Item Description
I was very surprised to not see a review for any Vie-Long brushes and figured I'd start us out. I'll begin by saying that I like this brush a lot and I fear that the review score posted might not do justice to the brush. The El Toro Ganso, made by Vie-Long in Spain, is created specifically for BullGoose Shaving.
Price: This brush falls into the lower-end of real good badger brushes. It's not cheap, but its price compares favorably to other manufacturers.
Quality: I feel that the quality of this brush is above average, with one reservation. Vie-Long brushes are notorious for a bit of a stench when new and mine was no exception. I believe that the smell was mostly caused by whatever epoxy they use to set the knot, but it took a couple lather treatments to get the smell down to a usable level. After several weeks, the smell has disappeared entirely. Other than that, this brush is outstanding. I love the handsome multi-tone acrylic handle. It hasn't lost a single hair, which is more than I can say for any of my other brushes.
Density: The knot in this brush isn't the most dense you'll find, which at first I thought was a negative. After using brushes with far more density, I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing though. The density is about perfect for creating and subsequently releasing lather.
Stiffness: Not a particularly stiff brush, either. I mostly bowl-lather creams and this brush is perfect. Soaps are doable as well, but if you mostly roll with soaps you will probably want to look elsewhere.
Softness: This is where the brush really starts to shine for me. This brush is soft like a pillow. Using it is almost like a gentle massage for your face, which I absolutely love. I think that this aspect is about the best part of the brush.
Ergonomic: The handle is a little bit shorter than ideal, but that hasn't really been an issue. I've had no problem using it. The acrylic is completely smooth and there are no rough edges.
Latherability: The ETG lathers like a champ. It holds a good amount of water and turns cream into clouds in no time. I find that the knot releases lather exceptionally well which in turn ensures that I get a thick layer on my face while shaving.
Brush Specifications:
Hair: Two-Band White Badger
Knot Diamater: 22mm
Loft: 50mm
Overall Height: 91mm
Price: This brush falls into the lower-end of real good badger brushes. It's not cheap, but its price compares favorably to other manufacturers.
Quality: I feel that the quality of this brush is above average, with one reservation. Vie-Long brushes are notorious for a bit of a stench when new and mine was no exception. I believe that the smell was mostly caused by whatever epoxy they use to set the knot, but it took a couple lather treatments to get the smell down to a usable level. After several weeks, the smell has disappeared entirely. Other than that, this brush is outstanding. I love the handsome multi-tone acrylic handle. It hasn't lost a single hair, which is more than I can say for any of my other brushes.
Density: The knot in this brush isn't the most dense you'll find, which at first I thought was a negative. After using brushes with far more density, I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing though. The density is about perfect for creating and subsequently releasing lather.
Stiffness: Not a particularly stiff brush, either. I mostly bowl-lather creams and this brush is perfect. Soaps are doable as well, but if you mostly roll with soaps you will probably want to look elsewhere.
Softness: This is where the brush really starts to shine for me. This brush is soft like a pillow. Using it is almost like a gentle massage for your face, which I absolutely love. I think that this aspect is about the best part of the brush.
Ergonomic: The handle is a little bit shorter than ideal, but that hasn't really been an issue. I've had no problem using it. The acrylic is completely smooth and there are no rough edges.
Latherability: The ETG lathers like a champ. It holds a good amount of water and turns cream into clouds in no time. I find that the knot releases lather exceptionally well which in turn ensures that I get a thick layer on my face while shaving.
Brush Specifications:
Hair: Two-Band White Badger
Knot Diamater: 22mm
Loft: 50mm
Overall Height: 91mm
