Just wondering if anyone could recommend a decent brand of butcher block style wire brush that won't fall apart in a few months?....I have gone through so many over the years and none seem to keep their bristles very long and just keep breaking off. I'm using a Winco brand now which has lasted longer but still is almost half gone already. I do use it everyday in a production environment so maybe I'm asking too much.

Thanks for any advice..

Check out Anvilbrand.com. I wouldn't want to say how long they will last using it every day. All I know is mine does'nt get used enough!!!!

Maybe it's how you are using it, Just try brushing in one direction, if you brush backwards and forwards, the 'spring wire bristles' will break, or fall out.

I have an anvil brand and it's held up great but I'm in the same boat as 1forgeur.

 

When I was doing semi production hand forged stuff with a coke fire I always preferred a standard wire brush than a butcher style. I reckoned they were definitely a consumable item. A few pounds a month in order to get the finish I wanted was peanuts. I did find a combination of scraper and brush quite effective depending on the piece, and that prolonged the working life of the brush.

I had a couple of instances of the butcher style brush digging its nose in and my hand rolling over the top which I didn't like. I did not find them as efficient to clean, especially once the piece had any form to it. The standard brushes can get into much smaller spaces and follow the contours better.

Alan

I got mine at the butcher supply in Mtn. View a suburb of Anchorage. No idea of brand but it's a genuine butcher's block brush and it's now a good 20 yrs old. Best of all it was a LOT cheaper than buying one from a blacksmith's supply.

Frosty The Lucky. 

Kensiron.com.  He's a central minnesota blacksmith and metalworker with 2 employee's and his wife. Sells a good butchers block brush.  I'm glad I bought one. 

Hi Scott, sounds like it's time to build a tumbler!  My block brushes wear out a few times a year too, but I'm doing architectural stuff rather than high volume production, so I just build consumable costs into the price of a job.  

I got mjne off if Amazon, I'm going almost a year with my brush, everything I forge gets brushed. 90% of the bristles are still in. I just have to brush in one directions only.

Alan,

Your experience is different than mine.  My butcher block brush rips the scale and stuff off with extreme prejudice compared to what I get an ordinary wire brush.

Again, I'm just a hobbyist so I have no experience with production runs of stuff.  I do agree that the big blocks don't get into twisty, curved stuff very well. 

2 hours ago, rockstar.esq said:

Alan,

Your experience is different than mine.  My butcher block brush rips the scale and stuff off with extreme prejudice compared to what I get an ordinary wire brush.

Again, I'm just a hobbyist so I have no experience with production runs of stuff.  I do agree that the big blocks don't get into twisty, curved stuff very well. 

I'm with you rockstar. Also, the one thing with the block brushes that they are good at, is hitting the high places, creating what a look that some people desire.

                                                                                                                                Littleblacksmith