# Purdy and Wooster brush question



## Dustygirl01 (Feb 12, 2008)

I've been using the Purdy XL-Glide brushes for the past seven years. I recently bought some new ones, and SWORE there was something wrong with them. They seemed thinner...almost like the Purdy Dales...like the ferrule didn't have as many bristles in it and they were a lot softer. My coworker had the same experience. I saw the posting below about Purdy going downhill and new I wasn't imagining things.

I borrowed a coworkers Wooster to try out and loved it. The wrapper said "Ultra Pro/Extra Firm" but on doing a search for it, there's different styles...the linebacker, willow, etc. UGH...so now I'm not sure which one it was. It was an angled sash brush...kind of a blackish/purple with white tips. 

HELP!!! I guess I just need to find a store that sells Wooster and take a look at them.


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

Try this http://www.woosterbrush.com/products.asp?id=174

Welcome to the site.


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## JNLP (Dec 13, 2007)

Lindbeck is the thicker one like the Purdy XLs & the Willow is the thinner version. I like the Ultra/Pro Firm Lindbeck. Check out thepaintstore.com for some good prices. :thumbup:


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## Dustygirl01 (Feb 12, 2008)

Thanks for the info. I was thinking the Lindbeck would be a good choice for me to try. An obvious answer to my Wooster paint brush question would be to ask my coworker and look at the brush again, but I only see them about twice a year (we're both subcontractors).


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

The Purdys at Home Despot are de-spec'd
They pretty much are almost Dales

I haven't noticed the Paint Store ones coming through any thinner
But I haven't bought a Purdy in a while either


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

The bristels are softer to anticipate the latest paint reformulations - not that I have ever been a 'wooster' brush guy myself for anything other than china bristle - I have been using their 3" lindeback angle sash pro/extra firm alot lately - good brush!


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## Dustygirl01 (Feb 12, 2008)

Slick:

My thoughts exactly...they're like the Dales. That's where mine came from...Home Cheapo!!! Oh No!!! What do you mean by de-spec'd?


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

*Cpv*



Dustygirl01 said:


> What do you mean by de-spec'd?


Home despot doesn't sell things cheaper by volume alone
(but HD won't discourage the notion, and people who shop their like the convenience of that little white lie rather than think that they are buying inferior goods)
They carry many items that are de-spec'd versions of the ones sold in the Real World
For example, the Purdys....HD wanted to carry Purdys
Purdy said OK no prob
But HD said we want to sell them for 5 bucks cheaper than anyone else
Purdy says Whoa...we can give you a 2 or 3 percent discount for volume...but we can't go much lower (believe it or not no manufacturer can give a 10%, 15%, or 20+% discount for volume)

Enter Customer Perceived Value (or CPV)

HD says Hey well listen, our AVERAGE CUSTOMER (a clueless DIYer) won't perceive the value of that nice thick brush with those premium bristles anyway...they just hear the name from pros....give us a less thick one that looks like the one in the Paint Store, and we'll sell that...but you can only sell it to us

If Purdy says no, HD yanks all Purdys from the shelves

So....Purdy makes a "de-spec'd" brush for HD
Just like the lawnmmowers and Porter-Cable framing saws
They are not the same ones as in the Landscape Supply or Tool Store


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## greensboro84 (Feb 15, 2008)

is this the case at lowes also? i bought a wooster there the other day, a three inch, umm, not the ultra pro, i think its pro classic or something. anyway, the bristles feel like dead grass, maybe just a lower end model they make? also, i guess this is the place to ask, ive never used an agled brush, id like to try, but when im cutting in or something, can i move the brush back and forth or will it tangle the bristles or mess them up, it looks like its meant to be stroked one way only?


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

greensboro84 said:


> is this the case at lowes also? i bought a wooster there the other day...


That particular example I don't know for sure
Lowes does the CPV and de-spec thing also (though not as much as HD)
Many other items @ Lowes have Lowe's Exclusive/de-spec'd items I could confirm

Wooster does make the Ben Moore brushes, and the Ben Moore brushes do come in different quality levels


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## Dustygirl01 (Feb 12, 2008)

Greensboro:

I stopped in at Lowes as well to take a peek at the Woosers since my Sherwin Williams store doesn't stock them.

My Lowes did not carry any of the ones we've been talking about. They didn't have the "ultra-pro", they carry a different line of Woosters which I didn't even see listed on the Wooster website. Probably a Lowes' special. I ended up ordering my Wooster from the Paintstore online. It's in the mail as we speak. I'm very excited!!!!


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## Dustygirl01 (Feb 12, 2008)

It came in the mail today!!! SWEEEET!!! I really like it.


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## greensboro84 (Feb 15, 2008)

I don't think I'll buy a brush from Lowes again. It's the second time. I didn't like the purdy I bought from there. What about these purdys with "second" stamped on to them. I got a 2 1/2 in. that has done me well since this summer. And i let others use it to. The 4 in is pretty nice to, i love when i get to use it. But why are they stamped with "second"? I think they are just regular nylon/poly. brushes, black and blue bristles.


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## Dustygirl01 (Feb 12, 2008)

I'm not sure about the seconds...chances are there is just some minor flaw that really doesn't affect the brush at all. I don't think it's the same thing as the "despec'd" version that is bound for Home Depot. The most important thing is that it works for you and you like it. 

With the Purdy's, I could just feel the bristles and tell there was a difference...the volume felt so much thinner. Now that I'm aware of all this stuff, I'll check new brushes more thoroughly before I buy.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

greensboro84 said:


> I don't think I'll buy a brush from Lowes again. It's the second time. I didn't like the purdy I bought from there. What about these purdys with "second" stamped on to them. I got a 2 1/2 in. that has done me well since this summer. And i let others use it to. The 4 in is pretty nice to, i love when i get to use it. But why are they stamped with "second"? I think they are just regular nylon/poly. brushes, black and blue bristles.


Seconds are defected with a flaw, often it is a minor defect on the handle or furrel, though it can be bristle related too. I bought quite a few 3-1/2 swans when SW bought Purdy, both seconds and a whole lot of firsts.
In my opinion the seconds wore out quicker, and were more prone to bristle twisting.


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Dustygirl01 said:


> It came in the mail today!!! SWEEEET!!! I really like it.



...which one????!


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## Dustygirl01 (Feb 12, 2008)

It is the Lindbeck. I plan on being the envy of everyone else on the jobsite!


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Dustygirl01 said:


> It is the Lindbeck.


Please let us know how it works out for you


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

plainpainter said:


> The bristels are softer to anticipate the latest paint reformulations - not that I have ever been a 'wooster' brush guy myself for anything other than china bristle - I have been using their 3" lindeback angle sash pro/extra firm alot lately - good brush!


Me too I just loaded up on Woosters... and for the price you can't beat em. I used them years ago and switched to Purdys but now back to Woosters the Pro/Soft is great for waterborne finishes


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## Dustygirl01 (Feb 12, 2008)

I've been using my new Wooster Lindbeck on the jobsite and it is AWESOME!!! I'm going to get a couple more of them. Thanks for the info. on Wooster & Purdy.


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