Abrasive Nylon Brushes and Wire Wheels

Nylon brushes are a versatile alternative to traditional steel and brass abrasive wire products. These specialty nylon abrasives were designed to work in a similar way as their metal counterparts, but with several unique benefits.

Steel and brass wire abrasives tend to run hot, with the temperature increasing rapidly as it creates friction while grinding across a surface material. When you are working with a material that can be damaged from excessive heat, the nylon wire brushes are an excellent choice that won’t reach the same temperatures as metal on metal would. Additionally, these nylon based abrasives won’t cause sparks and can be used in a wet or dry environment.

While there are multiple variations of these types of nylon brush products, they are all constructed of the same plastic-like material. Rather than use a metal like steel or brass, these are made up of many stiff nylon filaments. Each of these nylon wires/filaments is embedded with a different abrasive material to provide a different level of abrasiveness.

Common uses include:

• Rust removal

• Scale and oxidation removal

• Paint stripping

• Auto Body work - Bondo and body filler removal

• Shou Sugi Ban finishing

• Glue, sealant and other adhesive removal

• Surface preparation

Nylon Brush Abrasive Color Guide

The different colors of the nylon bristles indicate different grit levels of coarseness:

Blue Nylon Abrasives - Fine

The blue nylon wire wheels and brushes have a fine coarseness. The abrasive grains used for these are aluminum oxide with a 240 grit.

Red Nylon Abrasives - Medium

The red nylon wire wheels and brushes are a medium level coarseness between the blue and the gray. The abrasive grains used for these are aluminum oxide with a 120 grit.

Gray Nylon Abrasives - Coarse

The gray nylon wire wheels and brushes are the coarsest option. The abrasive grains used for these are silicon carbide with an 80 grit.