I own a Vie-Long 13710 horsehair shaving brush that I love over my badger or boar. The 13710 sells for $20-40 depending on where you shop, and most Vie-Longs are in this price range. I want another horsehair, where do I go? Antique, Vig from China, another Vie-Long? Edit Post Reply Reply With Quote
I picked up this one with olive wood handle from Bullgoose for $35. Good brush but a little scritchy for me.
There you go, buy that one from cmorris357. I'm sure he'll let it go for cheaper than he paid for it.
PLANofMAN: You may be right, by the number of responses to this horsehair thread, their may be lots of seldom used horsehair brushes not being used by the members of The Shave Den.
May I recommend the Vie-Long Zurito Blanco. The only horsehair brush I own. Truly an excellent brush in any company. Best price I've found...http://bullgooseshaving.com/vie-long-zurito-blanco-13061b-natural-white-horse-brush/
I only have one horse hair brush the one entropy 1049 calls Zurito Blanco. Personally I find it very scritchy and hardly ever use it I really wanted to like it too, as I don't want to buy Badger hair anymore as I don't think the animals are treated humanely, and I am trying not to buy any products from China (I know good luck).
Have you used it much? It requires some breaking in, much like a new boar knot. When broken in, I think it falls right between say, pure badger and boar. Backbone like a boar, soft like a badger, a nice combination. The only horse brush I have in a boxcar load of badger, boar, and synth brushes. This is the 13061B, They also make a 13061 with an identical handle but a brown or dyed knot...not nearly as face friendly.
I have had several. One got pif'd and the other was too long and floppy. I "helped" it. Now it's way too scratchy. I wouldn't give that brush to my worst enemy. I keep it around to remind me that scissors and shave brushes should never come in contact with each other. I've never purchased another horsehair brush. Boars, Badgers and Synthetics are better fibers for use in shaving in my opinion. The only reason I bought the horsehair brushes in the first place was so I could write about them from personal experience in the Brush sticky thread. YMMV.
YMMV is the symbol we use in wet shaving to remind each other that all products don't work the same for all of us. I have tried all the brushes, but synthetic, and love horsehair. I started this thread because little info is written on horsehair brushes, so I can spend my money wisely. I have found my "true love" in a razor, blades, and soap, so I may have to buy more brushes.
I have tested 3 Horse hair brushes from Vie-Long (the real ones not the turkisn Boars which sell them as "horse") The 2 where: 50/50, 65/35 tamed bristles,one was returned back and the other is almost abandoned The 3rd was a White horse, too soft and floppy for my taste, was re-knoted. Unfortunately the Horse brushes didn't suit to me although i have tried a lot.
I just purchased my second horse brush. The first was the Vie Long 12705. I really like that brush for use with Tabac, Proraso and MWF. It is a 35/65 blend which I like, but I like a scritchier brush than many. The brush I just got is the Vie Long 12601. Same ratio but a smaller brush and knot. Should work even better with the harder soaps. I don't own a badger, well except a cheapo Tweezerman that gathers dust. When not using a pony I have an Omega Pro 48 and 10066. It's boar or horse for me. Planning on adding another horse in the near future. Not sure which it will be though, but I'm 99% sure it will be a Vie Long.
I've got a Vie-Long 12603 I like the knot, but not the handle, I guess it's acrylic and semi-opaque but you can see bubbles in it.
So nice to hear from you and not feel like the Lone Ranger of horsehair brushes. I know Bruce Everist the dean of British wet shaving says, "Horse has 85% of the good attributes of badger hair and 85% of the good attributes of boar hair". I just ordered a Vig horsehair from China and a Vie-Long 14080.
I have 5 Vie Long and 2 VIG( 1 with 30mm knot)---love them all but feel VL uses fuller knots than VIG. Horse brushes will always be in my rotation as they are the missing link between badger and boar.
On another thread I tell how I bought a VIG from China and second Vie-Long. Now I am back to the original Vie-Long 13710 as my "true love". I even bought a second 13710 as a back-up.
