I fitted new (Unipart) front discs and pads to my Cowley 75 for the MOT in August and the brakes had very little "feel" for ages. I'm very easy on brakes (my 214SEI was still on the originals at 12 years old) so it took a while for them to bed in. Good "solid" pedal now though!
(stops on a sixpence!).
I had the sharp edge on a bracket, rubbing the radiator hose on my previous 1.8 Conny and did a similar thing to you with the wrap around hose. I also bent the offending bracket/clip to 45 degrees down.
Mike