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Horse Hair Brush...really?

I've come across some blogs where the authors swear by horse hair brushes. I've only had the opportunity to use a badger hair brush and am hoping to soon purchase a boar hair brush as well.

Has anyone else had the opportunity to use a horse hair brush? From the look of it and some of the descriptions, the loft seems to be set significantly higher than the loft on boar or most badger brushes, which would lead me to think it had the potential of being floppier. Any thoughts?
 
My barber uses a horse-hair brush. The handle looks like an Omega, although they don't seem to sell horse-hair brushes anymore. He claims horse is better than badger or boar. His brush seems very soft to me: no backbone to speak of, but it does lather well.

See http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=186023 for some past discussion. Besides the lather capacity, there are potential religious and philosophical reasons to seek out a horse brush.
 
I had a Vie-Long horse, and it was a decent brush. Soft and with more backbone than the loft would suggest, but as a dedicated soap/face latherer I let it go as the backbone and density were not where I like them.
 
I bought the Vie Long horse hair brush.

It's a good quality brush & many speak well of it, but I don't love it.

I prefer my Golden Nib synthetic knots.
 
I've come across some blogs where the authors swear by horse hair brushes. I've only had the opportunity to use a badger hair brush and am hoping to soon purchase a boar hair brush as well.

Has anyone else had the opportunity to use a horse hair brush? From the look of it and some of the descriptions, the loft seems to be set significantly higher than the loft on boar or most badger brushes, which would lead me to think it had the potential of being floppier. Any thoughts?


... a 100% horse hair #13520 by Vie-Long; Ht: 97 mm Loft: 50 mm Knot: 20 mm. Backbone is stiff with a medium density knot, I've Bowl & Face lathered Creams & Soaps with no problems, IMO similar to a Pure Badger without the scratchiness of the Pure Badger. ~$20.00 @ Best Grooming.

My other is a Turkish 100% Horse, Wooden Handle #6, ~45mm Loft, ~22mm Knot, Good for Face lathering with Creams & Soaps, can Bowl lather as well.
Firm backbone with tips that soften nicely, the hair is softer than the Vie- Long, slightly < dense but holds a three pass & touch up lather. Great for dipping your "Toe" in the Horse Hair World, ~$5.00 inc. shipping @ Best Shave.net (corrected)

I also own a Semogue 1250, 55mm Loft, 22mm Knot w/ Wooden Handle; one LiJun &1980 Finest Pure Badger, Alpine Birch Handle, 47mm Loft, 20mm Knot and a Frank Shaving Fan Shape Silvertip Badger 44mm Loft, 21mm Knot.

I rotate all my brushes, sometimes daily and use 4 Soaps and 3 Creams scent is rotated seasonally. BTW Main Soap is Tabac, #2 QCS Celestial Woods, Charismata Cherry tobacco and a Drakkar scented Clay Bentonite Soap. LaToja sensitive Sc, AOS Lavender and Tabac, in order of rotation.
:thumbup1:
 
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Most that try horse seem to prefer badger or even boar because the horse hair brushes are floppier. Personally, I don't mind the floppiness. I have learned how to lather, the motion to use, and it isn't a problem. The reason I use horse hair brushes is because of the lathering. For me, boar hair doesn't hold lather well, and badger holds it too well... toward the end of the shave I have to scrape the lather out of the brush. Horse is between boar and badger and just right.

But, again, I am in the minority in my preference for horse.
 
My other is a Turkish 100% Horse, Wooden Handle #6, ~45mm Loft, ~22mm Knot, Good for Face lathering with Creams & Soaps, can Bowl lather as well.
Firm backbone with tips that soften nicely, the hair is softer than the Vie- Long, slightly < dense but holds a three pass & touch up lather. Great for dipping your "Toe" in the Horse Hair World, ~$5.00 inc. shipping @ Best Shave.com

+1 on the inexpensive Turkish horsehair (I have the same in the now out-of-stock plastic handle variety from this vendor). Not at all floppy and it works well for me (face latherer) with hard soaps, soft soaps and creams. I use it in my rotation with boar, badger and synthetic brushes and it easily holds its own.
 
+1 on the inexpensive Turkish horsehair (I have the same in the now out-of-stock plastic handle variety from this vendor). Not at all floppy and it works well for me (face latherer) with hard soaps, soft soaps and creams. I use it in my rotation with boar, badger and synthetic brushes and it easily holds its own.

...when I purchased mine, I didn't expect much due to the price :blushing:, but that was a plus when deciding to try it. The brush gave great lathers after its overnight bath in Dawn & Softening Hair Conditioner and is in a regular rotation of 5 brushes. 2 Horse, 1 finest, 1 silvertip & a Semogue 1250 Boar.

I plan on purchasing another model from the same vendor this spring. :thumbup1:
 
Most that try horse seem to prefer badger or even boar because the horse hair brushes are floppier. Personally, I don't mind the floppiness. I have learned how to lather, the motion to use, and it isn't a problem. The reason I use horse hair brushes is because of the lathering. For me, boar hair doesn't hold lather well, and badger holds it too well... toward the end of the shave I have to scrape the lather out of the brush. Horse is between boar and badger and just right.

But, again, I am in the minority in my preference for horse.

But you are not alone :thumbup: I use a Vie-long barbers horse brush for bowl lathering and a Vie-long mixed horse / boar brush for face lathering, works great. See my reviews on the Vie-long brushes. The Vie-long barbers brushes have a higher loft, but are not floppy to me. The smaller Turkish brushed discussed here are not floppy at all.
 
Just picked up this monster from Amazon it came with a free tube of Arko shaving cream and a 5-pack of Derby extra blades...View attachment $P1020025.jpg

I believe this is a horse hair brush and it lathers like a champ, only problem is it smells like a champ too, after about 10 rounds in a dirty horses stall but after about 20 hardcore soak/wash sessions the odor is finally getting to the point were I might be able to lather my face with it. The brush stands about 5.5 inches in height and after the first wetting the head spread to about 4 inches!
I beleive it's from turkey and the cost was only $12.99 with free shipping, as for the Arko shave cream it to is from Turkey and was also a bit offensive to my nose although it did lather nicely. Just thought I would gave fair warning about the odor of both the brush and the cream, Blade Boy.
 
Just picked up this monster from Amazon it came with a free tube of Arko shaving cream and a 5-pack of Derby extra blades...View attachment 144865

I believe this is a horse hair brush and it lathers like a champ, only problem is it smells like a champ too, after about 10 rounds in a dirty horses stall but after about 20 hardcore soak/wash sessions the odor is finally getting to the point were I might be able to lather my face with it. The brush stands about 5.5 inches in height and after the first wetting the head spread to about 4 inches!
I beleive it's from turkey and the cost was only $12.99 with free shipping, as for the Arko shave cream it to is from Turkey and was also a bit offensive to my nose although it did lather nicely. Just thought I would gave fair warning about the odor of both the brush and the cream, Blade Boy.

That's a boar brush, but a nice one :thumbup1:
 
I disagree, but I could be wrong, why do you say that because the hair isnt dark? next to my only boar brush (a vintage rubberset with aluminium handle) they are nothing alike. :huh:-Blade Boy

Of course you may but this has been checked with people from Turkey (and I have quite a few Jaguar brushes myself, including this one; see my review on them in the review section). Natural boar hair is this color.
 
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My Vie-Long 12601 horse hair arrived this morning and I used it with a good-quality tallow soap. I LIKE IT! Of course, this is after just one use but it whipped up a nice lather and felt very nice on my neck. Sort of scritchy on the tips but soft overall.

In about a week, if I remember, I'll post/find a review about this model.
 
I've come across some blogs where the authors swear by horse hair brushes. I've only had the opportunity to use a badger hair brush and am hoping to soon purchase a boar hair brush as well.

Has anyone else had the opportunity to use a horse hair brush? From the look of it and some of the descriptions, the loft seems to be set significantly higher than the loft on boar or most badger brushes, which would lead me to think it had the potential of being floppier. Any thoughts?

My Vie-Long horse is a bit long & floppy, but I think Vie-Long tends to make their badgers that way, too. It's quite soft, and I think a good brush for the price. It doesn't compare to my Simpson'ses, but it's certainly serviceable.

ED: I should probably point out that Loric & I are talking about the same brush...I'm more of a bowl-latherer than he, so it's got a home in my rotation.
 
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luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
I have an old Star mixed horse and badger and it works superbly with creams.
I prefer a little more backbone for a triple milled soap, but still it's a great brush.
 
My other is a Turkish 100&#37; Horse, Wooden Handle #6, ~45mm Loft, ~22mm Knot, Good for Face lathering with Creams & Soaps, can Bowl lather as well.
Firm backbone with tips that soften nicely, the hair is softer than the Vie- Long, slightly < dense but holds a three pass & touch up lather. Great for dipping your "Toe" in the Horse Hair World, ~$5.00 inc. shipping @ Best Shave.com

That site (BestShave.com) redirects to Gillete for me. What vendor are you talking about?

Edit: Looks like it's BestShave.net
 
That site (BestShave.com) redirects to Gillete for me. What vendor are you talking about?

Edit: Looks like it's BestShave.net

Sorry, you are correct, after reading Wil's post above, I believe the #6 I have may be Boar also, I've observed several splayed hairs, If so it's still worth the money IMO.
 
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