Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Miken]

This might be of interest. I've been making some small fabricated parts for a project recently. After welding and soldering I've been chucking them in a bucket of phosphoric acid to clean them up and prevent rusting.
Yesterday I was thinking about something I read about years ago. You can rejuvenate worn files in acid.
I've never bothered before but I thought I would give it a go. I think you are supposed to use sulphuric acid but I only had the phosphoric acid.
I have about 60 old Swiss files. Some probably 80 years old and worn smooth.
I put them all in the bucket overnight along with a worn out 10" flat file.
The results are astonishing. I pulled them out this morning and gave them a rinse off with water and I could immediately feel with my fingers that they were sharp.
I've just tried a few and they cut well, so for virtually no effort or cost I've now got loads of nice sharp files.
When they came out of the water they were covered in a black slurry which stained my hands as I rinsed it off. So wear rubber gloves. Dry off with kitchen towel and give quick spray with wd40.

[Ray White]

When I was at school, our metal work teacher used to do this every night ready for the next day. He must have saved a fortune in files.

I have never needed to buy a new file in my life!

[Bitumen Boy]

I've read about using sulphuric acid to "sharpen" files but never tried it. In many instances I suspect the acid is really shifting waste that is clogging the files?

[peter scott]

Thanks Miken for the tip. I'd never heard of that previously.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Rootes75]

I'd never heard of doing that. Its a good tip.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.