Sharpening files, rasps, etc. *LINK*

Useful Site, Thanks

glh

>

Re: Sharpening files, rasps, etc.

David Barnett

>Another way to sharpen files (especially escapement, needle and fine files in the 4 to 8 cut range) is to dip them briefly in Armour Etch, used for etching glass and found in many craft stores and catalogs. Brush gently for even distripution (I use a fine fiberglass 'scratch' brush), then rinse both file and brush thoroughly. Brushing the file under running water is best.

Warning: This is a hazardous chemical compound, however, so one should be skilled and experienced handling such things, or seek the help of someone who is knowledgeable, before trying this. Otherwise, send your files to Boggs. Protect eyes, skin and respiratory system.

Aluminum cleaners also contain biflouride compounds, along with hydrochloric and oxalic acids, and work well on coarse and fine files alike. The same warnings and safety measures apply here, as well.

Of course, try this on a file or two you're to which you're not terribly attached.

A great way to clean tightly bound metal debris from file teeth is to take a small strip of sheet copper, running in the same direction of the teeth until sufficiently deep ridges form that will remove all particles in each pass.

Re: Sharpening files, rasps, etc.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Thanks, David. What blew me away was the possibility of sharpening these tools with readily available and not too dangerous chemicals.

I don't understand the copper strip bit. How do you "run" the strip over the teeth without shredding fingers? What is the direction of the teeth? Are the deep ridges formed in the strip?

Pam

Re: Sharpening files, rasps, etc.

David Barnett

>Easier done than said, I think. You're not going to 'file' the copper*, but create a template to match and span the file's teeth at the edge of your cleaning strip. Take a small strip of annealed copper, say 1/4" x 3/4" x 20g with the 1/4" dimension held vertically. Align the strip at the edge of the file so it straddles several teeth. Run this back and forth until you impress the grooves of the file teeth into the edge of the copper, work-hardening the profile of the file teeth. It should look like a little saw or a toothing iron and should reach into the trough between the file teeth. Angle it slightly, allowing the strip to attack the debris, sliding it along the teeth until you've covered the entire file, and that's it. I hope that makes sense. This works especially well on stubborn, gummy non-ferrous residue.

For wood debris you can dip a file in alcohol, light it, let the wood burn until the file begins to warm (well before drawing the temper, of course), then dip in warm water. The stubborn wood is now easily washed or brushed away with an ordinary bristle brush. Practice this first. You can also pass a soft torch flame over the file to accomplish the same thing. Lots of practice on old files is a good idea. And it's not a bad idea to cover the alcohol before you light the file.

*copper works best, but you can try brass, bronze, aluminum, whatever.

If it's safe you want...

David Barnett

>Coke, Pepsi and other phosphoric acid-containing soft drinks will nibble away at file steel, too, although I prefer the viscosity of the other aforementioned albeit riskier chemical creams and pastes.

As to what brand you choose, it's up to you, although a Central Florida good 'ol' boy told me Royal Crown does a more even hone. He always dipped his new files in a questionable concoction of unfinished RC, Nehi and cigarette butts before using them.

Hint: YooHoo doesn't work.

Re: Sharpening files, rasps, etc.

joel

>the temper on steel is drawn at only 4 or 500 degrees. A flame, escpecially an alcohol flame is at much higher temperature. THere is no point to take the risk

Incidently rasps are not hardend consistently - the inside is hardened somewhat so they won't bent but not too hard or they will break. The teeth are case harded much harder. (it's a

THe recommendation of Michel Auriou (the only rasp maker I know) is to only use a bristle brush (Tampico Fiber or nylon about 3/8" long is ideal)

he strongly urges against brass or wire brushes.

if there is resinous gunk use a solvent.

Since he gave me that recommenadtion I got a bristle nail brush that is giving me fabulous results - better than I have previously gotten with any cleaning method.

"sharpening" a rasp will result in a slightly rougher cut and shorten the life of a rasp. Better than nothing for an old rasp - but not something I would do casually to a new or newish rasp.

Proect a clean rasp with camilia oil or something similar.

Yes, and no

David Barnett

>Oh, believe me, I've not done this on my very few Auriou files and solitary Auriou rasp, heh. And I'm not really recommending that anyone do it, either, but it's often done by goldsmiths who work in ivory, and so on. While the alcohol does burn beyond the tempering range, the heat travels up from the surface (assuming one holds the file correctly; flame up). It actually takes awhile to get warm enough to harm a larger file. I clean my F. Dick files with copper and other methods, but they rarely touch wood.

I see, yes, very clear, thanks.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Re: Sharpening files, rasps, etc.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Thanks, Joel, I remembered your nail brush recommendation from a week or so ago, have one all ready to go; as well as a card file I've been using for a couple of years with good luck, or so it seems, one side is bristles, the other some sort of metal tines.

What would you do instead of sharpening a rasp?

I've never put oil on a rasp or file, not sure why, just sounds counter intuitive. What goes?

Pam

Re: Sharpening files, rasps, etc.

joel

>The oil is simply a preservative. obviously if you use a lot of oil and then don't clean it off the rasp will clog - so wipe off the rasp beforehand if that's a problem.

As for sharpening - rasps come from the factory sharp. If there was a simple way to sharpen a new rasp without damaging the quality of cut - or making enough of a difference to justify the process - don't you think rasp-makers would be doing that as a matter of course?

When a rasp is dull the various sharpening techniques work and it is certinly an alternative to tossing the tool. but there is a tradeoff - by the same token not every job requires your smoothest cut tool. But rasps last a long time and I'm not expecting to wear out my rasps any time soon.

Mild Hijack: making files & rasps *LINK*

David Barnett

>I'm glad to hear you're carrying Auriou products and you'll likely see an order from me.

Files; full-size, needle, and escapement; rasps, and rifflers are probably my favorite tools. I've made a couple small floats and a few needle rasps for wax carving, but that's the limit to my DIY explorations.

Here's a nice Sheffield site showing how files are (and were) made.


How files are made

Re: Mild Hijack: making files & rasps *LINK*

joel

>A great link - very interesting - when I was last in England one thing I wanted to see was filemaking. I asked Ken Hawley and he gave me a quick demo - really interesting to see how he (not particuarly well trained at it) managed to easily to very regular work. He said that the actual cutting, with practice is pretty easy to do. Efficeincy and speed are another matter.

below is a link to a site which sells videos of amongst other things a filemaker at work. A very interesting video and while not up there with Laurence of Arabia - it was worth watching.


http://www.iarecordings.org/c27.html

Drawing the temper on my plastic

David Barnett

>is a far greater threat than on any rasps I own. English industrial archaeology videos, and in NTSC VHS, too. Doomed. If I could stop with "Wilf Davies, File Maker: a craftsman makes a file by hand", that'd be one thing. But what about "A Knitting factory in Godalming", "Snailbeach: Shropshire's Greatest Lead Mine", a half-dozen locksmithing subjects, and last but not least, "Helsington Snuff Mill: waterwheel-powered snuff grinding mill"... ?

And the slope just goes on and on and on.

Old mechanics' tales

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>I was told years ago that Coke will free up piston rings on an automotive engine, when you're cleaning it up but not rebuilding it.

What you get is a sticky mess, not freed up rings. The sugars dominate over the acids.

Re: Sharpening files, rasps, etc.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>OK, light oil application and wipe, I can do that. :)

As for sharpening, I'd always assumed they came that way, was concerned about dulling from use.

Thanks,

Pam

"diet," maybe?

John Truxell-Svenson (jvs)

>

Re: Mild Hijack: making files & rasps

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Fascinating stuff, thanks.

Pam

Dulling a rasp

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>At a garage sale a couple of years ago, I picked up one of those bucket-o-files-for-$1, and some of the rasps appeared to have been used to shape granite. It's hard for me to imagine what they could have been used for, since I have yet to perceive any of my rasps "going off."

Plaster, marble, alabaster, limestone...

David Barnett

>...meerschaum, pipestone, etcetera. Stone sculptors kill off rasps, rifflers and files way quicker than woodworkers. I use very fine rasps (which I incorrectly called files earlier today) on coral and ivory, too. I segregate my abrasive tools (files, rasps, rifflers); hard stone, soft stone and other soft materials, ferrous & nonferrous metals (files & die sinking rifflers), and wood. Sometimes, I consign files worn out on wood and metal to soft stone and plaster duty, but worn files just skate over harder stuff. Carving really hard stuff; jade, gemstone Mohs 6 or above, all get the harder abrasives (mostly diamond).

Re: Sharpening files, rasps, etc.

Bruce, a MN galoot

>Not to hijack this thread, Pam, but thanks a lot for posting the link. My wife has an old dresser that needs restoration, and a couple of the repairs baffled me. Steve has provided the specific fixes I was looking for.

And thanks much to Stephen for the information and the wonderful site.

Bruce