Ronn W Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I stopped by my local Woodcraft store to get a brass bristled brush for cleaning my new rasps a they did not have any. They did have this funky looking "Iwasaki File Clean Brush" for $10. I seems to work just fine. It easily cleaned what a used tooth brush could not. The bristles are about 1/2" long, probably nylon and much coarser and stiffer than a new toothbrush. I would think that if I wanted to make them even stiffer, I could just trim the length. I don't know how much a brass bristled brush would have been. I just pass this along FYI. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds2 Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I picked up a pack for brass "grill cleaning" brushes from HF to clean mine. They work great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 The standard tool to look for to clean files and rasps is called a "file card" ! Google is your friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I use either a little brass brush meant for cleaning golf clubs (you can find them in Walmart where their little bit of golf stuff is), or the same sort of thing you find in welding supply areas. That looks like it would work great on the little Iwasaki x-fine files though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjk Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Be careful when picking up a brass brush - many of them are actually brass plated steel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Those crepe rubber blocks for cleaning danding belts work pretty well, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I like these because you can use the plastic bristles first to get most of it, and only call on the brass for the few teeth that don't want to turn it loose. http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/191921900984?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true Only go in one direction, and the bristles will last. Go back and forth pushing too hard, and the bristles will fray in all directions. I keep one of those on my bag as well as a good one because I have one guy I play golf with that always asks to borrow one, and he can ruin one in one use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted July 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Tom, Those look interesting and the price is sure right. Does that mean I can save money if I take up golf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldog Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 I only have two Auriou rasps, and I read that you shouldn't use brass brushes to clean them. I ended up purchasing a couple of these from TFWW. https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/MS-RBRUSH i think I'm easy prey for advertising though. Brass brushes may be perfectly fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 12 hours ago, Ronn W said: Tom, Those look interesting and the price is sure right. Does that mean I can save money if I take up golf? I have yet to spend as much on woodworking as I spent on golf. The Auriou natural bristle brush looks great. I have a plastic fingernail brush that works great if I use it just before I put the rasp back in the rack. The brush sets right by the rack so I have little excuse to not give the tool a scrub or two before hanging it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekcohen Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 Avoid brass or steel bristles as they will wear the teeth quickly. I use a natural bristle brush - commonly referred to a fingernail-cleaning brush, and available at most supermarkets. Cheap. Regards from Perth Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 Money...easy come, easy go. After clicking @Bulldog's link I realized I need one of those little brushes. $3.95...perfect. Oh, they want ten bucks for shipping...better add something else to the cart to justify the shipping cost. Toss something in there. Bah. I've always wanted these anyway. https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/CSW/item/MS-RCURVE.XX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 I think any damage to rasp teeth by a brass brush would be due to the hands of the user. I remembered this picture, but didn't remember what I used to clean the rasps, and floats with. Looks like it was a brass welding brush. That job (very full time) lasted about two and a half weeks. The rasps and floats are still as sharp as they were when new. That job was several years ago. The rasps and floats (not all in the picture- probably laying on the bench) fitted hundreds of tenons. Brass welding brushes are for cleaning the "smoke" off where you stopped a bead, before starting again at the same place, when TIG or MIG welding aluminum. They don't scratch the aluminum. I'm sure you could damage file or rasp teeth with one if you tried, but I just use an edge to pick the hard stuff out from under teeth that plastic bristles won't get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted July 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2016 9 hours ago, Eric. said: Money...easy come, easy go. After clicking @Bulldog's link I realized I need one of those little brushes. $3.95...perfect. Oh, they want ten bucks for shipping...better add something else to the cart to justify the shipping cost. Toss something in there. Bah. I've always wanted these anyway. Stainless ! ....Those are some sexy French Curves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekcohen Posted July 25, 2016 Report Share Posted July 25, 2016 Personally, I prefer using the cheap plastic french curves. Those stainless steel ones look really nice, but the avantage of being able to see through the plastic is that you obtain a better view of the lines you are drawing. Sometimes prettier gets in the way. Regarding the use of brass or other metal on the teeth of rasps and files, my view is that these will cause extra wear a lot faster than wood. I sometimes spray with a little 3-in-1 to soften any stuck waste, and then use a bristle brush (these are also used for polishing shoes). Regards from Perth Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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