Vie-Long 13061 Horse Hair Shaving Brush

Nice product, great price, looks good too. I have used this brush multiple times with no bristle loss. I was a bit wary @ first but will probable buy another horse hair brush in the future. The smell? Yes it will stink the first time you get it wet but I used a bit of shaving soap prior to using it and that solved the oder problem, no big thing.

Excellent, washed it several times before using and had no problems with it. I like it. Produces rich lather and maintains heat.

I like it, just not quite as much as I thought I would. I have a boar brush and a few badger brushes. I was curious about a horse hair brush and this one looked very nice, had a reasonable price and came recommended. It doesn't seem to hold as much lather as I would like. I read that it would be better with shaving creams than soaps. I have found this to be true. I'm happy I purchased it and continue to use it. It's just not my favorite.

This is my second brush the first being a fuller badger brush. This brush is great it is small and compact which gives me great control. It is stiff enough to massage my face yet the tips are soft and smooth. It doesn't hold as much lather as my badger but I never need to reload the brush so that means I am not wasting any soap. I would like a slightly larger handle but that is just my personal preference. This brush has quickly moved into my #1 spot as my daily brush.

This was my second of two Vie-Long Brushes. The first one, being the barber special (wooden handle, and metal knot) worked wonders and lasted about a year or so of daily shaving. This 13061, maybe lasted two months before it had shed so much that I was unable to make consistent lathers.If you are considering Vie-Long for a brush due to personal beliefs, I would recommend looking towards the path of a synthetic like the highly regarded Muhle Fibre or Body Shop's. The Omega Hi-brush is also well reviewed.If you do not have a personal belief towards Boar or Badger, you should consider a Semogue 620. It is my favorite brush. The 830 is also well reviewed, but I like the shorter loft of the 620. Semogue's hand made brushes really show their craftsmanship. I also like Omega's, but I think the Semogue's are better brushes.

I'm just commenting about the smell since I saw it a lot in the reviews I read before purchasing. It was a gift for my husband and when he opened it we both smelled it since we were aware people have had an issue. He couldn't smell anything and I could smell a faint odor, so faint I wasn't sure if it was a horse smell or a chemical smell, and this was dry right out of the box. I have had horses so I know what a horse smells like and it wasn't like that.

I bought this brush based on a couple of reviews and it is pretty good. Creates decent lather but you have to really work to get it. I have tried the elite synthetic that produces lather quickly and easily. I have also used a fs silvertip that produces great lather. I will continue to use this brush.

The good - an absolutely gorgeous handle that's well-balanced.The bad - even when broken-in the hair is way too scritchy and very much the lather hog.