File Cleaning Brush

A file cleaning brush, or file card as it's sometimes called in the trade, clears the metal and wax filings that build up between the teeth of a file and quietly ruin its cutting action.

Every file eventually clogs, especially on softer metals and waxes, where filings pack into the teeth and stop the file biting the way it should. Run the wire bristles along the length of your file, working with the direction of the teeth rather than against them, and the packed debris clears out. A file that seems to have gone blunt is often just dirty, and a quick clean can bring the cut back without replacing the file at all.

The bristles are steel wire, set into a 210mm hardwood handle, made in the USA.

We keep one of these on the bench alongside our most-used files, including the Grobet Half Round Slim Cut 2 Hand File and the Double-ended Wax File, since these clog quickly with regular use.

Worth knowing:

• Clean your file before it feels blunt, waiting until it stops cutting means you've been filing inefficiently for longer than you realised
• Works on both metal and wax residue.