Breaking in a Semogue?

My Semogue 2000 arrived today (yay), i have limited experience with boar brushes. Any tips or guidelines for a smooth break in?

I got a couple of Semogues myself today. The SOC boar and the 830. I don't believe there are any special tricks or secrets to breaking these in other than making sure that they dry out good in between lathers. Maybe that's not even all that important. Just use it like you normally would or do break in lathers on your hand until the bristle tips split after about a month or so. I just did a couple break in lathers this evening on my hand.... mostly to get the funky smell out.... but after feeling how soft the tips are I don't think I would hesitate to just use it for face lathering the next time.

Enjoy your's. I'll be tearing up a bunch of hard triple milled soaps with mine.

Ben

I got an 830 myself few day's back and asked the same thing, try looking for my post and you'll find a little more, should get advice here as well and I think the same as mistercitizen...I think I will use it next time already did two break in lathers and well I wanna use it so will be in my next shave lol.

My relatively new experience with boars has led me to believe that a good way to break them in is to take some soaps that may not necessarily be your favorites and use them!
What I mean by this is that the boar brush is for the most part usable when new but may not hold a ton of lather until it is broken in UNLESS you load heavily! I enjoy tearing up some VDH. I got my relatively new 1520 loaded up the other day with enough VDH lather the other day that I could have done seven passes if I wanted to.
This method will allow you to get a nice feel for the brush while using it to shave with. Once it gets broken in you'll be able to load it similarly to how you load your other brushes. You just might not want to use your most expensive soaps during the break in period, but you'll start to notice when the time is right and you can any soap you like without using so much.

Straight from the box and a quick rinse, I began using my 610, (twenty-one shaves ago). Its matured greatly and now I enjoy it very much.

Use it everyday, regardless of whether you shave or not.

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/How_to_Break_in_a_Shaving_Brush
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/139297-How-To-Break-In-A-Brush-amp-Get-The-Funk-Out

I didn't have any issues with my Semogue 1800. Just started using it.

I have all ways just started using them to break them in. Some feel they are too stiff and prickly to use straight out of the box, and prefer to do a few hand or bowl lathers to get things started.
Just be sure to give it time to dry completely between lathers, as this helps speed things along. I usually wait 2 days until I use mine again. YMMV

Use it, let it dry thoroughly, use it, let it dry thoroughly, repeat many times. If you can let it dry one for a full day, that would be best. Good luck.

Give it a wash and rinse with SWMBO's favorite shampoo and conditioner. She won't mind sacrificing her high end salon products so that you may break in a brush proper. Other than using it everyday, the conditioner helps to soften things up a bit until it breaks in. I hang mine to dry. Just my 2 cents.

Just use it.

Yep I just started using my SOC day one. The great thing about boars is, they just keep getting better.

Just soak,use and enjoy as it softens up and starts splitting.

Day two of my Semogue boar brush experience. (Not trying to hijack thread from OP, but I got my Semogues the same day as he did). The did a bunch of hand/scuttle lathers this evening with both of them (SOC and 830). I actually lathered up a soap or two that I had for a long while now but had never used. From EJ Aloe Vera soap to Cella to Cade to TFS.... the result was the same. Rich, creamy, slick lather. Cella was by far the easiest to lather.... and the EJ takes the most convincing.... but I got great lathers everytime with these brushes. I used the 830 to shave. I face lathered some Cade soap. Had a great shave. Not too prickly at all. I would have to agree with everyone who is saying "just use it". These boars are not lather hogs are they? Not at all like my badger brushes. I found that I had to reload a couple of times when face lathering to get enough lather for a 3 pass shave.... but great lather nonetheless. I didn't think that the 830 splayed too much while I was face lathering either. I was able to put the lather where I wanted it on my face without getting it all other. I hope as it breaks in that it won't get too floppy and splay too much. I kind of like the backbone the way it is.... just needs a little softer tips.

What a nice relaxing evening creating lather with these boar brushes.

Ben

You got lucky, it looks like mine is gonna take a while. Day 2 wasn't much better than day 1, nothing that i would call a good lather. But good things come to those who wait!

attime6 said:

You got lucky, it looks like mine is gonna take a while. Day 2 wasn't much better than day 1, nothing that i would call a good lather. But good things come to those who wait!

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Ususally with the Semogues I have owned (1305, 1800, 620, 830) the first 1 or 2 lathers are so-so but still usable, and after that they are just fine.

ODJ said:

Ususally with the Semogues I have owned (1305, 1800, 620, 830) the first 1 or 2 lathers are so-so but still usable, and after that they are just fine.

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This is just my observation from my limited experience with a boar brush, but it seems that you have to add water more diligently with a boar.... by that I mean a little at a time and frequently. I think this is because the boar bristles do not hold as much moisture as badger hair. I think I'm correct in that assumption (the badger hair holds more moisture than boar hair).... if not someone correct me. I've noticed that I've had to work for the good lather with these Semogues.... a little more than a badger brush.... but loading a hard soap is definitely easier with these Semogues. Maybe the good lather will come quicker and easier after the Semogues have broken in.... I can only assume it will based on what I've read other guys say about them.

Ben

I remember reading awhile back that after you lather, use a blow dryer for two reasons. 1) It allows the brush to dry faster so you can do multiple test lathers quickly. 2) The heat from the blow drier speeds up the break in process. I'm waiting on a Semogue also. I'm excited to compare it to my Omega's.

Third lather today was much better but man it stinks!