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Straight answers to the questions people ask most about chipping hammers, wire brushes and electrode canisters.
Most chipping hammers have a pointed end for cracking slag and a chisel end for lifting it, so you can reach corners and flat areas. Choose one that feels balanced and comfortable in your hand for a full day.Handles can be wood, tubular steel or spring steel. A spring handle absorbs some of the shock, which reduces fatigue, while a plain handle is simpler and tough. Wood handles are comfortable but can wear or work loose. The head should be hard enough to chip slag but not so hard that it chips itself.
Plain steel brushes are the usual choice for cleaning carbon steel. Stainless steel brushes are used on stainless steel so that particles of carbon steel are not left on the surface, where they can cause rust spots. Brass brushes have softer bristles, which are gentler on the surface and suit softer metals and more delicate work.The number of rows and the bristle thickness affect stiffness and reach. Choose the brush material to suit the metal you are cleaning.
It is best not to. A brush that has been used on mild steel leaves tiny particles of carbon steel on stainless steel, which can rust and spoil the corrosion resistance of the surface.Keep a brush for stainless steel only, and mark it so it does not get mixed up. The same applies to aluminium: use a clean brush kept for that metal. Clean the work and the brush, and keep stainless tools away from carbon steel workshop dust.
Use the pointed end of the hammer to crack the slag, then work along the groove with a gentle tapping motion rather than heavy blows. Slag often lifts in strips once it is cracked. A narrow wire brush or a small scraper can clean what is left.Where slag is stubborn, check whether your technique or the electrode type is making it cling. A slightly wider weld bead and the right arc length leave slag that is easier to remove, and cleaning each run before the next stops the problem building up.