Vie-Long Horse-Badger Brush

Bullgoose horse-badger beehive brush.

Went to Bullgoose and looked at Phil's beehive horse-badge brush. Love the ivory beehive, but I've never used a horse-badger mix. I tried a brown V-L a couple years ago and thought it too scritchy for me.

Any of you tried a horse-badger brush? If so, I'd appreciate hearing your observations. If it's as scritchy as the 'dark-horse' brush, it may not be for me. I appreciate the assist, B&B.

I have the Lord Randal in all white hair and really like it. It is has a bit more backbone than my SOC boar and is plenty soft. beard on other posts the white hair is softer than the brown.

Good to hear the white is softer than brown horse-hair brushes. I wish V-L offered more of a selection in white hair.

I just saw the comment that white horse hair is softer than brown but is this a result of bleaching or are these from different colored animals? I just ordered my 1st Vie-Long horse to see if I like that type of bristle and it is a brown one. I'd rather it have some scritch because I like that for face lathering and I already have several badgers but not very many boars.

The white hair I'm looking into is not bleached; however, horse brushes are sold with bleached hair. I had a brown horse and it was too 'prickly' for me. It wasn't what I'd call scritch, the brown, for me, was actually prickly, like fine needles--not a joy to use. But there are a lot of guys who like V-L brown horse-hair brushes, I'm not one of them. The brown may suit you. I don't mean to be glib, but the only way to find out is to do what you've done, try one. I hope it does work for you. I prefer the feel of boar bristles; and when broken in, they are as soft as a fine badger. The keys to boar brushes are to use it and be patient.

The Accountant said:

I have the Lord Randal in all white hair and really like it. It is has a bit more backbone than my SOC boar and is plenty soft. beard on other posts the white hair is softer than the brown.

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If the Lord Randal was made with an ivory beehive handle, I'd own at least one. Bullgoose's classic ivory beehive handle has great feel and a look that I like.

OK, thanks for clearing that up. I would not like "prickly like fine needles" at all unless it softened with use. I found it on sale for about $25 so if I don't like it I'm not out much.

Musikmann said:

OK, thanks for clearing that up. I would not like "prickly like fine needles" at all unless it softened with use. I found it on sale for about $25 so if I don't like it I'm not out much.

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A buddy of mine uses a brown horse and loves the feel; and he told me it improves with use. He's ticked that he missed out of the butterscotch-beehive brown-horse brush I had. It's really a matter of personal preference; and when it comes to wet-shaving, each of us has his a set of likes and dislikes.

Just looked at the Lord Randal on the Bullgoose site. It was out of stock but I think I'll keep an eye out because I like the handle and overall looks of that brush.

Musikmann said:

Just looked at the Lord Randal on the Bullgoose site. It was out of stock but I think I'll keep an eye out because I like the handle and overall looks of that brush.

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I've read excellent reviews on the Lord Randal. I'm curious to see the next round of this brush.

I have a Lord Randal with the mixed hair. I've used it with creams, croaps and harder soaps. I've mug lathered and scuttle lathered but I primarily use it for face lathering. It is definitely less scratchy than the V-L 13061M horse hair brush I have, but I use the 13061 the most. I only have a bit of concern with the Lord Randal about a small hollow spot in the center of the knot. I've not experienced any tangling and it always makes a nice lather.

Is white/brown really a distinction that matters? I thought, with Vie-Long, a higher percentage of mane hair will be softer, higher percentage of tail hair will be scritchier (with more backbone), and the color was irrelevant.

Judging from what I've read, natural white horse hair is supposed to be less
'scritchy' than brown horse hair. We'll need a Hi-ho-Silver expert to comment.

DEGuy said:

Judging from what I've read, natural white horse hair is supposed to be less
'scritchy' than brown horse hair. We'll need a Hi-ho-Silver expert to comment.

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I read the same posts but only after I found a brown Vie-Long 12750 on sale and jumped on it. It arrived yesterday and this brush is plenty soft enough. I've only stroked my face with it dry a few times but plan to use it soon. Just for kicks I'd like to look at one of the white ones but I fully expect the one I already have to ring my bell.

Looking forward to buy a VL 14. series. Have you tried one of those ?

I have a vie long horse hair brush, works fine. Cannot recall the model number. Nice backbone, a little scritch, lathers great, very affordable, no complaint!

What is the best source aka the best selection of V-L horse hairs?

To the OP, I have not tried the beehive horse/badger mix myself, but I am very curious to try it. If I break down and buy it I'll post my impressions in this thread.


In regard to the horse hair face feel, it is the combination of the tail to mane ratio that affects the relative scritch or softness. Typically on Gifts & Care you will see brown horse hair with a tail to mane ratio of 65/35 and white horse hair with a tail to mane ratio of 50/50. The higher mane ratio in white horse hair brushes make them softer. Like other brush hair types knot and loft size factor in as well. However, Phil at Bullgoose has stated that the brown and white horse hair Lord Randall brushes have the same tail to mane ratio, so from this statement I would not expect the white hair to be softer than the brown, but I have seen reports by members that they believe that to be the case. I have not used either of these Lord Randal brushes, so I cannot give my impressions in that regard.

Best selection is Gifts & Care, but Bullgoose has great limited editions.

On another forum, run by the propriety of BullGoose (as far as I'm concerned *the* vendor for Vie-Long in the new world), there's an article by Oscar Julian, owner and third-generation of his family to run Vie-Long. He says the three natural horsehair colors (white, brown, black) are equally soft. Or equally not soft. He also says Vie-Long has their own proprietary treatment to soften up the hair somewhat; and that mane hair is softer than tail hair. Most of their horsehair brushes are 65% tail and 35% mane, but it does vary.

Anyway, I don't know if other companies' horsehairs brushes really are "softer" in white. (Or if this even settles it to anyone's satisfaction -- this is just one person's say-so, even if he does own Vie-Long).

DEGuy said:

View attachment 484498
Bullgoose horse-badger beehive brush.

Went to Bullgoose and looked at Phil's beehive horse-badge brush. Love the ivory beehive, but I've never used a horse-badger mix. I tried a brown V-L a couple years ago and thought it too scritchy for me.

Any of you tried a horse-badger brush? If so, I'd appreciate hearing your observations. If it's as scritchy as the 'dark-horse' brush, it may not be for me. I appreciate the assist, B&B.

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I bought the little 13052 and love it. It is a little scritchy right out of the box but she has already softened up a lot after five or so shaves. There was also the distinct aroma of the stable right out of the box but that has also mostly subsided. This little brush is equally at home with soaps or creams, face lathering or bowl lathering. I really like my Vie-Long.

Musikmann said:

What is the best source aka the best selection of V-L horse hairs?

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WCS has a good assortment of Vie-Long brushes. That's where I got mine.