# A Boy and his 45 Purdy Brushes



## fjthurston (Jun 18, 2017)

Hello everyone, longtime lurker, first time really posting. I worked with a flipper/contractor for 4 seasons until doing exclusively interior painting for the last 3 summers and winters. 

With the contractor, I got into the (bad?) habit of buying cases of PX brushes and just chucking them after a few weeks. Great brushes for the money and a few weeks. 

When I first started only interior painting with the new company, I bought a 2.5" angled Purdy ClearCut (from a BB store; didn't know any better at the time) and it turned into a duster after about 5 uses. I found the tip curled way too much when wet and turned very drippy.

At the beginning of this summer I could no longer find deals on cases of PX brushes so I decided to grow up and earn the respect of the other old-timers on the crew. Bought a couple Coronas and a couple Picassos. Fine brushes, but still trying to figure out which brushes for which project. The company I subcontract for does everything from contractor grade starter homes (ProMar 200/MasterHide) to high-end restorations and beach homes (BM Regal and above).

Then about 2 weeks ago, in a weak moment, I saw a Ebay auction ending in 9 minutes for a case of 45 "new old stock" Purdy brushes from 2002-2006. I had been resisting Purdy brushes because of the previous poor performance of the HD ClearCut and lots of posts on this forum about how "they are not what they used to be." But I am a sucker for a bargain and I figured that date range was close enough to the SW purchase of Purdy to still have the legendary quality. I got the 45 brushes for $180 including shipping. 

I am now an owner of 45 various Purdy (+5 Woosters) and I am finding mixed recommended purposes online for the different brushes. I generally know which are for oils, latex and all of the above. But I am still having trouble pinpointing best use/practice through the various descriptions online and the Purdy rhetoric. Can anyone give me some "rubber hits the road" advice on which of these to whip out for specific jobs?

2" extra oregon 2
3" adjutant 1
2.5" adjutant 1
1.5" adjutant 1
3" sprig white 3
2.5" sprig elite 1
2.5 XL Dale 4
3" XL glide 4
2.5" XL glide 2
3" XL sprig 10
3" XL Swan 7
2.5" pro extra glide	1
3" Nylox Swan 1
3" wooster pro wall	3
Wooster Ultra Pro Angle	2

What have been the noticeable differences in Purdy brushes from today to years past? I would really like to compare some a new-new one to one of these. 

One of the brushes, the 2.5" Spring Elite, says on the cover "DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CLEAN THIS TOOL USING A WIRE BRUSH." Considering this is bolded and capitalized, I suppose I should take it seriously....but why??

Thanks again for any protips. This forum has always been a fantastic resource for me. I kind of exaggerated my experience when I first started with the new company and this forum has continuously helped me gloss over the gaps in my knowledge over the past few years. There are certainly a few guys on the crew that are excited about scoring some cheap new Purdys!


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

Welcome! Use the ones that you can make $ with for painting and use the purdy's for oil based primer or dusters. They also might make good stocking stuffers for the diyers on your Xmas list.  the 1 1/2" Purdy might be good for tight spaces...might need to cut the end of it off and make a stubby out of it though. ;p
I did have an affinity for the swans at 1 point though, I must admit. Personally, I hate sash brushes...i have very few uses for a sash but there are times when it's the right tool for the job. Happy brushing! Sounds like you're pretty well set with brushes for a while! 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

If I remember correctly, the pro-extra glide was a good brush for exterior, as it held a lot of paint, and cleaned up really easy. 

If I have a brush I dont like too well, I save it for an oil based job, and chuck it when Im done.


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## fjthurston (Jun 18, 2017)

Woodco said:


> If I remember correctly, the pro-extra glide was a good brush for exterior, as it held a lot of paint, and cleaned up really easy.


It's an odd brush. Very thick bristles with aggressive flagging. Not to mention a $20.25 price tag 10-14 years ago. I don't do much exterior though. But cleaning up particularly quickly might make it a great brush for doing those projects where the owners/decorators want to see like 20 swatches.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

By cleaning up quickly, Im talking about sun dried paint on the bristles, not that they actually rinse out easier. I go to Harbor freight and buy boxes of chip brushes for next to nothing, for color samples. They clean up REAL easy, or you can toss em.

But yeah, the pro extra glide seemed to work really well with rough wood, especially, if I remember right.


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

Pro Extra with blue bristles is one of the best brushes out there because of the bristle ridgidity and overall durability, for oil and acrylic too. My fav is the 2.5" Pro Extra Dale (thin ferrule thickness), but the larger pro extras also kick serious butt.
Those are great for interior also. I brush walls, trim, cabinets, whatever with them and they rock for precise and efficient ceiling cutting in.

Adjutants are almost worthless. They are for pure oil based paints only and are kind of coarse. Definitely keep them, just keep one around for oil primers or stain projects, applying Benite, etc.

Swans, and Sprigs are great and hold a nice amount of paint, have long bristles, and you can cut ceiling lines with them well still. 
XLs are their main brush but a little too soft for my liking, I use them some. I use the firmer Pro Extra or even Wooster ultra firm. Dales are great.

I've never had a reason to buy the white bristle ones.

Hopefully those are NOT "seconds", meaning second quality from the factory. Honestly I have seen those same ebay sales for years and have avoided them.

Cool buy anyways though... you are set I think.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

ridesarize said:


> Pro Extra with blue bristles is one of the best brushes out there because of the bristle ridgidity and overall durability, for oil and acrylic too. My fav is the 2.5" Pro Extra Dale (thin ferrule thickness), but the larger pro extras also kick serious butt.
> Those are great for interior also. I brush walls, trim, cabinets, whatever with them and they rock for precise and efficient ceiling cutting in.
> 
> Adjutants are almost worthless. They are for pure oil based paints only and are kind of coarse. Definitely keep them, just keep one around for oil primers or stain projects, applying Benite, etc.
> ...


a couple of comments. The pro extra is a great blend of filaments for the higher solids/lo voc paints you are seeing more of these days. It works great with exterior paints such as Durations and Manor hall Timeless. It is also very resistant to floppiness caused by high heat that some brushes with a high nylon content can have.

Also, from what i understand, Purdy does not release seconds for resale. I have been told by Purdy reps for many years that any of their brushes that are found to have any defect whatsoever, even cosmetic, are destroyed at the factory or are recycled whenever possible. I have seen seconds from Wooster, Arroworthy, Linzer. and several other brush manufacturers show up in the retail market but in thirty years I have never seen a Purdy "second" being sold. I have never had a reason to doubt what the Purdy people have told me. Not saying that it doesn't or can't happen, but just that I have never seen it.

And a box of that many Purdys for that price is a major score! Good job! I guess i need to keep a closer eye on ebay!

Additional comment! I just spent a few minutes perusing E-bay and low and behold! Someone is selling Purdy "seconds"! BUT, they aren't supposed to be outside of the factory. The markings on them are supposed to be so they get pulled from the packaging line before they leave the factory. And if you look at them closely, you can see that the filaments are in pretty bad shape on some of them as they do not have any packaging.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

The Pro-Extra is still my preferred go to brush for my interior wall and ceiling work. But many PT members would think the OP has 45 too many Purdy's.


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## Vylum (May 12, 2016)

too bad its the wrong brand


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

RH said:


> The Pro-Extra is still my preferred go to brush for my interior wall and ceiling work. But many PT members would think the OP has 45 too many Purdy's.


Mine also, so your not alone


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