Thread: New Vie-Long - What a stinker!

I've been a wet shaver all my life, and until recently, when I started SR shaving (and joined the forum), I'd been a boar brush user. Cheap Wilkinson Sword brush lasted me for years and did the trick, no frills. When I started SR shaving, I upgraded (IMHO) to best badger and silvertip badger. I'm of an age now when I deserve to spoil myself a bit!

I've just bought a Vie-Long horse hair, just to try it. It was cheap enough, so, nothing ventured...

The first most noticeable thing is... The stink! It's absolutely rancid! I've washed it three times now and there's still quite a pungent odour. I've been around horses most of my life and they don't smell like that!

I've bought the brush to use as a travel brush, but if the smell doesn't go, it's going in the bin! Will the smell go?

I always soak my new brushes in Oxyclean before use. Sometimes twice. Nothing worse than 'new brush' smell, I agree.
My Vie Long horse cleaned up easily and has had no smell. I don't know what the equivalent to Oxyclean is in UK.
Perhaps same? Gawd, passing that in front of the nose is no fun!
Strangely, some deal with it til it goes away, including badger and boar. Not me!

I think I've read that a Borax soak will work

When the brush is dry, slather it in hair conditioner. I use Aveda and let it sit for up to a week. Worse the stink the longer it drys.
Till it is crusty hard. Then soak in a glass of warm water till it softens. Then rinse and put into service. Pick your scent of hair conditioner and give it a go.

Hey Wayne my omega 100098 stank like an alcoholic tramps trousers for a while when I first got it but the smell went away after maybe a dozen or so uses And it is a great brush.

It might be worth just lathering it up and rinsing it out a couple of dozen times with some cheap ish soap and see how it reacts.

The HarryWally Silvertip I just received took 5 trips on D.R. Harris before I got rid of the dirt and smell.

For the OP, you may want to try hair shampoo and hair conditioner. I have used that regimen on some stinkers.

Ed's approach is probably the best. Soap/rinse it till the stink goes away.

Sympathies here. After I got the stink out of mine I liked it for a while. Then the core stayed very stiff while, rather quickly, the outer plume went/stayed limp around 75 uses. I mentioned my disappointment to the local retailer and their Canadian distributor very decently sent me a new brush. In about the same amount of time this one did the opposite - the core went limp and the outer plume stayed stiff and prickly. To bad because I like the handle look, size and weight. I hope your long term results are more pleasing than mine.




As Ian Fleming admonished, "One is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times enemy action." Suspicious as I am of coincidence and not risking a third failure I am ripping out the knots on both of them today and hunting up one boar and one badger replacement knot; I do like the handles.

My Thater 4292/5 really smelled bad when I first used it. After about two weeks, the smell was gone. Have a 4292/3 in the mail and expect the same.

I'd just use it daily and all will be well soon.

Didn't know new brushes could smell that bad. I guess they're not like new cars.
What causes the bad smell??

Originally Posted by JP5

Didn't know new brushes could smell that bad. I guess they're not like new cars.
What causes the bad smell??

We had a Basset Hound for many years. She needed a bath every week.

The dirt is what I do not understand.

Am I correct is assuming the hides/hair is not washed before assembly?