Popular Woodworking Editors' Blog

From December 2006 Popular Woodworking

First of all, these are very good brushes. I used the 2" version ($34.95) to apply three coats of shellac to the Whale Tail Shelves in the December 2006 issue (page 40). The brush held an ample load of shellac which meant I didn’t waste time with constant dipping (important when working with fast-drying finishes), shedding was minimal and brush marks were non-existent.

But what’s really great about these brushes is the story behind them. Joel Moskowitz and his team at Tools for Working Wood simply couldn’t find a finishing brush they liked, so they decided to make one. First, the team delved into all extant texts on traditional brushes and brushmaking techniques … that took about five minutes. So, they bought and used all the brushes on the market to see what worked, what didn’t, and how they could improve on what’s available.

What they developed are 100-percent European Ox Hair brushes, which are handmade in New York by one of the few remaining brushmakers in the country. And they’ve captured the arcane craft on video; download it and find out more about the process.

— Megan Fitzpatrick

More information on finishing brushes from Gramercy Tools