Heard a guy at the hardware store say hybrid brushes are a scam

I was grabbing some wire brushes near the chimney section last weekend and overheard an older sweep tell a new guy that those hybrid combo brushes don't work for heavy creosote. He said they just push the thick stuff around instead of scraping it off. That got me thinking about how I switched to a basic steel wire brush last year after a bad experience with a cheap rotary tool. Now I only use the old school hand brushes with stiff bristles for the main flue, then follow up with a nylon brush for the final polish. How do you all handle heavy buildup without wrecking your equipment?

2 comments

2 Comments

sullivan.spencer16d ago

You know I gotta push back a little on that. I used to think the same thing until I actually tried a decent hybrid brush with split wire and poly bristles. The key is you can't just run it through once and call it done, you have to work it back and forth way more than a regular steel brush. I've got a few flues that get that nasty glazed creosote and the hybrid actually breaks it up better than just steel alone because the nylon part scrubs the residue off the walls after the wire scores it. The cheap ones are definitely junk though, you gotta spend the money on a good brand with stiff enough wire that won't just fold over. I still keep a separate steel brush for the really bad jobs but my go-to is a hybrid now and it's held up way longer than I expected.

christopherwilson16d ago

I hear you but I've had those hybrids just shred apart on me after a couple of tough jobs.