and the 620 use the same size knot and use the same bristle. They have a lot of fans and a excellent reputation.

[mftoms59]

...The EJ BB has, I believe, a 53mm loft, 21mm knot, and a 46mm handle. I'm looking for a boar that has a longer handle, preferably a thicker knot, and could be the same or slightly shorter (50mm or so) loft. I'd also like a natural wood looking handle but that's not essential...Cheers!
Steve

You just described this brush, except the wood handle is painted; http://vintagescent.com/shaving-brus...ing-brush-p-70 or this, same specs with Natural wood handle; http://vintagescent.com/shaving-brus...ing-brush-p-71 or you might consider this, with a 55mm loft; http://vintagescent.com/shaving-brus...ing-brush-p-69

Whichever you choose, you'll find they break-in fairly quick and the tips will become softer with regular use. I use a coffee mug to soak my brush, filling halfway up the knot and I've never had a problem with the wood handle splitting, swelling or losing the knot.

Oops... I see I'm a bit late, enjoy your Semogues.

[fields]

I have the omega pro 48, it has so much backbone that even though it has a medium sized handle its effectively like having a long handle, I went from a cheap badger to it and much prefer it.

I liked it right out of the box, but its been getting better as it breaks in. No wooden handle though.

Edit: just noticed your purchase when refreshed after posting - well good luck

[JCinPA]

Funny you post this today because I've been using one badger for 8 months now. I just got an Omega 2000 and I have a used Semoge Owners Club on the way from the BST. We should post our impressions as we get used to them together. I understand they can take a month to break in. I should post about my first shave with a boar tomorrow morning. If you like, post in there, and I'll do the same and we can run a month-long 'learning the boar' journal together. I'd like to learn from your experiences and perhaps vice versa.

If that doesn't sound too strange. "Hi! You don't know me, but let's do a boar brush journal together."

Does sound kinda strange now that I read it. But we'd get lots of coaching in there, too.

I did a test lather yesterday with Marco's Method (did not shave) with RazoRock Linea Officina and the lather was ridiculously good. I can't wait till morning.

[jamesnj]

I got a Semogue 1250 for Christmas, and have been happy so far. It meets most of your requirements, but has a slightly longer loft, 55mm.

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Semog..._Shaving_Brush

I'm not sure if you can get that same handle with a 50mm loft knot, but Semogue has so many models. I may have to put together a table comparing handles and knots on them sometime.

[PozzSka]

Semogue Owner's Club or on of the Boar LE from 2011.

I'm still a big badger guy, and don't have any boars left, but if I did, those would be them.

[CSG]

Everyone should try both types and probably own both types of brushes but so far, I see no benefit of me recently acquired Omega to my VdH (which is significantly denser) which was cheaper still. It's fashionable to bash VdH brushes but they are very good and very inexpensive. They just aren't flavor of the week brushes.

[SmoovD]

Semogue Owner's Club is quite possibly my favorite brush, be they badger or boar.

[stevodevo]

Thanks again everyone for the comments/suggestions... I'm hoping to try these out and see what the 'boar hype' is all about! Actually I've been sticking mostly to creams but have a few soaps and was wanting to see if there's a difference when lathering with something a little 'stiffer' on the soaps. I'm still not great at loading up on soap unfortunately.

@John - I'm not sure when my boars will arrive but sure, if you want to post a topic about a 'boar trek' then I'll be happy to add my 2 cents!

Cheers!
Steve

[SteveWY]

I've been reading with interest (an appreciation) this thread and others as I was determining which boar would be my next. So many great ideas. I'm really down to deciding among the 620/830, and 1250/1305/1800. I am down to my last comparison but I submit some final questions to the Brothers of the Boar:

-The 620 & 830 seem similar but I am leaning towards wood rather than acrylic handles. What knots of these are comparable to the wooden handle models? Do the 820 and 1250 have the same knot?

-It looks like the 1250/1305/1800 have some similarities. The 1305 gets a lot of love but I think I'm partial to natural wood handles. Does anyone know who the hair type and knots of the 1250 and 1800 stack up?

-I see that the knots have various quality descriptions such as 75% extra, 90% premium, 75% mixed with 90%, etc. Any wisdom on if any of that matters?

-The SOC: Looks like the wood handle and stamped in logo is a difference. Is the knot different/same as any of my other choices?

[shm]

I've been reading with interest (an appreciation) this thread and others as I was determining which boar would be my next. So many great ideas. I'm really down to deciding among the 620/830, and 1250/1305/1800. I am down to my last comparison but I submit some final questions to the Brothers of the Boar:

-The 620 & 830 seem similar but I am leaning towards wood rather than acrylic handles. What knots of these are comparable to the wooden handle models? Do the 820 and 1250 have the same knot?

-It looks like the 1250/1305/1800 have some similarities. The 1305 gets a lot of love but I think I'm partial to natural wood handles. Does anyone know who the hair type and knots of the 1250 and 1800 stack up?

-I see that the knots have various quality descriptions such as 75% extra, 90% premium, 75% mixed with 90%, etc. Any wisdom on if any of that matters?

-The SOC: Looks like the wood handle and stamped in logo is a difference. Is the knot different/same as any of my other choices?

The 620 and the 830 doesn't have the same hair grade.
The 1438 and 1520 have identical knot to the 620
The 1305 has an almost identical knot to the 1305. That is same hair grade, but the 830 has 10% more hair.

Hair grade of the 1250 is Best 90% tops where the 1800 is a mix of Extra 75% tops/Premium 90% tops.

The percentage is how many of the hairs in the knot has the full length of the knot.

The knot of the SOC is Special Grade and as such different from the 1250 and 1800.


And maybe some of these threads can answer your questions

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...s-Semogue-1800

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...vs-Semogue-620

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...vs-Semogue-820

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Club-%28SOC%29

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...vs-Semogue-830

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ers-or-cousins


and this thread has multiple comparisons, scroll through it to get 'em

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...e-1800-vs-1305



If you prefer natural looking wooden handles the SOC is a good choice, but my recommendation would be the 1800.

[Optometrist]

Semogue Owners Club, Full Stop

[7 O Menthol]

In the FWIW column, I received this beauty (a Semogue 1460) recently from ItalianBarber. It's available at half the price of the SOC, and could be a nice starting point boar, as it appears it will be for me.



It both smelled and lathered fine right out of the box... now I get to enjoy the ride as the performance and face feel improve with break in