Skimming though a 1904 metalworking text section on shop hints, I came
across this:

Sharpening files. To sharpen dull and worn out files, lay them in
dilute sulphuric acid, one part acit to two parts of water over night,
then rinse well in clear water, put the acid in an earthenware vessel.
(typed exactly as written, by the way)

I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried this and if it worked or
not. Often at swap meets, there are good brand name files for rock
bottom prices because they have been used improperly by people (or their
kids, if they're anything like mine!). If this actually sharpens files
rather than just eating away the "crust", it opens a source for a lot of
unusual older files that one can't even find any more.

Comments?

Koz

I've seen that reference in several publications. I don't remember the acid
type suggested, though.
Respectfully,
Ron Moore

"Koz" wrote in message
...
Skimming though a 1904 metalworking text section on shop hints, I came
across this:

Sharpening files. To sharpen dull and worn out files, lay them in dilute
sulphuric acid, one part acit to two parts of water over night, then rinse
well in clear water, put the acid in an earthenware vessel. (typed exactly
as written, by the way)

I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried this and if it worked or
not. Often at swap meets, there are good brand name files for rock bottom
prices because they have been used improperly by people (or their kids, if
they're anything like mine!). If this actually sharpens files rather than
just eating away the "crust", it opens a source for a lot of unusual older
files that one can't even find any more.

Comments?

Koz

"Koz" wrote in message
...
Skimming though a 1904 metalworking text section on shop hints, I came
across this:

Sharpening files. To sharpen dull and worn out files, lay them in dilute
sulphuric acid, one part acit to two parts of water over night, then rinse
well in clear water, put the acid in an earthenware vessel. (typed exactly
as written, by the way)

I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried this and if it worked or
not. Often at swap meets, there are good brand name files for rock bottom
prices because they have been used improperly by people (or their kids, if
they're anything like mine!). If this actually sharpens files rather than
just eating away the "crust", it opens a source for a lot of unusual older
files that one can't even find any more.

Comments?

Koz


FWIW, I've heard of letting them sit in lemon juice for some time to get the
same results. I've never tried it though.

Relz

Donno if that works or not, but check these guys out
http://www.boggstool.com/

Oscar

"Koz" wrote in message
...
Skimming though a 1904 metalworking text section on shop hints, I came
across this:

Sharpening files. To sharpen dull and worn out files, lay them in
dilute sulphuric acid, one part acit to two parts of water over night,
then rinse well in clear water, put the acid in an earthenware vessel.
(typed exactly as written, by the way)

I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried this and if it worked or
not. Often at swap meets, there are good brand name files for rock
bottom prices because they have been used improperly by people (or their
kids, if they're anything like mine!). If this actually sharpens files
rather than just eating away the "crust", it opens a source for a lot of
unusual older files that one can't even find any more.

Comments?

Koz

What exactly is this salt and vinegar process you speak of? Is it the
same used to descale steel?

"Koz" wrote in message
...
Skimming though a 1904 metalworking text section on shop hints, I came
across this:

Sharpening files. To sharpen dull and worn out files, lay them in
dilute sulphuric acid, one part acit to two parts of water over night,
then rinse well in clear water, put the acid in an earthenware vessel.
(typed exactly as written, by the way)

I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried this and if it worked or
not. Often at swap meets, there are good brand name files for rock
bottom prices because they have been used improperly by people (or their
kids, if they're anything like mine!). If this actually sharpens files
rather than just eating away the "crust", it opens a source for a lot of
unusual older files that one can't even find any more.

Comments?

Koz

I've seen a similar method described in an engineering text book; rather
than use acid, leave the files exposed to the weather until they rust. The
book contained a good description of why this works, but I can't remember it
off hand.
Martin

--
martindot herewhybrowat herentlworlddot herecom


--
martindot herewhybrowat herentlworlddot herecom

Also, a place called "Boggs Tool" makes a business of "liquid
sharpening" of files. They used to charge 15 cents an inch plus
shipping. I used to save up a dozen file or so and send them in. I am
told that you can only do that once, so a friend of mine files a nick in
the tang to remind him to toss it or recycle it next time it goes dull.
I liked the result, but another guy I know wasn't all that positive
about it.

Pete Stanaitis
------------------


Jan Howell wrote:
In article , Koz says...

Skimming though a 1904 metalworking text section on shop hints, I came
across this:

Sharpening files. To sharpen dull and worn out files, lay them in
dilute sulphuric acid, one part acit to two parts of water over night,
then rinse well in clear water, put the acid in an earthenware vessel.
(typed exactly as written, by the way)



Years ago, I'm buying files from Boeing Surplus and some files are dyed purple.
I ask the checkout guy why. He allows that that indicates that they have been
sharpend. When I ask how, he says: "dipped in acid."

Years pass and I buy some really rusty flea market files to make scrapers. They
were so rusty that the type of cut couldn't be seen. Having read about the salt
and vineager process, I try it first. The files come out so sharp that I don't
want to make scrapers of them. A second set of junk files yields the same
results. I feal a little guilty grinding on relatively good files.

Jan Howell