Semogue 2000

Fido

Fido

Messages
6,286
Location
New Forest, England.
This gets rave reviews among the shaving fraternity.

This is what one reviewer makes of it on The Vintage Scent Co website:

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The brush is now priced at 17.95 euros.

I got mine at the old price and have spent some time lathering with it to break it in quickly. Even the smell has gone. My photos show what it looks like now.
I have used it for three shaves so these have to be regarded as first impressions.
The brush feels good in the hand, and lathers well with cream and soap. It is very soft and quite floppy so it feels gentle on the face. It is pleasant to use and gets the job done.
This is not a big brother to the 1305. It is completely different. More like a gentle elderly aunt.
It works. If you have the two brushes you wouldn't need another.

But I guess there is another question. How do these compare with decent badger brushes? Well I think that's like comparing an Escort with a Lexus. They will both get the job done but I know which I would rather have.
 

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Thanks for the review Fido! I think I understand the comparison to cars, but I've never driven Lexi and haven't used the more expensive badger brushes such as the Simpsons Chubby, so I shall have to take your word for it for the moment. Personally I love the hairy part of my Semogue 1305 but am not particularly partial to the handle, and even less so the 2000. For me the way to go would be to combine a good boar head with a custom-made body. Perhaps SWMBO will buy me one for Christmas? For my money that would make more sense than spending around a ton for a posh badger.

Anyway, back to the review. I was mainly interested to hear that it bears little resemblance in character to the 1305. I wonder if that is purely because it is a larger knot size (is that correct?) or perhaps they make it with a different quality of boar hair?
 
The knot/loft of the 1305 and the 2000 are 22/55 and 25/60 respectively.

The hairs look completely different. the 1305 has silvery/white top and bottom with dark grey in the middle. The 2000 looks like a uniform blonde. It feels softer and that may primarily due to the larger size.

As to what it is worth spending. I reckon I used to use a M3 Power blade for about 7 days. Each one cost about £1.60 a few months back. My DE blades cost 7.5p and I change every 4 days. That's a saving of £76 in a year. So I will have paid for all four of my brushes with the savings over two years. As for razors, creams, soaps, bowls and scuttles - well that's another story. That should be paid for over the life of the brushes!
 
I don't like the look of this brush, unsure whether it is the long loft that does it or just the general untidy look.
 
is this more to your liking Adam?

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hando said:
is this more to your liking Adam?

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Click to expand...

I've been on Vintage Scent a few times recently checking out the brushes and was actually going to mention this brush. It is rather quirky but I actually do like the look of it. Not sure how it would feel in the hand but maybe worth a punt as they are still rather reasonably priced. I haven't found any reviews of the little critter but would be interested to hear some opinions...
 
my 2000 arrived earlier this week (along with a 1520) and my impressions so far are:-

the first thing that hits you is the smell :shock:
i've had a few brushes in my day and you read about this so called funky smell you get with a new brush, never happened until now.
it's a wet dog all right :lol:
the 1520 didn't smell at all.
i know these brushes take a while to break in so i hand lathered with them both to help this along using my Wilkinson Sword\Palmolive mix (both soaps grated together)
soaked in Proraso pre-post mix
last night Borax

still smells :roll: but is weakening

right that's enough dwelling on the ONLY bad point of this brush (which will fade in time) and on to the good.

this brush is unlike any boar i've tried, in a good way :D
i'm waiting to compare it to an Omega but i suspect this is better, it has thicker hair for a start and could be denser.
it's difficult to describe in a way as it's a paradox of how it should behave.
soft but stiff, it splays on your face where as other boar brushes tend to clump together and have to be used in a painting motion.
it's big but not unruly on your face.
never thought boar could be like this :?
it tackles Tabac with ease, creams i don't know.

the best description\compliment i can give is that it performs like a bigger Vulfix 404 badger boar mix and you all know how much i like that brush.

if you want this bristle type but with a smaller knot or different handle get either the 1250, 1460 or 1470 from Leon

happy days
 
I used mine again today with a Trumpers cream. Started lather in my scuttle and did 3/4 passes. I have to confess to being a bit sniffy about boar brushes. But I have to confess that this is proving to get much better each time I use it. It really does make for a comfortable shaving experience. I had intended to sideline it for occasional use. For the time being I will use it regularly in rotation with my 1305 and two badgers. Then I will be much better placed to make up my mind about the relative qualities of each of them.
 
Nice brush Fido. How do you find the handle? Escort eh. My SC-68 is like a 3litre Capri, pretty good in a straight line but gets a bit out of shape on the corners. Mr Clarkson & co might need to look on here for the car vs shaving product reviews :lol:

I dropped the ball it did'nt get one before the price hike, unfortunately.
 
Well gents i have given this brush all the time in the world to prove its self, I have tried it on a load of products both soap and cream, and what i have found that it is bloody hard work trying to get a good lather out of this brush on the soaps and creams this forum seem to use.

That is Mitchell's, Palmolive, Erasmic, TOC aromatherapy and so on, And as for creams it just seems to flatten them, i have tried TOBS, DR Harris, Connaught, Palmolive, Proraso.

As for technique I have tried soaking the brush first then taking about 90% of the water out of the brush, I have tried just wetting the tips, Putting the cream in the centre of the bloom, but to no avail, i am at a loss with this brush it is the first brush i have not been able to use, maybe its me i dont know.

Oh by the way the wet dog smell with the brush hasn't faded much.

I think i will put this down to experience and stick to badger witch perform consistently.
 
One month to the day since my original post. Wish I could figure out why you have had problems. I have used it a few more times and lather hasn't been a problem. I stick to paintbrush style lathering and it is excellent in that mode. And very soft. May be worth coming back to it after a rest. I wouldn't want to rely too much on it but my 2000 is a welcome member of my five brush team.
 
Thats a pity slim!

To fail on four soaps & five creams is something I cannot imagine, with any brush. Has it shed much? does it "look" right??

It is unusual for any smell to remain in a brush more than a couple of shaves - assuming 3 passes p/shave.

you must have got the pig, pardon the pun. Any chance of posting a pic or 2??
 
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Here are some photo's of the said brush
 
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