Why use a brace on a broom handle? Besides the obvious, to stiffen the handle against snapping in the broom socket, a brace will also increase the life of the tool. The longer a broom or squeegee, the more likely the tool is to wobble on the handle, which will cause the handle socket to ream out over time. A brace prevents this. Double bracing with both a large and a small brace will allow the tool to withstand much use and abuse too!