Just about everybody has a wire brush in their home. They use it for cleaning the barbecue grill or maybe keeping all the rust off the garden tools.

But when it starts looking worn, you may want to go buy you another one.

On the other hand, there’s a way to save it!

Find out how to make an old wire brush last longer by cutting off the damaged end with a hacksaw, and how to modify a paint scraper on the brush for use cleaning a grill.

Watch the video above to find out more.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Danny Lipford: Almost everybody has one of these in their home for cleaning the barbeque grill or maybe keeping all the rust off the garden tools. But when it starts looking like this, you may want to go buy you another one.

Joe Truini: You’d think so, Danny, but actually when a wire brush gets all deformed like this you can save it by cutting off the damaged end.

The reason the brush turns out like this is that most people use it in a forward motion, and these bristles get all bent over. But the rest of the brush, you’ll notice, is actually in pretty good shape.

All you need to do is put it into a vise and clamp it really securely, and then use a hacksaw to cut off the damaged end.

Danny Lipford: Now, Joe, this is wood. Why would you use a hacksaw?

Joe Truini: The reason I like using a hacksaw is that these metal bristles go down into the wood, and you don’t want to damage the blade of a good wood saw.

Danny Lipford: Makes sense.

Joe Truini: I just use a hacksaw here. Cuts nice and cleanly right through that. Now you’ll notice that the end is kind of rough and squared, but you can just round that over with a belt sander.

Danny Lipford: That’s great. And you could cut that off several time and get some life out of the wire brush here.

Joe Truini: As you mentioned earlier, wire brushes are great for cleaning barbeque grills. What I have here is a brush that has a paint scraper blade attached to it. And I’ve taken a round file and cut two, semicircular grooves in it, so that after you’re through cooking, you use it to scrape the grease right off the bars of the grill.

Danny Lipford: Now if you’re going to use a wire brush for cleaning your charcoal gill, then you may need to get a second one, so that you’re not using a greasy brush on all of your garden tools.


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Editorial Contributors
avatar for Joe Truini

Joe Truini

Radio Show Co-Host

Joe Truini is a contractor, author, and the host of “Simple Solutions” on Today’s Homeowner TV and the weekly Today’s Homeowner radio show. He has worked on both large commercial projects and residential remodeling, and has written for national publications such as This Old House and Popular Mechanics. He has also written eight books, including three best-selling shed-building books. Joe lives in Connecticut with his family and enjoys hiking, traveling, and baseball in his spare time.

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