Although we still have wire wheels, for at least the last 10 years we use MBX blasters more than wire wheels. They have hook shaped bristles that really work. When they get dull, we turn them around and run them backwards on a whet stone.
http://www.monti.de/en/The bristles come on carbon steel as well as stainless. The stainless is really nice to clean up before welding. We keep several of them around. One dedicated to carbon wire and the other to stainless wire. The rubber attachment works really well to remove decals to de-identify trucks.
