Semogue black boar bristle shaving brush.

I have been testing,for the last 3 weeks,this Semogue black boar bristle shaving brush and so far I can honestly say that this is one of those brushes you like it/adore it or hate it,and Im still figuring if I like it or not...

Semogue used black boar bristles in the past,and now Mr Gomes was capable to get some of this Porco Iberico black bristles.These bristles are very thick,and when I say very thick,I would say that are twice thicker than the 90% premium tops boar bristles.

The bristles has a back color and a very profound "animal scent" which takes over to a week to get rid off...yes,that wasnt fun at all...

The tips doesnt split like the other Semogue boar hair,however,theyre not very scratchy,and with time,would get softer and softer.

This kind of bristles dont absorb water as rge regular boar bristles,so it requires more water when making lather with it.Its funny,but in this way,behaves closer to a cheap synthetic brush than a boar brush.

It has such a firm backbone,but some flow to it....,well,lest be honest,its not fun to use this brush with circular movements,but with painting movements performs really well indeed.

Since the bristles are so thick,its not an ultra dense hair shaving brush,which its not a problem on my book.

The brush,once its used,blooms much better than I expected the first times I used it,and with uses,blooms even more...

...however,the firm backbone makes it a little bit difficult to use with circular movements.

For bowl lathering with soaps and creams its an excellent performer,as well as with painting strokes.To use it for facelathering and circular movements its not that good.

I would have to experiment more of it and Ill report back.

Thank you for the review and pics Teiste

It sounds very different.

Is there a website with the specifications? Or can you tell us the size of the knot?

(07-17-2012, 08:13 PM)ShadowsDad Wrote: It sounds very different.

Is there a website with the specifications? Or can you tell us the size of the knot?

57 mm loft and a 24 mm knot.

Thanks!

An interesting looking Semogue brush. I'm looking forward to seeing how this brush breaks in for you, Teiste.

Thanks for the informative review.

Nice looking brush. Where and when will they be available?

Nice review so for Teiste. It is a good looking brush. The dark bristle contrast well with the light wooden handle.

Looking forward to reading more and to maybe owning one someday if they produce them.

(07-17-2012, 09:32 PM)wknicholas Wrote: An interesting looking Semogue brush. I'm looking forward to seeing how this brush breaks in for you, Teiste.

This is something that I'm curious too. The time I played with this brush I wasn't able to pass that point, so I'm not sure if it will really enhance its performance after many uses.
Only time will tell.

But one thing is certain, this is a "Beast" when it comes to backbone. No where near any other brush I've known, it's like comparing a 18-wheel truck suspension spring with a "Mini" suspension spring.

This sounds interesting. I'm interested in hearing more about it as you continue to use it, Teiste.

Thank you for the review!
I too am looking forward to see the break in. If it's longer than the SOC Boar......wow....! I almost gave up on that one, it took so long for me. Thankfully, I held out.
This one with the thicker hair could take a while or not go any further as mentioned....

Leon was kind enough to sending me one of the prototypes as well. I've been testing it for quite some time - about 3 weeks or so, and sometimes popping it up on my SotD's as well, as some of you have noted.

Here's a photo of the "Iberian black boar" shaving brush prototype:

As Teiste stated, the bristles are very thick, very strong, they don't absorb the water like other types of boar bristles. This is both good and bad - one of the immediate advantages is that they don't "hog" the lather, like some other dense shaving brushes.

It works extremely well with hard soaps, creams and soft soaps alike, specially if you like to lather in a bowl or mug.

It also works well when face-lathering - despite its higher loft, this type of hair has a very strong backbone, like I haven't seen in any other brush. However, you will perhaps find it more comfortable to do back-and-forward movements instead of circular movements. However, in about ~20 years of using shaving brushes, I've never been a fan of circular movements, so that's not a problem for me.

The brush will take a long time to break-in, that's for sure. The tips, with time, will become soft, but not as soft as other kinds of boar brushes. If you have sensitive skin or if you only appreciate the softness of silvertips, this probably isn't the brush for you.

However, if you appreciate a brush with a little bit of scratchiness and a very strong backbone, this may really be your dream brush.

Do I recommend it? Yes, but only if you appreciate the specific characteristics of it. This isn't a brush that I would recommend to everyone. It is quite a different brush, with some not-so-common characteristics. The strong backbone is definitely the most notable of them, allied with a little bit of scratchiness. As I said, if you are a die-hard silvertip lover, maybe this one isn't your dream brush.

However, I do appreciate having some variety, and this brush is definitely different from the others that I have - and it is a really nice addition to my rotation, and surely it will pop in my SotD's in the future.

Sounds very, very interesting... and the black brush sure is eye catching.

I find that I tend to gravitate towards my stiffer, scratchier brushes now that it is summer for some reason. This brush sounds like just the thing to put on my birthday of Christmas list

Maybe they should consider making it with a less-dense knot.

When the bristles have a lot of backbone, you don't need to have a super-dense knot to have a nice face-feel. Think of the Muhle black fibres brushes......not dense at all, but still nice on the face, with the backbone showing up well. Also, a less dense knot will make lather building easier.

I don't think that more knot density is always a good thing.

These bristles may also be a prime candidate for a hybrid Iberian boar/black badger knot.

Wow, that looks beautiful. i think they got the boars from my hometown in northern Portugal. Hee hee.
Boy, it would be fun to try out.

sound interesting. i love the look and any new developements in brushes is welcome.

black boar has me curious.

You're all quite some enablers here at The Nook. My first day and I'm already running out of paper for my to-do list. Fascinating brush this, looks unique and, I'm sure, will offer an equally unique experience.

A black bristle boar by Semogue very interesting. As always Testie, a great review.

It will be interesting to see both how long it takes to break-in and whether it will loosen some.