Help me pick a new shave brush

[musicman1951]

I would suggest either the Semogue SOC 2 band badger or the Semogue Mistura badger/boar brush. Last I looked both were about the same price and a fair amount under your cap. The 2 band has very soft tips and good backbone because of the density of the knot. The Mistura boar hairs add some stiffness, but the tips have some scrub if you like that. Both excellent, I'd choose based on my feeling about the tips face feel.

 

[Quaznoid]

I’ve used the $4 VDH boar brush nearly everyday for 15 years with complete satisfaction.

 

[Albert V]

And this unbleached Zenith is comparable in all tech specs but better than a SOC with a normal boar break in cycle. My SOC ran a year to get to its fully broken in, final form.

For the OP, any number of Omegas will give good scrub. In my experience, Omegas are generally denser feeling, offer more backbone and less splay until pushed, than most Semogues. Still great boars, and generally a bit cheaper than Semogues as well.

I had a SOC 2-band, and it was soft, with just enough backbone to not want to get rid of it.

In my limited experience - 3 boar brushes, I favor my Omegas over Semoque boars. Early on I was having trouble building a lather with my cheapo badger when used with harder soaps like Stirling. So I picked up a Semoque 1800 which performed noticeably better. However, I was still having trouble and thought it might me due to hard water. So I bough a bottle of distilled water and did a number of trials but the difference in lather was not significant. Research showed that Stirling soaps should lather well. So, I decided to pick up a 24mm knot Omega boar 11137 for about $12 on Amazon a year ago. Suddenly, my lathers popped. I attributed this to the stronger backbone which my Semogue 1800 did not have. I was perplexed at how Semoque had such a great reputation and also that most state boars are too stiff and scratchy. Mine where neither. I later decided to push this further and picked up a 26mm knot Omega 10049 for about $10. Today, these two boar brushes are all I use and I find them plenty soft with good backbone, although I would not mind more backbone. The 26mm knot boar can eat lather and I think now my sweet spot for a knot is closer to 24mm. But, as I mentioned in a previous post, for $10, the Omega 10049 is so inexpensive one cannot afford not to give it a try.

Regarding boar breakin. Here is my trick…. What I did with all three boar brushes which worked out perfectly for me is a 3 day breakin. Take the new boar brush, wash/rinse to clean then place brush in a small cup of water filled about 2/3 up to the know. Do not soak the knot. Place the cup of water in refrigerator for about 12 hours. Remove, rinse, then rub it against a towel for a several minutes to break-in the tips. Then rinse and place in fresh cup of water in refrigerator for another 12 hours and repeat process. Essentially, did this when in the morning and again before retiring, about 6x over 3 days. Also, after a soak it doesn’t hurt at all to play around with making practice lathers with the new brush. After three days, no smell, and brush works great. It will get softer with use but is perfectly fine. I want the stiffness of a boar for hard soaps and exfoliation. Anyway, that’s my trick. My Semogue 1800 was just too soft to lather hard soaps well compared to my Omega. Perhaps it is partly due to a smaller 22mm knot. I may pick up a Stirling boar brush, 24mm, down the road when I place an order but they are often out of stock.

I have looked at the Semoque cherrywood handle Owners club since as I like wooden handles for better grip, and incline towards a 24mm knot. But, unless someone can tell me that the SOC brush is much stiffer/more backbone than the 1800 and even my Omegas, I save my money.

My Omegas

Omega Model 11137 Ash Wood Handle Boar Bristle Shaving Brush, 24mm

100% Boar Bristle Shaving Brush with lovely Ash Wood handle Handle Diameter: 26mmHandle Length: 58mmLoft: 52mmKnot: 24mm Give that new brush a proper home, check out our selection of brush and razor stands here.

maggardrazors.com

Omega Model 10049 Pro 49 Professional Boar Shaving Brush in Red, Black, or White, 26mm

100% Boar bristle shaving brush, great for beginners! Choose from Red, Black, or White handle.Measurements May VaryTotal Height 123mmLoft 59mmKnot 26mmHandle Height 64mmHandle Waist 36mm Give that new brush a proper home, check out our selection of brush and razor stands here.

maggardrazors.com

 

[KW Driver]

In my limited experience - 3 boar brushes, I favor my Omegas over Semoque boars. Early on I was having trouble building a lather with my cheapo badger when used with harder soaps like Stirling. So I picked up a Semoque 1800 which performed noticeably better. However, I was still having trouble and thought it might me due to hard water. So I bough a bottle of distilled water and did a number of trials but the difference in lather was not significant. Research showed that Stirling soaps should lather well. So, I decided to pick up a 24mm knot Omega boar 11137 for about $12 on Amazon a year ago. Suddenly, my lathers popped. I attributed this to the stronger backbone which my Semogue 1800 did not have. I was perplexed at how Semoque had such a great reputation and also that most state boars are too stiff and scratchy. Mine where neither. I later decided to push this further and picked up a 26mm knot Omega 10049 for about $10. Today, these two boar brushes are all I use and I find them plenty soft with good backbone, although I would not mind more backbone. The 26mm knot boar can eat lather and I think now my sweet spot for a knot is closer to 24mm. But, as I mentioned in a previous post, for $10, the Omega 10049 is so inexpensive one cannot afford not to give it a try.

Regarding boar breakin. Here is what I did with all three boar brushes which worked out perfectly for me - 3 day breakin. Take the new boar brush, wash/rinse to clean then place brush in a small cup of water filled about 2/3 up to the know. Do not soak the knot. Place the cup of water in refrigerator for about 12 hours. Remove, rinse, then rub it against a towel for a several minutes to break-in the tips. Then rinse and place in fresh cup of water in refrigerator for another 12 hours and repeat process. Essentially, did this when in the morning and again before retiring, about 6x over 3 days. Also, after a soak it doesn’t hurt at all to play around with making practice lathers with the new brush. After three days, no smell, and brush works great. It will get softer with use but is perfectly fine. I want the stiffness of a boar for hard soaps and exfoliation. Anyway, that’s my trick. My Semogue 1800 was just too soft to lather hard soaps well compared to my Omega.

I have looked at the Semoque cherrywood handle Owners club since as I like wooden handles for better grip, and incline towards a 24mm knot. But, unless someone can tell me that the SOC brush is much stiffer/more backbone than the 1800 and even my Omegas, I save my money.

My Omegas

Omega Model 11137 Ash Wood Handle Boar Bristle Shaving Brush, 24mm

100% Boar Bristle Shaving Brush with lovely Ash Wood handle Handle Diameter: 26mmHandle Length: 58mmLoft: 52mmKnot: 24mm Give that new brush a proper home, check out our selection of brush and razor stands here.

maggardrazors.com

Omega Model 10049 Pro 49 Professional Boar Shaving Brush in Red, Black, or White, 26mm

100% Boar bristle shaving brush, great for beginners! Choose from Red, Black, or White handle.Measurements May VaryTotal Height 123mmLoft 59mmKnot 26mmHandle Height 64mmHandle Waist 36mm Give that new brush a proper home, check out our selection of brush and razor stands here.

maggardrazors.com

I love boars. I have a 10065 that I love and picked up a 11137 for a wood handled version of what I thought was the same knot. With a 1:1 sample size, they weren’t. The 11137 felt less dense, relatively floppier, and just… not the same knot. I passed that one along.

The SOC is a slowly evolving brush. At 6 months it was perfect. At a year it was even softer tipped, with more splay than at 6 months, and hasn’t changed since. Enough backbone for me and a stellar brush all around.

Another thing I’ve found is a warm/tap hot soak preshave gives me a softer backbone than a cool/cold water soak with the same boar.

And I’ve had more boars than you.

 

[Bungo Pete]

FWIW, the only brush I own is a Simpson Trafalgar T2 synthetic. The reviews have been very positive and I have really enjoyed the experience. It has been wonderful and for $30-35, you can't go wrong. I also like that it is made in "old blighty" by the world's oldest brush manufacturer.

 

[bk200006]

I would suggest either the Semogue SOC 2 band badger or the Semogue Mistura badger/boar brush. Last I looked both were about the same price and a fair amount under your cap. The 2 band has very soft tips and good backbone because of the density of the knot. The Mistura boar hairs add some stiffness, but the tips have some scrub if you like that. Both excellent, I'd choose based on my feeling about the tips face feel.

I came here to say this, 100%. I don't have the SOC 2-band but I do have an RV Shavemac 2-band. I love the feel and density of the Shavemac knot but can't say if the Semogue is similar. However, I do have the SOC Mistura and for me, it is a dream. Perfect handle, perfect face feel; a bit of scrub but not over the top. Top tier brush for the price.

 

[Acmemfg]

Semogue 1301-$22
Omega 11126-$20
Both boars. Available at West Coast Shaving. Probably quite a few other places as well.
You just ain’t gonna go wrong with either or both for that matter.

 

[RemFan]

Semogue 1305

 

[The Coffee Bandit]

I love boars. I have a 10065 that I love and picked up a 11137 for a wood handled version of what I thought was the same knot. With a 1:1 sample size, they weren’t. The 11137 felt less dense, relatively floppier, and just… not the same knot. I passed that one along.

The SOC is a slowly evolving brush. At 6 months it was perfect. At a year it was even softer tipped, with more splay than at 6 months, and hasn’t changed since. Enough backbone for me and a stellar brush all around.

Another thing I’ve found is a warm/tap hot soak preshave gives me a softer backbone than a cool/cold water soak with the same boar.

And I’ve had more boars than you.

SOC is just lovely, but certainly progresses more slowly than other boars. One of my favorite boars.

Are your 6 month and one year reports based on a daily shave tempo?

 

[KW Driver]

SOC is just lovely, but certainly progresses more slowly than other boars. One of my favorite boars.

Are your 6 month and one year reports based on a daily shave tempo?

Basically, yeah. Not my only brush in use, but the primary at the time. I was daily shaving M-F, and often weekends too

 

[Guido75]

The Muhle STF is definitely a great brush. You can get @apshaveco to make you a fitting brush.

And I would certainly look at Razorock‘s Plissoft brushes. The 400 is my most favourite brush - excluding my home made brushes by my dad. They are outside of competition.

 

[wimbouman]

FWIW, the only brush I own is a Simpson Trafalgar T2 synthetic. The reviews have been very positive and I have really enjoyed the experience. It has been wonderful and for $30-35, you can't go wrong. I also like that it is made in "old blighty" by the world's oldest brush manufacturer.

That would be an excellent choice as well, indeed, given the OP's specs.
I like my Trafalgar as well, great value for money.

 

[Swistak]

I have heard good things about DaVinci (Germany) brushes: fashionable and affordable silvertip badger with good backbone but not too much of it, so excellent for all purposes. I have not purchased one myself, but I should say that I have heard good things from qualified members in discussion posts (including Rudy himself, who knows German brushes very well). The DaVinci Uomo 293 clocks in at around $120 and can be had on Amazon.

*I realize my recommendation is above the poster's preferred price range, but I wanted to include a lesser known but worthy brush manufacturer in this thread.

 

[Swistak]

I’ve used the $4 VDH boar brush nearly everyday for 15 years with complete satisfaction.

I have used this brush as well---perfectly serviceable. I found a brand new VDH brush-bowl-soap set (the older model with the navy handle and navy-green ceramic bowl) at the local thrift store, which I picked up for less than a fiver.

 

[Jimboesq]

Hmmmmmm.... @ the $100 upper limit, I'd suggest a Zenith Manchurian badger (27.5mm) with your choice of handles... I have one with a 506 copper handle that I just love... I do bowl lather, but I also scrub in the lather so it's close to your situation. At the moment, I only use badger brushes. The aforementioned Zenith Manchurian is rotated with two other brushes for applying pre-shaves and 5 SV brushes are used to lathering.... the SV brushes are above your price limit.

One other possibility for you to consider would be the Semogue Pegasus Mistura mixed badger and boar... They are right at $100 and I love mine. It's one of the Pre-Shave brushes I rotate.

I am planning on buying a synthetic brush soon..... the Omega Elite with the 1920 classic handle.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807292645782.html

I had an Omega Evo Original that I loved but I moved away from synthetics and I gifted it to a great gentleman here. My wife is using my other remaining two synths: A Rudy Vey amboyna burl handle with a STF 25mm knot and a FB group buy Alpha Shaving G5 something knot... Steve called it a G5"D" at the time. At one time, I had 21 synth brushes.... Only 3 remained after I culled the herd.

Never ordered from Aliexpress...any issues/comments?

 

[Big Jim]

I'll only mention that I'm adicted to Silvertip Badger and you can find nice enough ones for under $50.00 if you know where to look. I'm gaining a liking for Two Band Finest (and it's closely related High Mountain and Manchurian), but Silvertip always makes me smile the most. I have a Best Badger that lather's like a champ and is only slightly scritchy so it is enjoyable in its own may. What I really have to express though, is that synthetic is getting better and better. I even enjoy a Boar brush if I soak the tips first.

In other words, there are lots of nice brushes out there. I have something north of 60 that I use regularly.

 

[Robcar]

My three favorite synthetic brushes are the Muhle STF 23mm and the Simpson Trafalgar 2 and Trafalgar 3. I also have an Edwin Jagger STF with a nice faux horn handle that I like.

 

[DesertIguana]

The Chinese make a lot of Synthetics, but their sure do not put out much info on what the are except their given names. So it is difficult to know what you getting before hand.