# Corona/Purdy



## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

I've recently started my own construction business, and up until now I have been an amateur at paint brushes. A friend of mine directed me to Purdy brushes and I loved them. They felt great and seemed well built. I then did research on them and came across Corona fanatics out there. Luckily we have a local paint store that sells Corona. So far I've bought 4 Purdy brushes, my recent brush being a 3" XL Swan. After reading about Coronas though, I wanted to try one out. I bought a 2.5" Corona Sabre and wow! I fell in love. I told my buddy that turned me to Purdy about Coronas. I absolutely love this brush! I already want to buy my next one! Tell me what y'all think about your favorite brush and why. Thanks!


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Corona Sabre is my choice for waterborne clears and thin wb enamels.

Corona Vegas is my choice for regular body trim paints.

Corona Cortez is my choice for cutting in walls.

I used to use Purdy, but the Corona's are my go to brush now except I will through in the occasional Wooster SilverTip when I want a budget brush for shellac, exterior shutters, etc. Overall, I rank brushes Corona > Purdy > Wooster. The silver tip is just a good brush for very little $$.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Like a lot of people I used Purdy for a long time and then after they sold out to SW and my stockpile of real Purdy brushes ran out I looked for other brushes and I prefer Corona myself.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Dittos on the Corona. Like Work, I used Purdys until they were sold and quality went down.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

Corona 3" oval champagne bristle...teh Bronson.

I never tire of typing all that!


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

WisePainter said:


> Corona 3" oval champagne bristle...teh Bronson.
> 
> I never tire of typing all that!


That should make JP proud. 

We use the 3.5" semi-oval Zanes for exterior. I love the combination of painting holding and finesse a good semi-oval offers.

I learned on sash brushes for interior and just do not see making the switch. I might try a 3" cortez instead of the 2.5" sometime though.


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks y'all. Our Paint Center doesn't carry the Cortez. I wanted one. They had Ryan and Sabre and BOSS. I guess I'll have to order through thepaintstore.com. I like my Purdys but love my new Corona. 

Funny story, I walked in another paint store and asked if they sold Corona brushes. One employee busted out with, "Dang, they make brushes too?!" another employee had to explain that it's a brand of brush.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

DeanV said:


> That should make JP proud.



I thoroughly disliked the guy that put one in my hand.

figures.


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

Is there a preferred brush comb or does any one work?


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

PaintWork said:


> Is there a preferred brush comb or does any one work?



this just got strange...


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

PaintWork said:


> Is there a preferred brush comb or does any one work?


In general, I use the largest brush I can handle for the application. To start out with, I would get at least 5-6 brushes of various sizes.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

WisePainter said:


> this just got strange...


I thought he said "combo".....


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> In general, I use the largest brush I can handle for the application. To start out with, I would get at least 5-6 brushes of various sizes.


no, he's asking about the preferred comb for cleaning the brush.

odd eh?

I call HO!!!


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> I thought he said "combo".....



yeah you did!

I did a reread 6 times.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

WisePainter said:


> no, he's asking about the preferred comb for cleaning the brush.
> 
> odd eh?
> 
> I call HO!!!


Not a wire brush silly.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> Not a wire brush silly.




i know that!

he wants a....oh FORGET IT.

dam mods mucking up the gears...


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

Clarify: yes a brush to clean the brush. I normally just use water to clean off the brush then place the brush back in the sleeve

I saw a "brush comb" to clean brushes. Or will any regular wire brush work?


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

PaintWork said:


> Clarify: yes a brush to clean the brush. I normally just use water to clean off the brush then place the brush back in the sleeve
> 
> I saw a "brush comb" to clean brushes. Or will any regular wire brush work?


 
Wire brush to _clean _the paint brush. Brush _comb _to reform the bristles


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> Wire brush to _clean _the paint brush. Brush _comb _to reform the bristles




Gotcha. I see how that question raised eyebrows to the experienced hehe. Sorry guys. I just switched from cheap $2 brushes to Purdys and now Coronas within the past week. I would buy cheap brushes and never took care of them. Just threw them away. I wanna make sure I take care of these new ones as they should be.


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## robladd (Nov 22, 2010)

WisePainter said:


> I thoroughly disliked the guy that put one in my hand.
> 
> figures.


Never tried a Corona. I always use Purdy and am happy with the results of their tools. I would like to comment on the brushes that I still use. The Bow, Swan and Pip. I am able to brush what ever needs brush work with these brushes. I do commend painters that take pride in their brush work cause brushing is still very part 
of finishing jobs. Back when I came up through the ranks you learned to brush, roll, and spray. Now it's the other way around Spray, Roll, and then Brush. I still like to say to the boss " see what I did, I finished the job". With a Brush!


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

robladd said:


> Never tried a Corona. I always use Purdy and am happy with the results of their tools. I would like to comment on the brushes that I still use. The Bow, Swan and Pip. I am able to brush what ever needs brush work with these brushes. I do commend painters that take pride in their brush work cause brushing is still very part
> of finishing jobs. Back when I came up through the ranks you learned to brush, roll, and spray. Now it's the other way around Spray, Roll, and then Brush. I still like to say to the boss " see what I did, I finished the job". With a Brush!



Nice. Yeah thanks for the comment


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## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

I wonder if anyone from Purdy Brush(SW) ever reads these threads and sees what they done....?


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

CliffK said:


> I wonder if anyone from Purdy Brush(SW) ever reads these threads and sees what they done....?


yeah, while yachting around the world aboard the S.S. "Sell Out"...


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

So, good experience buying from thepaintstore? Our Paint Center has a small quantity of Coronas


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

PaintWork said:


> So, good experience buying from thepaintstore? Our Paint Center has a small quantity of Coronas


There good, I find their shipping to be kind of high on single items so it is best to spend more to save on the shipping.


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

Got so excited about this thread the other night. I got my helper started on a job the next morning and took a b-line through the ice, through the blinking traffic lights, past a handful of accidents, toward the nearest BM store (about 45 minutes away). I was gonna have me one uh doe's Charles "Bronson" war clubs that Wise was raving about. I walked through the door at BenMoore's and..... nothing but Purdy's on the wall.  so......sad


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Different Strokes said:


> Got so excited about this thread the other night. I got my helper started on a job the next morning and took a b-line through the ice, through the blinking traffic lights, past a handful of accidents, toward the nearest BM store (about 45 minutes away). I was gonna have me one uh doe's Charles "Bronson" war clubs that Wise was raving about. I walked through the door at BenMoore's and..... nothing but Purdy's on the wall.  so......sad


That sucks, that is why I usually call before going out of my way.


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

Different Strokes said:


> walked through the door at BenMoore's and..... nothing but Purdy's on the wall.  so......sad


The BM 65-125 is still one of my favorites for general purpose, capable of near traceless finishes. Ever use one?


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks for the YouTube vid JP. Brush looked good.


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

Workaholic said:


> That sucks, that is why I usually call before going out of my way.


Normally I would have called, but it just seemed so right, it couldn't go wrong.......... then it did. :whistling2:

@JP- no never have. I'd be interested in giving one a shot. It's surprising how different brushes each have pros and cons. I had a buddy that would use one specific kind of latex brush as an oil brush for trim occasionally. It didn't leave a single brush stroke after the paint layed down, and that was without any floetrol or thinning. I never would have believed it had I not been there. Wish I could remember what kind of brush that was...


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

PaintWork said:


> Thanks for the YouTube vid JP. Brush looked good.


You're welcome. Its a very sharp brush for executing fast cuts. The filaments stay in line where you position them. More firm than a Cortez but not by much.


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

Wooster Alpha. Its the love. Kinda like a cross between the Ben Moore brushes and a Corona, as the Alpha is very precise(like the BMs) but holds a massive amount of paint. Bristles dont stay "bent" as much as Coronas, Alpha has great flex. Its like a tuning fork, if you hold it in one hand and hit the ferrule when its clean, the brush almost hums.:notworthy: Glidden has them on sale for low-mid teens.
That being said, still really like Coronas, but Alpha might replace them in my strange little world.


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

kdpaint said:


> That being said, still really like Coronas, but Alpha might replace them in my strange little world.


I've been using the Cortez on and off quite a bit the past week... just cant do anything real productive with it. Its too soft for moving massive amounts of paint any real distance.


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## Wood511 (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks JP!!! I was picking up some paint this morning at BM and grabbed a 65-125. I gotta say this brush is top notch for cutting. I'd been using Purdys for a while and tried a few Coronas, but this BM brush is razor sharp.


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## generalpaint (Dec 15, 2010)

I wish we could sell Coronas- years ago we did and you couldnt keep enough of them in stock- I wish I had a dime for everytime I've heard "these purdys arent the same as they were before SW bought them" and "you know I can get the same brush at HD for $3 less" -- embarassing


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

I bought a purdy 3" xl last summer just to see if I still liked them.:no: 
I gave it to a guy I work with sometimes. He likes it. I cant tell you how much that brush I guess the xl, being their low end brush, isnt great, but i have a 4" swan that is pretty similar. The Oregon is a good brush for oil.... but i rarely use oil.
Purdy must have some other line that is decent, but Im done with them. Wooster Alpha, Ben Moore, Corona and Proform make all the brushes I need.:thumbup:


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

kdpaint said:


> Wooster Alpha. Its the love. Kinda like a cross between the Ben Moore brushes and a Corona, as the Alpha is very precise(like the BMs) but holds a massive amount of paint. Bristles dont stay "bent" as much as Coronas, Alpha has great flex. Its like a tuning fork, if you hold it in one hand and hit the ferrule when its clean, the brush almost hums.:notworthy: Glidden has them on sale for low-mid teens.
> That being said, still really like Coronas, but Alpha might replace them in my strange little world.


Looks like another brush I wanna try. When the snow clears I'll be heading out to get an Alpha


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

What exactly is the advantage of a semi-oval brush? Wooster sells an "Alpha Wall" brush, and a "Alpha Semi-oval".

I've used Wooster 2.5" Ultra/Firm Minks' for about 8 yrs now and this thread has a couple of bucks burning a hole in my pocket.


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## PaintWork (Feb 1, 2011)

I got me a 3" Wooster Alpha. Haven't tried it out yet. Hopefully can get to the job Monday and try this baby out


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

Wood511 said:


> Thanks JP!!! I was picking up some paint this morning at BM and grabbed a 65-125. I gotta say this brush is top notch for cutting. I'd been using Purdys for a while and tried a few Coronas, but this BM brush is razor sharp.


Good to hear. It's a great overall brush and gets better in time. Doesn't need a break-in time but you'll see it gets better.


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

Different Strokes said:


> What exactly is the advantage of a semi-oval brush? Wooster sells an "Alpha Wall" brush, and a "Alpha Semi-oval".


the semi oval performs better in tighter short runs and trim cuts. It's more responsive vs wall version. I tend to grab the semi oval more often. If all I need to cut is ceiling lines and corners then I go with Wall. Subtle differences that can impact production a bit.


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## promax (Jan 30, 2011)

Wooster makes a great double sided brush comb. one side has a row of needles for deep cleaning and the ofther is a steel wire brush for the stuff on the outside and the ferrel. It def cuts down on cleaning time i really recommend trying one, the other work fine as well i have an old one sided brush comb that is just the row of needles and that works great too. Never tried the purdy on because it looks to much like a 5 in 1 and the needles dont look long enough to clean thoroughly.


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## ttd (Sep 30, 2010)

Corona Chinex! Best I have ever used, but I have not used many other Coronas yet. Plus they are made in America. One of the few things left.


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## jason123 (Jul 2, 2009)

promax said:


> Wooster makes a great double sided brush comb. one side has a row of needles for deep cleaning and the ofther is a steel wire brush for the stuff on the outside and the ferrel. It def cuts down on cleaning time i really recommend trying one, the other work fine as well i have an old one sided brush comb that is just the row of needles and that works great too. Never tried the purdy on because it looks to much like a 5 in 1 and the needles dont look long enough to clean thoroughly.



That sound good..I use the roller comb combo i like the longer thinner style black handle then the shorter stubbier yellow handle..

I have been using a Corona Ontario lately pretty good.. I like it espescially because im from Ontario..wooster purdy..whatever I kinda like to roll with the punches.


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