On Fri, 9 Dec 2011 10:13:34 -0500, "A.Nonny.Mouse"
> wrote:

>I think I have searched EVERYWHERE.
>
>What I am looking for is the old type, like my Mom and both grandmothers
>used.
>
>It had a thick twisted wire handle, with a loop large enough for my thumb
>to go through on the end opposite the bristle end. The bristle end is the
>important part. The bristles were stiff enough to get into corners of pans
>and into the smaller indentations of ornate mold type pans. It wasn't so
>stiff that it would ruin the tops of pastry when it was used for it's
>originally intended purpose.
>
>It was NOT one of those limber, practically useless silicone rubber things
>that every place in the world sells today. It was NOT a small, softer
>bristled brush resembling a natural bristle paint brush that you might use
>for painting the rungs on the back of your chairs.
>
>If anyone has a link to such a thing, I would really appreciate it. I
>really don't want to go through Christmas baking like I did on Thanksgiving
>and in previous years.
>
>Like I said, I think I have searched everywhere, this is hoping that I
>might have missed a place or two.

I use a cheapo disposable wooden handled 1" paint brush, stiffen the
bristles by snipping off some until they're of sufficient stiffness
for your liking (I can see you haven't much mechanical ability)... I
have one I've been using some 35 years... filled the ferrul with
epoxy, bristles never shed.

I know exactly what you want but I think you are out of luck, odds are
they don't make that type anymore... if you're very lucky you may find
old stock at one of the dollar stores. But Amazon sells many
different pastry brushes, this is probably the closest modern day
version:
http://www.amazon.com/Rosle-12468-1-...460296&sr=8-20
Were I in the market I'd buy this:
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/roun...mazon+Campaign