Horse hair brushes.

Discussion in 'The Brush' started by Kypros Christodoulides, Oct 14, 2016.

  1. Kypros Christodoulides

    Kypros Christodoulides Well-Known Member

    Gents, I need some help here.
    I love my two Vie-long horse hair brushes, as they have the right combination of backbone and softness for me.
    when I lather I like doing it in circular motions and the hairs gets tangled up. I hate having to put a spike through the hair every time to untangle it, it also looses a few hairs every time. A painting motion does not work for me as it doesn't produce the right consistency of lather. What can I do to avoid the tangling up of the hair and still use a circular motion when lathering?
     
  2. david of central florida

    david of central florida Rhubarb Rubber

  3. Kypros Christodoulides

    Kypros Christodoulides Well-Known Member

    I have a best badger one but I want more backbone.
     
    Demidog likes this.
  4. david of central florida

    david of central florida Rhubarb Rubber

    Well thats the issue with most of the horse brushes. People say they tangle. No use technique is gonna stop it. I suppose one could pull the knot, reset it deeper into another handle.
    Easier just to get another brush that suits your applying preferences.
    I had a horse, it didnt tangle. Actually it was a bit stiff.
    Some of mine are floppier than others. You just have to experiment til you find your happy spot.
     
  5. Demidog

    Demidog Well-Known Member

    I'm no expert but shortening the loft sounds like it could help, so I sort of second the idea to reset the knot deeper, but that could be tough to do especially without ruining the brush. Plus that would add even more backbone, which isn't good if you're already happy with the way the brush currently performs.

    You could also try using a high quality conditioner on the horse hair. If the hairs are silky smooth, they will slide past one another more easily instead of snagging onto other hairs, resulting in tangling. Maybe try using a very fine comb after applying the conditioner. The difference will probably be marginal if there is any at all, but it's worth a shot.
     
  6. ironthinker

    ironthinker Well-Known Member

    My favorite brush is a 13710 Vie-Long horse hair. I can use paint brush strokes or swirl storks and it doesn't tangle. I've tried two other Vie-Long horse hair brushes. I've used them once and done, as they have no back bone and are worthless. "Best Grooming & Shaving Tools" has some left at a mark-down price of $14. Or buy from a dealer that knows his stock and buy one with a back bone.
     
    Spyder likes this.
  7. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

  8. Kypros Christodoulides

    Kypros Christodoulides Well-Known Member

    Spyder and PickledNorthern like this.
  9. Col C

    Col C Well-Known Member

    I just received my new Vie Long 14030 horse hair brush. My first horse hair brush. It had a bit of "wet horse" smell. After soaking it twice in shampoo with conditioner - the smell is gone. I will be trying it out this afternoon getting ready for the Friday night date night. Will see how it performs.
     
  10. Kypros Christodoulides

    Kypros Christodoulides Well-Known Member

    I have a bad experience with these horse hair brushes. You are only supposed to use a painter's stoke, otherwise they get tangled up and you have to go through the hairs with a spike to untangle them. How in the world one is supposed to make lather in a bowl with a painter's stroke I don't know. On the face, it doesn't make a great lather as you cannot go in a circular motion. But beautiful to look at.
     
  11. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    You can use a circular motion, but me mindful not to mash the hairs down, and do not change direction with your circles. They are not a brush made for "scrubbing" so to speak. Save that for your boars. I lost a couple of horse brushes early on from being a little rough on them, but if a guy is just a little careful, they can be excellent.



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
  12. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    That's why I won't get a horse brush.
    I have and use badger, boar and synthetic. I don't abuse 'em, but I don't have to worry about baby-ing them, either.
     
  13. Kypros Christodoulides

    Kypros Christodoulides Well-Known Member

    Wiser words have never been said.
     
  14. Col C

    Col C Well-Known Member

    I don't know - I just finished shaving (10 minutes ago) for the first time with my Vie Long 14030. I used a shaving bowl and Cella soap. The brush loaded well using a circular motion and then a good lather in the bowl, also with circular motion and figure 8s. I also did the usual circular motions on my face finishing with paint strokes. Did this three times. Washed the brush out and it seems just fine - no tangling. My first horse hair brush and I really liked the feel on my face - far better than any of my badgers. The stiffer feel was nice. I'll add the brush to the rotation and see if it tangles with more use. One time for anything is not always a good indicator.
     
    PickledNorthern likes this.
  15. FatherofSquirrel

    FatherofSquirrel A right jolly old elf

    I have this one and don't have any issues with it tangling.
    upload_2016-11-4_19-24-53.jpeg
     
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  16. Col C

    Col C Well-Known Member

    Vie Long 14030 a.jpg
    My Vie Long 14030 is actually a fairly small brush. The loft and total volume is considerably less than any of my badgers. I wonder if being of shorter hairs helps to not tangle as many complain about?
     
  17. Kypros Christodoulides

    Kypros Christodoulides Well-Known Member

    Look in the middle of the
    My faves also, Badger, synth and Boar, I just bought a Semogue boar this morning. Synthetics though have come a very long way. My absolute dream is the Plisson synthetic I bought a couple of months ago. Incredible lather.
     
  18. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    One of the brushes I tangled was that exact same brush. It was my fault. It was my first brush other than an Omega 49, which is virtually indestructible, and I was mashing the living hell out of it and scrubbing.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  19. Col C

    Col C Well-Known Member

    I don't have a synthetic. I just recently got back into DE shaving after a break for several decades. I feel like a kid in a candy store. I want to try everything. I have the horse, the boar and several badgers. I sense and another purchase. I'll check out the Plisson.
     
    PickledNorthern likes this.
  20. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    I had a Vie Long, vie_long.jpg but I piffed it. It was scritchy to me. I made my own horse brush with a knot I got from Virginia Sheng. I could probably get it to tangle if I tried, but I don't want to do that. It works ok for me. I am keeping it.
    [​IMG]
     

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