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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: ranger 3 on March 15, 2009, 12:45:00 PM

Title: Cleaning files ?
Post by: ranger 3 on March 15, 2009, 12:45:00 PM

How do you guys clean your knock files?

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: Pat B on March 15, 2009, 01:10:00 PM

A file card. You can buy them where you get your files. It is a wood paddle with wire bristles that is used to clean the file.
   I sometimes just tap the end of the chainsaw file against something hard to shake loose the filings.

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: ranger 3 on March 15, 2009, 01:33:00 PM

Thanks Pat, I will have some pictures on here of the bow I'm working on after while.

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: No-sage on March 15, 2009, 07:15:00 PM

I use a brass brush.  A file card will dull your files more quickly than a softer brass brush.

Nothing dulls files more than leaving wood particles in the teeth, that will draw moisture and cause corrosion.

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: Shaun on March 15, 2009, 11:33:00 PM

For your rasp you want a stiff plastic bristle brush like a scrub brush. For small cut files I use a file card but the brass brush sounds like a good idea.

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: Li'L Jon on March 16, 2009, 04:50:00 AM

Hi,
Now I'm not a Bowyer...yet....but will ad a little on this.
If you load your files or rasps with chalk befor using they will clean out easily. Sometimes with just a slap against the palm of you hand.

Li'L Jon

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: razorback on March 16, 2009, 08:44:00 AM

I use a stiff nylon brush, the kind used to strip paint. Doesn't dull the teeth.

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: Eric Krewson on March 16, 2009, 02:19:00 PM

Go to the Dollar Store and buy the cheapest brass grill brush you can find. Best file cleaner I have ever found, works on all files and rasps from course to extra fine.

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: bamboo on March 17, 2009, 07:39:00 AM

i use the gum rubber block thats for cleaning your sanding belts--just rub the file back and forth --cleans nice

Title: Re: Cleaning files ?
Post by: Crimson mist on March 18, 2009, 01:59:00 PM

Here's a tip that worked for me when your files or rasps get rust on them or get too dull > Soak them over night or longer in muratic acid, as it removes the rust and takes the teeth down to new metal. I've used this method to clean ferrier's rasps and rasps I have found at garage sales that were so cakes with rust I thought they would never be usable. Just don't soak too long or you will destroy the file and soak in a baking soda bath afterwards as well use a good oil to seal the metal