Brushes Lay Down Finish Perfectly

Gramercy Tools’ finishing brushes for shellac and lacquer are a delight to use. Their short, thick 100% ox-hair bristles give the brush an excellent “reservoir,” which means you don’t have to reload the brushes often—a feature I loved. And because they are short, the bristles are not floppy, making it easy to tip off the finish (take a final pass with the brush 90° to the surface to smooth the finish and remove air bubbles). Combined, these features make the brush wonderful for fast-drying finishes like shellac and lacquer. Each coat goes on quickly and dries without brush marks.

Even though Gramercy does not recommend using the brushes with heavy varnishes, I tried them with an oil-based polyurethane, and the coats went on smoothly without a hitch. These high-quality brushes are pricey, so they shouldn’t be treated like they’re disposable. Learn to clean them properly, and they should last a lifetime. You might even have to put them in your will.

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