Going to buy a boar brush and need a little advice
- Thread starter Cochese2323
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Well, Semogue has Best, Super, Extra, Premium, and Special grades, in addition to other specialty grades used in limited-edition brushes.
Well on the wiki page they only have Special, White Premium, White Best, and Banded Imitation. I could swear I read there was just two grades they had, but maybe it was another company. Either way, Omega only has 1 or 2 grades at most....
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Shave_Brush_Hair_Grades I guess it does list the grades there better so I'm wrong. I'm not sure how they have double the amount of grades, then it makes the grades less universal...
Best, Super, Extra, Premium, and Special grades are all listed right there on the wiki page. Banded imitation's not a grade, it just means they're dyed with a band to look like badger. Omega doesn't really list their grades, but that doesn't mean they don't have a range of grades used for their different brushes (they certainly do), and just because other companies only have 2 grades doesn't prove there's no variation in boar, especially since Semogue is what Steve was asking about.
Why don't they usually list them with the brushes? I guess then I have no idea which brush is which type. I have an Omega and I have no clue what type of bristle it is....
I guess then that the grades are less important? I never see them listed, why are they so different?
I'm not trying to disagree really, I just don't get it...
Oh and I know Semogue's are a little different, but most people list the tops/backbone/floppiness as issues (although softness is too, it's usually the right backbone too). So it seems like the grades never get any attention, which is just why I'm curious as to what the deal with it is.
I'm just asking, I'm super confused, I thought I just read that grades meant nothing and it was all tops, so now I'm all lost again lol.
I'm just asking, I'm super confused, I thought I just read that grades meant nothing and it was all tops, so now I'm all lost again lol.
There are backbone/floppiness "issues" because different brushes have different strengths. A brush that is excellent for one use (such as the 2000 for being big, luxurious, soft, and excellent for bowl lathering) might be terrible for another use (such as face lathering). These aren't "issues" with Semogue brushes, they're just people trying to find their ideal brush, which is only possible because there's such a big range. The ability to fine-tune your selection to match your individual preference shouldn't be looked at as a downside.
The idea that grade means nothing and it's only tops that matters is kind of silly, but it seems like you're not the only one to get that impression. It would be like saying there's no difference between Pure and Silvertip badger, that only bulb/fan shape or loft mattered.
I think the biggest reason boar is thought of as lesser and having less variation for aficionados is because boar bristle is not rare and expensive like badger hair is, so the brushes are cheaper. Many, myself included, greatly prefer boar over badger. I'd rather have a $30 Semogue boar brush than a $200 Simpson badger.
The idea that grade means nothing and it's only tops that matters is kind of silly, but it seems like you're not the only one to get that impression. It would be like saying there's no difference between Pure and Silvertip badger, that only bulb/fan shape or loft mattered.
I think the biggest reason boar is thought of as lesser and having less variation for aficionados is because boar bristle is not rare and expensive like badger hair is, so the brushes are cheaper. Many, myself included, greatly prefer boar over badger. I'd rather have a $30 Semogue boar brush than a $200 Simpson badger.
I guess I have to learn, I read around and that is all I have to go on. Additionally I can't go to a store or see someone with a lot of brushes to personally see the different brushes, I'm sure that makes a huge difference.
I know I might have come off as saying it didn't matter, I was more asking from reading up on this and having my impression set completely different. Didn't mean to be offensive, I just read threads, it just all confused me pretty bad.
Here's scoppi's great effort to list the popular Semogue brushes:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/278205-Semogue-Boar-Brush-Chart
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/278205-Semogue-Boar-Brush-Chart
Thanks. That chart is helpful.
I went Omega 48 and Semogue 1470. Both ends of the spectrum. Still deciding...
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