Use your brush with a freshly opened Arko stick. That should eliminate your ability to smell just about anything. Most of your home, including your brush will smell like Arko.
Than again most of your block will smell like Arko, but hey it's better than horse.
I just got a couple of #6's through the post this morning and had a shave, I found it very hard to face lather a thick coat, but the brush seemed to hold a lot of good cream in the middle. Is this the norm or justr need breaking in?
I had no problems with thin lather from the Turkish Horses I had owned, try a bit more Soap or Cream, I don't think the Hair is treated like the Vie-Longs are and may need a few lathers to break-in.
I bought the Vie-Long LE from Bull Goose and although the smell diminished after a good washing and drying and several daily uses, it still faintly stinks. I haven't used it in a long time and put in up on BST but sniffing it again it still smells. I think it will just take some time, maybe a long time, I don't know.