Has anyone used a vie long or other horsehair brush? I can't seem to find any reviews, and I'm keeping an eye on this one
http://bullgooseshaving.net/vi13hohabr.html
http://bullgooseshaving.net/vi13hohabr.html
Vie-Long Horsehair Brush?
- Thread starter MyKindOfTown
- Start date
I hear they're on the floppy side.
-Andy
-Andy
I have one and they are very soft but a little floppy. They are cheep, and worth a try, but I doubt it would be your every day brush. I am glad to have one in my den though.
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There are a few types I know of: Turkish, Indian/Pakistan and Vie-Long (Spain). The Turkish ones have backbone, like boar. Cheap but very nice. You can find them for 6,50 shipped on the Bay (store34/bestshave).
The Indian and Pakistani brushes are usually on the floppy side. They work well however, both with soap and cream. 7 usd shipped on the Bay.
Vie-Long is in between. A little less backbone than the Turkish brushes, but more than most Indian/Pakistan brushes. The workmanship looks better, so do the handles. They are more expensive than the other ones.
If you like boar/some backbone I would start with a Turkish brush.
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don't forget you have a choice with vie-long..the professional barber brushes,even the "extra horse(hair)" are all made to much higher standards than any other manufacturers horse brushes..the pro barber seems more "floppy" ,the hairs are longer,the trick is to lather and "paint" the beard using the tips of the brush....shavers used to short loft badgers tend to press a little harder,this is not a true barbers technique..just use the tips...vie-longs most expensive,but very reasonable,horse brushes have extra hair,are built like a boar or badger,and sport really nice high quality handles,something the pakistani's and turks do not have...if interested,I hope to have one or two new horse vie-longs to sell in a few weeks...
I use that brush, as well as a couple of other VL horsehairs. The Zurito is in my rotation. It is a little scritchier (?) than any of my badgers.
That's probably the tail hair. Vie-long brushes are 50/50 tail/mane. The barbers are 70/30, because of the higher loft. Tail hair is not as soft as mane, so it gives more backbone, but also more scratchiness.
I wouldn't describe it as floppy. Mine seems more flexible due to a smaller knot (it's the cheapest one they sell) but encourages to use the tips more than pressing in when lathering, I use it more than my boar or badger. It's great for soaps. A Vie Long badger/horse actually is my next brush I plan to purchase.
Do you have actual examples of good Indian or Pakistani brushes?
Vie-longs can be 50-50 or 65-35. Mine is 50-50, and I"m about to give up on it because of the scritch. I wish I'd gone with a 65-35.
Slightly floppy, but easy to get a quality paint technique going. As in all things... YMMV. I keep my VL Peleon in steady rotation.
I have the Vie-Long Cachurro, and I love it. It lathers easily, has nice backbone, and I don't find its scrithiness annoying at all. I believe it's the 65-35 blend. It also has a great handle-very comfortable. I used mine this morning.
I wouldn't describe either of my Vie-Long brushes as "floppy". Both are 65-35, and both are overly scritchy. They seem to be softening over the long haul, so maybe the scritch will calm down to acceptable levels (at least, I'm starting to think it will, but I'm not sure).
I've got a 50-50, and it's closer to boar than badger in feel and performance. it's floppier than I like, and scritcher than I like. and the funk was strong in this one. really strong. I used it again fairly recently, after it sat for maybe 6 months.
What do you guys normally use? I like the scritch. I only wish it had a thicker knot. I do switch up with the badger sometimes but my boar has been hardly getting use since I got the horse hair.
FYI, it seems that you have it reversed. The 65/35 has more tail hair, so if you don't like the scritch of the 50/50, you would not like the 65/35. My 50/50 is very soft. My 65/35's definitely have some scritch and are best used with little to no pressure.
I have the Vie-Long 13072 and I find it to be a wonderful brush. It is 50/50 mane/tail. Mine started out fairly scratchy but has softened up with use. It was also was very "aromatic" out of the box. If you've been around a stable you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. This has also dissipated with usage.
I love this little brush and prefer it to a boar brush. It is equally at home with creams or soaps. As to the backbone, it whipped up one of my finest lathers on a puck of Haslinger Shafmilch. On top of all that it is very affordable. I say give it a try. If you don't like it you'll be able to get rid of it fairly quickly.
Here's a pic of mine right out of the box
Here it is after a few shaves.
I love this little brush and prefer it to a boar brush. It is equally at home with creams or soaps. As to the backbone, it whipped up one of my finest lathers on a puck of Haslinger Shafmilch. On top of all that it is very affordable. I say give it a try. If you don't like it you'll be able to get rid of it fairly quickly.
Here's a pic of mine right out of the box
Here it is after a few shaves.
I have the Beehive that Phil recommended and I love it. I'm not a brush expert by any means, but it has much more "scratchiness" to it than other brushes I've tried. I think it's great for face lathering, but not as good if I use a mug. I started with an EJ Best Badger which can create lather from anything, but I found it too soft. I tried an Omega Pro Boar brush next, but found that too floppy and harder to lather some products. So far the Vie-Long Beehive is my favorite.
You're right, I do have it reversed. I have a 65-35, and wish I'd gone with a 50-50.
The only Vie-Long I have left in my rotation is the 50/50 natural white one with a custom set 50 mm loft. It's a keeper for sure! I have a comparison of some of my brushes here: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/359040-Stick-brushes-shootout
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