Any high-end horse hair brushes out there?

I've got an 18 dollar Vie-Long horse hair. I plan on buying one of their badger/horse brushes, but I really, sincerely like horse hair. I'd like to be able to drop like 80 bucks on a high quality, thick horse bulb. Even if it's just a knot, I'd be happy to get a handle made up.

Any suggestions? Google isn't helping me out.

Vie Long is great, but it's economy class. Great for the price, but I'd like to have something to save up for.

Thanks, guys!

I'm not entirely sure, but I can say that the Vie-Long 13061 is one hell of a brush.

IMO the Vie Long J.L. Petree Natural Horse Hair Brush at BullGoose is about as good as a horse brush gets.

I have a Man o' War and a Secretariat.

Personally I prefer that the horse hair for my brushes be taken from the higher up parts rather than the lower parts of the horse.

tgutc said:

IMO the Vie Long J.L. Petree Natural Horse Hair Brush at BullGoose is about as good as a horse brush gets.

Click to expand...

+1 I can't comment on this specific bush, but I have the Beehive LE at the same price point. It is a great brush IMO. The handle has a nice substantial weight to it that makes it feel "high end."

ouch said:

I have a Man o' War and a Secretariat.

Click to expand...

Don't eat the meatballs from Ikea

ouch said:

I have a Man o' War and a Secretariat.

Click to expand...

I can't seem to find either of these brands online.
Do you have a link?

For a Man o' War or Secretariat I think you have to know the right people in the right stables - or possibly knackers?

The brush on the right is my only horse, a BGS2012 natural. It is very nice, but I think the handle was at least half of its $42 tag. The knot is Vie-Long, and probably about the same as their cheaper brushes. The faux-butterscotch version is still available, I think: http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/vibubeinnaho.html

It definitely looks like a different knot than that one I've got at home. Shorter, tighter looking.

I might have to pick one up and try it.

beisler said:

Don't eat the meatballs from Ikea

Click to expand...

So true.

I've got the butterscotch BGS 2012 and dearly love it. I use it for bowl and face lathering with soaps, croaps and sticks. It's a great brush. You can pretend it's an $80 brush and you got it for half price.

tgutc said:

IMO the Vie Long J.L. Petree Natural Horse Hair Brush at BullGoose is about as good as a horse brush gets.

Click to expand...

The J.L Petree Horse Hair is a Home-run that's perfectly lofted for bowl or face lathering, plenty of scrub & backbone with moderate scritch. The BullGoose Beehive was nice, but a bit floppy for me, the Beehive Badger/Horse was much better.

Though most of the Vie-Long Horses are moderately dense, I wouldn't get one with a loft higher than 50-52mm and recommend you stick with the bigger knots (23mm & bigger) they will be a bit denser.

Thanks for the info. I think I'll pick up a petree.