Impressed with Semogue brush construction

I decided today was the day to end my experiment with a trimmed Semogue 1250 boar brush and do some work on it to get it ready for a reknot.

Long story made short, I'm impressed with the way they build their brushes! But I'm no brush expert either, just to put that comment into perspective. But if I was building brushes, that's the way I would have come up with. It's overengineered to the max!

Now the longer story. The metal ring seen from outside between the bristle and the handle? That's the top flange of a collar that the bristles set in, but that's not the entire story. The bristles are impregnated with resin just slightly higher than that ring. From there to the full depth of the hole (3/4") is solid resin and bristle inside that aluminum collar. To guild the lily that aluminum collar is pressed (constricted) to form a sort of wasp waist and further hold the bristles. Of course this entire assembly is epoxied into the hole. No way, other than with drill and other similar means, is one of their brushes ever coming apart. It'll certainly never come apart in normal use.

Brian, good info. You can see this more clearly on one of their clear plexi handles. Depending on which color epoxy they use, black, red, or blue.

I agree, they are a very well made brush.

I also agree.

I had an 1800 kindly gifted to me from a good friend. The knot was bent so I steamed it out using Teiste's method as the knot was set bent in the handle.

When the was removed, i was quite impressed too.

I had to grind a bit of the epoxy away so the knot would sit straight and then re epoxy'd it back in.

It's been a great brush since!

(06-02-2012, 11:03 AM)ShadowsDad Wrote: I decided today was the day to end my experiment with a trimmed Semogue 1250 boar brush and do some work on it to get it ready for a reknot.

Long story made short, I'm impressed with the way they build their brushes! But I'm no brush expert either, just to put that comment into perspective. But if I was building brushes, that's the way I would have come up with. It's overengineered to the max!

Now the longer story. The metal ring seen from outside between the bristle and the handle? That's the top flange of a collar that the bristles set in, but that's not the entire story. The bristles are impregnated with resin just slightly higher than that ring. From there to the full depth of the hole (3/4") is solid resin and bristle inside that aluminum collar. To guild the lily that aluminum collar is pressed (constricted) to form a sort of wasp waist and further hold the bristles. Of course this entire assembly is epoxied into the hole. No way, other than with drill and other similar means, is one of their brushes ever coming apart. It'll certainly never come apart in normal use.

I guess I can quit worrying about the knot falling out if I get the brush wet up past the aluminum collar, eh, Johnny!

Nick, if it's a wooden brush I wouldn't soak the wood, but that's just me. A wood finish can only do so much and then they fail. But a plastic handle? You could put that at the bottom of the Marianas Trench and it wouldn't hurt it from what I saw of the build.

I never soak any brush up to the edge of where the knot meets the handle, especially wooden handle brushes. That has just always been my practice and I've never had one fail yet.

(06-02-2012, 12:23 PM)Johnny Wrote: I never soak any brush up to the edge of where the knot meets the handle, especially wooden handle brushes. That has just always been my practice and I've never had one fail yet.

Exactly what I do with evey brush I own

(06-02-2012, 11:09 AM)Johnny Wrote: Brian, good info. You can see this more clearly on one of their clear plexi handles. Depending on which color epoxy they use, black, red, or blue.

I agree, they are a very well made brush.

Johnny, the epoxy is not coloured, it is just like any other epoxy. The colour (either blue, red, black, brown or white) is given by an ink.

Once, I had a defective Semogue brush, and the knot popped out.
I've contacted the vendor, and Semogue replaced the brush with no problem. There was a problem with the glue, and the drying of the epoxy, according to Mr Gomes.

But I've taken a photo of the beheaded brush. You can clearly see the thickness/deepness of the metal ring:

Those darn Portuguese sure know how to make things! Hehe.

Hmm, my collar on the 1250 was much deeper than that and wasp waisted. I wonder if the plastic handles have a different collar? They've got to. Thanks for the pic.

I did compare the 1250 to my 610, and the 610 just doesn't have room for the same construction as seen from the outside. It's got to be like what you show there.

(06-02-2012, 01:09 PM)oversaturn Wrote: Johnny, the epoxy is not coloured, it is just like any other epoxy. The colour (either blue, red, black, brown or white) is given by an ink.

Emanuel, thanks for this information. This puts another myth to rest.

(06-02-2012, 12:23 PM)Johnny Wrote: I never soak any brush up to the edge of where the knot meets the handle, especially wooden handle brushes. That has just always been my practice and I've never had one fail yet.

Neither do I Johnny, I was just funning with you!

I have a Semogue 1460 I have been very impressed with the brush.
The quality is superb, it is breaking much quicker then it took the Omega 48.

I think if anyone was reluctant to try a boar, Semogue would change their mind.

Brian, Emmanuel - thanks for sharing about Semogue construction.

Great knots, wonderful handles and now we know these brushes are built like tanks. Not that I'm surprised.