Semogue 830

Xezmer · Mar 25, 2012

fishcrow said: ↑

The great thing about traditional wet shaving are the choices of products you can use. You can build your den at your own budget level. The choices are your own. If you dislike boars and prefer badgers I think that it is great and will support your decision.

Personally for myself I would rather have a quality boar over a questionable quality badger. I own two badgers one LuJin, one Parker. The Parker has been in service for nearly two years now, the backbone is not as it once was, yes it soft almost too soft. I bought my first boar last August, an Omega "48". It is a great brush and I enjoy it more then my badger brushes.

I soak my brushes while showering, the badgers and boars soak the same amount The Omega "48" I would say holds more water then the badgers. The stiffer hairs at the tip are suppose to break over time to give them softness. I do not find that they need extra soaking time. Boars do take have longer break in period. Many give up on their boars for that reason.
I have found my boar easily lathers soaps or creams with no problems.

I do not buy a product because of hype, I research what I am going to buy. With information I make a I think is a good decision. I do not buy products because someone made me believe it was the product to have. There is merit is some high end products that warrant buying. MWF, you can a refill puck for under $20, it will last and last. I willing be adding more Semougue brushes to my den simply because they work for me.

I wish you best in your wet shaving journey and building a den to your budget level. Badgers work for you that is great. For myself I am finding boars work for me.
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I mostly agree with what's here and I should mention that I do keep MWF, Floid, and GFT in my Den as regular items.

lindyhopper66 · Mar 27, 2012

Xezmer said: ↑

I feel like a lot of products in the shave world are only seen as good or great because they are so awesomely hyped up. Items like MWF, T&H, Floid, Acqua Di Parma, and GFT (all of which I haven't tried and tested) are examples. While they are fantastic products, I find it hard to justify these at their retail prices when products that are only different nearly in packaging are available so much cheaper. Sure you're paying for the efficacy it provides on a mental level and the exclusiveness, but after having dropped so much money on these products, I've taken a step back and started enjoying the craft of the more basic products with a minimalist viewpoint. I know this is a little extended to answer your question, but here's where I come back to semogues. I owned the 620, 830, and SOC and found them all to be better than most boars at best and really did think they were better than badgers at some point.. because everyone helped me believe that. Personally, i'd say you should go out and get yourself a silvertip. I think boars, regardless the brand, are too scritchy, don't hold water or heat well, and leave a lot to be desired.

I've owned some 30+ brushes, custom, big brand, and hand made, and decided to keep 4 of them; Simpson CH Best 2, KimSon, Thater Silvertip, and Simpson Wee Scot. And for the $20-40 you'll pay for a semogue, you can find a pretty respectable silvertip off of Ebay. Not name brand, but very very funtional.

To answer your question, however. I find Semogues, or boars in general, very effective for soaps. They retain great backbone. They are most functional in a cold soak, but are better enjoyed by myself in a warm soak. Next, they must soak for longer than a badger brush because the stiffer hairs are more prone to breakage in my experience.

Good luck in your search!
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I've only been buying DE/SE razors and soaps and creams and thing since January, but agree wholeheartedly with you on the hype that makes us buy things and think one brand is better than the other. There's always something better to search for...iKon, Merkur Futur, Weber and on and on. I found the G1 by Schick, the Gillette Flair, Schick Krona, Feather Poplar, Lord L6 work great and are cheap.

Cheaper creams like Musgo Real or Prep work better for me than Taylor and Bond or Castle-Forbes (though they don't have their wonderful scents). And my favorite shaving cream is TSD.

My Dreidecker (Shea) brush from Target works fine. My cheap synthetic Omega is great.

ksb63 · Apr 5, 2012

Wow 830 seems small next cheep Walgreen's special I've been using. Still can't wait to try out after reading all the hype.

Sir Swine · Apr 12, 2012

I have come to love boars (over badger) and have several Semogue's but my Omega boar gets the most attention (forgot the number)

SharpSpine · Apr 12, 2012

Sir Swine said: ↑

I have come to love boars (over badger) and have several Semogue's but my Omega boar gets the most attention (forgot the number)
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You're a knighted member of the Swine family and you don't know the # to your favorite boar brush? Egads!

R33F · Jan 22, 2013

After searching around, finding this thread & the Semogue Family thread, I purchased the 830. I am breaking it in and am very happy with my purchase so far.

Barrylu · Jan 22, 2013

I use my 830 for travelling. I face lather with a Palmolive stick and the 830. Use of these 2 cuts down considerably on the amout of things I have to pack. If I have to pack the 830 wet and it gets ruined I am not out too much cash. If my luggage goes lost I am not faced with the loss of one of my expensive Silvertips. Plus the Backbone and scritch are better for facelathering than my Silvertips. The Silvertips are reserved for luxurious shaves in my own home.

Sunflake · Jan 22, 2013

It's a great brush for sure.

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Semogue 830

Xezmer Active Member

lindyhopper66 Well-Known Member

ksb63 Active Member

Sir Swine Member

SharpSpine Well-Known Member

R33F Well-Known Member

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Semogue 830

Xezmer Active Member

lindyhopper66 Well-Known Member

ksb63 Active Member

Sir Swine Member

SharpSpine Well-Known Member

R33F Well-Known Member

Attached Files:

uploadfromtaptalk1358883153024.jpg

Barrylu Well-Known Member

Sunflake Well-Known Member

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