Need files sharpened

[Mad Max]

I have a good many files need to be sharpened.

Who was that the other day?

[Bvas]

I think it was Boggs.

[Paul/KS]

Yep, Boggs Tool and File sharpening.      
They sharpened some rasps that I sent them a few years ago and did a fine job.

[Mad Max]

cool
Thanks

[Roy from Pa]

www.boggstool.com

[Carson81]

Soak them in vinegar for a week or two and then wash them, dry them, and put a coating of light oil on them to keep from flash rusting.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by Carson81:
Soak them in vinegar for a week or two and then wash them, dry them, and put a coating of light oil on them to keep from flash rusting.

I love this idea.  I've heard of people using some heavy-duty acids overnight but vinegar is cheap, plentiful at the house & I can dump it in my flower beds without a second thought.  Thanks for this tip!

[Roy from Pa]

Vinegar will kill the flowers...

[Incognito1]

I soaked a bunch of dull rasps and files in muriatic acid for 24 hours and they came out surprisingly sharp. Soaked a pretty darn dull one for 48 and it ended up sharp too. I was impressed. Lots of nasty fumes, so must be done outside. Fumes rust any steel they contact. I even threw in a couple of brand new non-usa rasps that were pretty worthless and they came out useful too.

[Carson81]

I haven't tried the stronger acids. The vinegar works and is very cheap. I leave mine in for a week or two. So longer than what guys are getting with stronger acids.

Whether its a flat tub or a standing tubular container, use a container just large enough for your file or files, as this reduces the amount of acidic solution needed to fully submerge the files.

Keep a wirebrush on hand if you are restoring old rusty rasps or files. This helps remove the surface rust after its been acid bathed for awhile. it is also a good way to apply a coating of oil that is not excessive.

[Carson81]

Two of my favorite rasps are some big heavy half round rasps that were got cheap from a yardsale, maybe a dollar each. Quite a bit of rust. After the vinegar treatment they are like new and made of steel you cant find in a rasp today.

Also works on restoring heavily rusted old cast iron, though you have to do several oil treatments to get it cook ready after a thorough acid bath.