New Vielong horse hair brush

[Alum of Potash]

Yeah, I think the pokey part is supposed to be the “exfoliating” characteristic of the boar brushes.

This model is the 04312 Cachurro. Someone online said it was 50% mane, 50% tail, but not sure where that information came from originally.

Actually, it's 75% tail to 25% mane for that model. I have one of those and like it as it is a very versatile brush. In loading the brush initially, I scrunch up on the hairs with my fingers to give it more backbone, then back off and load more gently in holding the top of the handle as the lather starts to build. Also, with horse hair brushes, I only soak the knot for around 15-30 seconds as a longer soak will cause the hairs to clump together.

 

[Chandu]

I love my Cremo horsehair brush. It's the only brush I own. It's only $9.02 on Amazon.

It's so good, Cremo will probably stop making them.

What’s funny to me is while Cremo do make a cream that lathers I’ve never seen it in any store even those that carry the brush.

 

[Atlantic59]

What’s funny to me is while Cremo do make a cream that lathers I’ve never seen it in any store even those that carry the brush.

Cremo makes a shave stick now. Not many places carry it from what I've seen.

 

[RayClem]

@ RayClem. The Vie Long 13061 was used once. The brush from the first time became useless. It became so tangly that I was unable - although I tried - to make it to its previous form. It had the form of a pancake. Before using it, I put it in water in the refrigerator for three days. The fourth day, I washed it with shampoo. The 5th day and overnight it was in a cup of water with sodium bicarbonate. The seventh day I used it.

I read that others had no problem. Maybe the lot of my brush had a quality problem. I don't know.

@Atlantic59. I would not feel comfortable to give it as PIF because as I said it was as a pancake of bristles. On the other hand, the shipping cost from EU (Greece) would not worth it anyway.

I will stick to my boar, badger and synthetic brushes.

Thanks for the clarification. It was not at all clear from your initial posting that you had spent some time trying to condition the brush.

There is no doubt that the technique needed to use a horsehair brush does differ somewhat from that needed with other brushes. You cannot smash the brush into the soap or your face like you can with some other brushes. If the brush ended up like a "pancake of bristles" it sounds like your technique is not suited to horsehair brushes. You have other options available.

 

[Bjlefebvre]

In loading the brush initially, I scrunch up on the hairs with my fingers to give it more backbone, then back off and load more gently in holding the top of the handle as the lather starts to build.

That's what I did this morning. Yeah, this model totally likes a little bit of scrunch on the soap - once the suds are in that first quarter of the loft, it's in like Flynn.

 

[GaryTha]

What’s funny to me is while Cremo do make a cream that lathers I’ve never seen it in any store even those that carry the brush.

My brush came with a "Lathering Shaving Crème." It had a select scent that smelled like sawdust. I only used it 12 times before tossing it. It's not that it was bad...it just wasn't Williams. Not that I have a Williams bias or anything.

Target no longer has the lathering shaving crème. They do have tubes of Cremo.

 

[ShaverAZ]

l just read the wiki on horse hair which explains the varied uses through history. I then remembered my childhood neighbour hood where Kenesky’s Sport Shop were the go to place for most NHL goalies to get there horse hair packed goalie pads, of course this was in the fifties. Horse hair was and is used for a lot of products because of it’s toughness. Horsehair - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsehair

When I was a kid, my Dad had a '49 Chevy. The back seat upholstery was a woven horsehair fabric. It was smooth, tough, breathable and comfortable in hot or cold weather. There's nothing made today that will equal it.

 

[ShaverAZ]

I've got a Cremo Horsehair made by via Long on the way to me, expected to deliver Saturday. Others expressed positive opinions of it. More when it arrives...

 

[Chandu]

My brush came with a "Lathering Shaving Crème." It had a select scent that smelled like sawdust.

I think it’s billed as sandalwood but maybe they made it smell like sanded wood instead.

 

[karacha]

I think it’s billed as sandalwood but maybe they made it smell like sanded wood instead.

Their original Sandalwood smelled like moldy sawdust for sure. I don't know what they were smoking when they made that one. But one of their guys apparently smelled it because now they have a Sandalwood cream marked "NEW: IMPROVED SCENT". I saw it yesterday, but wasn't brave enough to buy it in the name of science.

 

[GaryTha]

I think it’s billed as sandalwood but maybe they made it smell like sanded wood instead.

They do have sandalwood, but the one I got said select. It may have said reserve blend.

 

[Big Jim]

I have two. One is a white haired knot from Virginia Sheng, It is hopelessly floppy. The other is a Cremo by Vi Long. It's reasonable but a little scratchy. Not nearly as bad as a pure badger. Recently I decided to break it in by lathering it up in the shower for a month or two just to see if it will improve. I'm doing the same with a VDH boar.

 

[Mack the Razor]

I”m very happy with VL 13061 and 13063, 21 mm and 24 mm, respectively. Shower shaver and face latherer. Rarely need to untangle with a strong (not easily broken) comb, which takes just a few minutes. 2 of 7 — the others 2 badger, 2 boar & 1 synthetic — in my rotation. I merely like to change things up. YMMV

 

[Chandu]

I have the Cremo and the the American style white horse hair. It's 21mm knot with a 50mm knot. If's got a lot more backbone than the Cremo. The Cremo is not bad by any means, but I like backbone, so if it was just one or the other, it would be the Armerican style.

Frankly, I prefer Badger first and horse second and boar is slightly ahead of synthetic but not much. If you are a mashing swirler, I would not recommend horse. Unless it's a short loft you are likely to get knots splaying a horse brush down to it's crotch and swirling. Badger, Boar and most synthetics will put up with that, horse will knot (pun intended).

 

[ShaverAZ]

What’s funny to me is while Cremo do make a cream that lathers I’ve never seen it in any store even those that carry the brush.

Mix eyour regular Cremo in the tube with Neutrogena For Sensitive Skin. Neither alone are known for any appreciable lather, but together they produce an amazingly dense and slick lather.

+10000000000

I bought a Vie Long 13061 a few days ago.
One hour ago, I thought it was time to use it for the first time. I always wanted to have a horse brush and try it.
Vie Long 13061 is supposed to be ( according to some reviews) one of the best horse brushes.

So, I tried it for the first pass. That was the end. Tangly, stinky and all the worse things I can write. I just threw it in the garbage. I will never buy or use a horse brush again.

So, what did the seller have to say about your dissatisfaction with their brush? Did they offer you refund or replacement?
Or, did you not bother contacting them & just get all wanked out & throw out the offending brush? To me, there's greater satisfaction in getting a refund to apply to a different product than there is to the momentary rush of binning something I'm unhappy with.

 

[Chandu]

Mix eyour regular Cremo in the tube with Neutrogena For Sensitive Skin. Neither alone are known for any appreciable lather, but together they produce an amazingly dense and slick lather.

I have heard that before, but the Neutrogena For Sensitive Skin has parbens. I actually have a parben allergy, so don't knowingly use products with such. I say knowingly because parabens are hard to avoid entirely. It's ironic since parbens tended to be a preservative of choice because so few are allergic too them. Of course there are other reasons you may want to avoid them beyond allergies despending on what you read, believe and worry about.

I have lathered the Lavender non lathering stuff Cremo make just fine with a horse brush.

 

[Bert0324]

Vie-long, 24mm knot, 35/65 mane/tail. Floppy and prickly at the same time. Stopped using it years ago and don't intend to buy another horse brush ever again.

 

[Bjlefebvre]

This will probably be my last word on this brush for a little while. Shaved tonight using the Vielong and WCS Fougere soap. Did the first pass, then switched to my Shaved Dog badger. It felt…weird. Like too soft. Went back to the horse hair. For all the PIA it can present, it felt…right?

I’ll probably try a week with the badger again starting from tomorrow just to remember how that was. But after a week with the horsehair, I feel like I’m starting to “get it.” I still might try a version with a shorter loft, but I’m in no rush for right now.

 

[Bjlefebvre]

I have the Cremo and the the American style white horse hair. It's 21mm knot with a 50mm knot. If's got a lot more backbone than the Cremo. The Cremo is not bad by any means, but I like backbone, so if it was just one or the other, it would be the Armerican style.

Frankly, I prefer Badger first and horse second and boar is slightly ahead of synthetic but not much. If you are a mashing swirler, I would not recommend horse. Unless it's a short loft you are likely to get knots splaying a horse brush down to it's crotch and swirling. Badger, Boar and most synthetics will put up with that, horse will knot (pun intended).

Is that American style the one with the long wooden handle? This thing?

 

[eezee]

I have four Vie Longs. Never had one tangle. Trying to splay the knot is definitely a no-no.

I don't soak my horses either. I just wet them like a synth.

I have 3 Vie-Longs and this has been my experience. I like them and hope that yours are serving you well.