Why does nobody talk about using a brass brush on hot steel?

I always thought it was just for cleaning up cold work, but after trying it on a piece at a bright orange heat, it cleaned scale off like magic. Has anyone else found a weirdly good use for a simple tool like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryanh912mo ago

Guess it works because the brass is softer than the steel, so it scrubs without scratching. Makes you wonder what other "wrong" uses for tools are actually brilliant.

the_john2mo ago

Honestly that sounds like a great way to ruin a brass brush. The heat wrecks the temper and it just falls apart after. I stick to using them cold.

miles5812mo ago

Used to think heating them was fine but @the_john makes a good point about the temper, guess I'll stick to cold too lol.