Cleaning files

[ps_bond]

Another one that should be no surprise to many -

File cards - short bristled brushes - are great for larger hand files, but not much good on smaller files, say, 4" or so. To clean them, take a piece of copper (or brass) and push it diagonally across the file in the direction the teeth were cut. The copper will conform to the file teeth and shove out any little bits of embedded material.

Round files are more of a pain than flat - you need to follow the contour of the file too.

[EmmaRose]

oh great idea. I take you mean with the copper edge on to the file
Em

[ps_bond]

Yup, you're using the edge to shove bits out.

Now where are you going to find a bit of copper to use?
(Actually, no need to go to the trouble of cutting it - just flatten a bit of pipe and use that)

[wendy]

I cleaned up some very old files in battery acid, they were lovely old old files, much finer than any I've found from tool suppliers, they came up a treat after a little while fizzing, then a rinse and dried out quickly in the oven.

[ps_bond]

I've done something similar sharpening files in hydrochloric acid - although I only at the near-end of their life.

Which reminds me, I need to do another batch.