Semogue Owners Club Two-Band Shaving Brush

The Owners Club Two-Band Badger shaving brush is the first of the Semogue line that has been produced using the Finest Badger grade hair that is extremely rare and very popular among wet shavers who love dense brushes.  This particular grade of hair has a distinctive appearance with long white tips making up a full third of the length of shave of the hair and a deep black color all the way to the base of the knot.  The hair has a much higher tensile strength then other grades of badger, which gives it much more backbone and keeps the brush from overly splaying out or feeling floppy during use.  These stiffer brushes are well regarded among users of traditional shaving soaps because the added backbone does a great job of agitating the surface of the shaving soap and creating a rich and thick lather much quickly and easily.  The stiff feel combined with the soft tips also provide a great massaging and exfoliating affect on the skin making it a great for those that like to lather directly on their face.

Although shaving brushes are produced with a wide variety of handle shapes and materials, Semogue models manage to set themselves apart with handle designs that have a more retro appearance.  The Owners Club handle is made from solid wood that is expertly turned and finished with a medium dark stain that gives the brush a great feel in the hand and a natural grain that is very attractive.  The brand logo and “Owners Club” is carved in to the handle, which looks very classy and gives the brush a much cleaner and upscale look than using stickers or decals.  The top of the wooden handle also features a metal ring, which is characteristic of all Semogue brushes, that secures the base of the knot and keeps the knot firm and compact.

During the shave, the Semogue Owners Club brush performs just as good as it looks.  The knot density and quality of the tips of the two-band badger hair combined with the build quality of the handle make the brush a real pleasure to use.  I used this brush on several occasions with a variety of my favorite soaps and creams, and it did a great job producing a rich and thick lather with all of them.  The brush holds the perfect amount of water and does a great job of keeping the lather warm and hydrated throughout the entire shave.  The Owners Club is a medium-sized brush with a knot diameter of 24mm so it a comfortable size to use without getting messy like some larger brushes or having to re-lather mid shave like some smaller ones.  The brush holds just the right capacity of lather making it a great choice for both soap and cream users.  The compact and dense characteristics of the brush make it a great choice for those who like to lather in a mug or scuttle as well.

Although the Semogue brand is well known for their top-quality boar bristle brushes, they also produce a range of quality badger brushes and the Owners Club Two-Band is no exception.  With the popularity of Finest grade two-band badger hair on the market, this model is a great addition to an already top-notch line of shaving brushes.  The Owners Club brush is available from Vintage Scent for €64.96 ($92.00 USD) and it is an outstanding value for a quality brush filled with this grade of hair.

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