Abrasive Wire End Brushes
What is an End Wire Brush?
These are abrasive attachments made for use with power tools that connect to a ¼” shank, such as power drills and die grinders. Wire end brushes have a slim ¾” to 1 ⅛” diameter design that makes them a perfect abrasive to work in small spaces and/or on machine parts. They are capable of working on much more targeted areas than cup brushes or wire wheels.
Wire end brushes are built with a number of coarse metal wires attached to a metal base that is connected to a ¼ inch shank. The metal filaments/wires are available in carbon steel, stainless steel, and tempered steel. Carbon steel wire sizes are 0.008”, stainless steel is available in 0.02” and 0.012”, and tempered steel wires are 0.014”.
Knotted vs Crimped Wire Brushes
The two most used wire abrasive end brushes for drills and die grinders come in either a crimped or a knotted/twisted construction.
Crimped Wire End Brush
Crimped end brushes have a wavy or crimped metal construction that creates a firm yet flexible application. They can tackle most of the same tasks as knot end brushes, but are better suited when you need a less aggressive abrasive with more flexibility in the wires.
Twist Knot Wire Brush
A twist wire brush has a sturdier construction that allows for more aggressive action than crimped brushes. To make these types of brushes, groups of metal wire filaments are twisted together to form several cable twist knots. This creates a more rigid wire construction that extends the life of the wires and can be used for more heavy-duty abrasive applications with faster removal rates
Uses of Wire End Brushes
- Carbon cleaning
- I.D. pipe cleaning
- Die and mold cleaning
- Removal of weld slag
- Surface preparation for welding
- Polishing tools
- Rubber and plastic flash removal
- Paint, rust, and/or corrosion removal
- Smoothing rough edges
- Deburring slots
- Cleaning pipes and recessed areas
- CNC equipment maintenance and cleaning
Wire End Brushes for Metal
All Empire Abrasives end brushes are capable of working on a variety of metal surfaces. We offer our brushes in carbon steel, stainless steel, and tempered steel.
Carbon steel is a commonly used general-purpose brush made with the softest of these metals, making it more suitable for ferrous metals like iron, steel, and cast iron.
Stainless steel can cut and polish harder surfaces and non-ferrous metals like aluminum, copper, and brass.
Tempered steel is the toughest of the wire brushes and is meant for more aggressive cleaning and cutting.