Hold the handle of the brush in your dominant hand.
Step 2 – Hold file
Hold the file in your non-dominant hand or place the file on a flat, level surface.
You can lean the file on a surface, while holding it to give you more support.
Step 3 – Use file card brush
Run the brush so the teeth push at the angle of the cuts on the file.
The cuts refer to the direction of the teeth on the file.
Brushing technique and direction
You can push the file in the direction that the wires are already bent, so you will not be bending the wires backwards.
It is not recommended, but you can pull the wire ends through the teeth of the file, aiming to catch the filings and any other material with the ends of the wires.
Another way to clean the teeth of the file is to push and pull the brush in the same movement, almost like brushing your teeth.
When using a file card, run the teeth in the direction of the cuts in a single cut file. A single cut file is when all the teeth on a file are parallel to each other and all go in the same direction.
With a double cut file, you still have to brush at the angle of the uppermost cut in the crossing rows. A double cut file contains two sets of teeth that cross each other, forming diamond-shaped teeth.
Step 4 – Remove filings and other material
Repeat the brushing technique you are using, and run the brush over the clogged up teeth until the filings and any other material are removed.
Step 5 – Remove loose filings
If you are using a double sided file card, flip it over to the brush side. Wipe the file repeatedly in any direction to remove the filings you have loosened.
If you do not have a double sided file card brush, you can always use a hand brush with stiff bristles.
The brush on the file card or your own hand brush can be used afterwards to wipe down the work area.