What to Do with Worn-out Files

Scrap metal prices are really good right now – or you could sell them to a knife maker.

-- Adversity doesn't build character...................it reveals it.

I’ve heard soaking them in muratic acid renews them. Of course you need to be very careful using acid wearing goggles rubber gloves and a respirator and it’s know to create rust on any other near by metal tools etc. I”ve never tried this myself but it’s worth a try rather than scraping them.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

You can get them resharpened by sending them out or get the
stuff to do it yourself. This is probably more appropriate for
fine specialty files than the common abused old files.

You can make lathe scrapers from them if turning interests
you. The steel in files is very good.

Yup, a woodworking friend of mine makes custom shaped lathe tools out of old files.

Ditto what Loren and Elizabeth said about the lathe tools.

Some one, here, cautioned me about lathe tools made from files can be brittle and might scatter if a major “catch” occurs while turning. So far I’ve been lucky, I guess.

-- Lew- Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

I’ve also seen some plane irons made from old files. Antique store down the road has a handful of old files made into lathe tools.

Skip the Muratic Acid BS. Use a vinegar soak. It will sharpened them up, and is a lot safe to use than something designed to clean off concrete…

-- A Planer? I'M the planer, this is what I use

I though that ya used phosphoric acid. I’ve wondered about this issue too. Wish somebody who has done it would chime in.
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

I delete my old files.

-- Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. http://www.FineArtBoxes.com

Hey Bill
here’s another thread on the subject from folks that have renewed there files, reading down the comments it looks like
vinegar is a safer way to go gather than the “muratic acid BS”

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/archive/index.php/t-166743.html?s=3a44a5fc6fafed396856ba94764152d6

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

I knew a luthier who had both sent out and acid-sharpened
his files himself. He said it was not cheap to do but it
extended the useful life of the files. You may want to
consider that luthier files are both not cheap and receive
very focused wear.

Can’t see cleaning files unless they are expensive ones that are just dirty (which shouldn’t be happening to an expensive file !). If you look at a file with a 5x magnifer and can see the edges are dull, like others are saying I’d switch to using it as a scraper.

-- Dwight - "Free legal advice available - contact Dewey, Cheetam & Howe""

Jim, very interesting site you posted. Time for some experimentation.
MIKE

-- See pictures on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/44216106@N07/ And visit my Facebook page - facebook.com/MTEnterprises

There is a company that will acid sharpen files for not much money. They claim even new files will come out sharper. It’s been a while since I sent a bunch in, but they used to do the first couple for free. They will not sharpen any beyond repair and only return them if you ask (to save return shipping charges).

I recommend them:
http://www.boggstool.com/

Boggs Tool & File Sharpening has a great rep. You might try them.
If the teeth are pretty rolled or flat, then yeah, it’s over as a file. The recommendations of using them for other tools is the best bet.
Selling them or any metal as scrap metal is not worth your time and gas unless you have a truck load of metal.

-- " 'woodworker'.....it's a good word, an honest word." - Sam Maloof

So the question continues????
Do I find a local horse, get some citric, some vinegar, or go for muriatic in the neighbor’s yard?
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us