Over the years, I’ve had several wire wheels on my bench grinders. They’re ideal for removing rust and paint from steel or cast iron parts, and for quickly cleaning up threads. While I don’t recommend using them on softer materials like aluminum (they will scratch the surface), a wire wheel is extremely useful and, if you have one, you’ll likely find many situations where it comes in handy.

That said, I’ve also used some poor-quality wheels that lost their wires far too easily, especially when working on odd-shaped parts. That’s a serious safety issue and not the place where you should try to save a couple of bucks.

Also, when ordering, make sure the wheel matches your grinder’s arbor or includes a set of adapters.

Safety note: while these can be extremely useful, they can also be dangerous. If you present a corner of a part to the wheel at the wrong angle, it can grab the piece and kick it back, potentially taking your hands with it. Be very careful when using spinning tools and always wear safety glasses. A safer method is media blasting in a proper blasting cabinet.