Semogue is possibly best known for their boar brushes and their signature wooden handles. The Owner’s Club takes the classic handle to a new level. Available in Ash or Cherry wood, the SOC is a fine, fine brush.
This brush measures as follows:
- Knot size 24mm at the handle, 24mm advertised.
- 52mm loft measured from the metal ring
- Wooden handle, oil finished
- 53 grams
Initial Thoughts
This brush is a handsome brush! From the wooden handle to the two band hair that perfectly accents the brush, this brush delivers on aesthetics. I love the look of the finish and really love the burned or carved logo. Well done Semogue, well done. The only thing I don’t like is the metal ring. More on that later.
Softness
The brush is made from 2 band Manchurian/hog badger hair. The hairs are considerably thicker than Meles meles hair. While this hair is certainly very good 2 band hair, it is not the absolute top tier. However, it is noticeably better than lower quality hair such as TGN Finest, Lijun, Frank Shaving, etc.
The tips are soft on the face, but they do have a noticeable scritch. More than the Vie Long 2 band reviewed here, but not so much as to be uncomfortable or unpleasant. Well, maybe it would be if you don’t like a slight scrubbing feeling.
Putting into words what I feel on my face is a slight exfoliating scrub. Noticeable, but not harsh. Not too dissimilar from the act of shaving itself.
Density/Flow
The brush is moderately dense. Possibly on the side of high/medium density. As such the flow is not compromised. The brush is not a lather hog. The knot size combined with the good density of hairs means the brush can hold and generate a good amount of lather. The brush releases the lather well.
Construction
The construction of this brush is everything you would expect from Seogue’s best of class. The wooden handle is very ergonomic and easy to hold. However, it is not flaw free. The most obvious shortcoming is the metal ring at the base of the knot. This is simply how the knot is made. The knot is glued to that metal ring, it extends further into the handle and encompasses the base of the knot. The metal could be better polished, but a technical detail, I suppose. In addition, the brush feels a little light for its volume. I’m not going to complain too much at $70.
The wood handle is well constructed and the finish appears as though it will last many shaves. However, what lies under the surface is a very large glue bump inside the knot itself. The glue bump is quite noticeable and shortens the effective loft of the brush by about 16mm. The height of the glue bump. This extra glue probably contributes to the scrubbing feeling.
Final Thoughts
This brush does not cost a lot, so it is easy to overlook the small flaws. The brush performs very well and is a pretty darn good value for your dollar. If you just want to try 2 band hair without buying one of the expensive brand names or rolling the dice with the lesser names, this is the brush to buy.