How to Sharpen Metal Files

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Sharping file is fast and easy. Watch this video and learn how chemically sharpen your metal files.

Give it a try, it really dose sharpen the file. I promise you, you will be surprised. One side note the file must be dull not damaged to work. :-)

Popular mechanics article from 1992 with microscope before and after photos

Check out his link on Google books to learn how it works.
Workshop Receipts: For Manufacturers and Scientific Amateurs, Volume 2 page 235

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Yup, my father taught me this trick in the early 70’s except he used full strength white vinegar. It took a few days but worked quite well. He also showed me how to forge a worn out file into flint steel to use for starting campfires. Miss him every day.

Artorius

I tried using sulfuric acid in my files and now I cannot recover all my data.

MrEmrys

I was always taught that keeping files in a drawer where they could rub together was the worst possible thing you could do to it. I always keep my files separate.

disciplepullover

I was given a bunch of old files and decided that I had nothing to lose by soaking them in acid. In my case I used muriatic acid and let each file soak for about ten minutes. I then neutralized the files in the baking soda solution. Some clearly cut better after the etching and some didn't. It depends on what you start off with. And yes, the acid cleans the files beautifully. So for all you trolls who have made negative comments, you have several options: 1) discard all your dull files and buy new ones; 2) Have your dull files hydro-honed where you'll pay to ship them plus the cost of the process; and 3) Try the technique described in this video. It all depends on what your expectations are.

hootinouts

I've just done this with all my files - everything from fine needle files right up to coarse rasps, and I'm blown away by how well it works. That's over 40 files I would otherwise have tossed - in NZ about $2k worth (as some were fairly specialized) One thing I would warn y'all of is being careful to neutralize afterwards, and then CLEAN the acidic patina out from between the teeth - otherwise they'll rust up real quick. As a jeweller I'm fortunate to own an ultrasonic bath, which was perfect for this job :)

And BTW yes - they were all clean beforehand - just blunt. In fact some came up sharper than new.

brendangilmore

I've heard that this was possible, but you gave us a great demo complete with safety warnings. It was a very good use of my time. I appreciate your good work.

MLFranklin

As a retired engineer with a small workshop my files are very important to me, rather than use a file card (which has steel pins) I use a brass bristled brush so it doesn't tend to blunt the file. When I was at school some fifty years ago, the metalwork teacher used this acid method to restore files. If you buy new files always keep one face unused for.use on brass, even files slightly worn files will not cut brass very well. I engrave the word 'Brass' on the uncut part of the file to remind me.

williamskinner

Wow, this is great! I have a bunch of old machinists files that were my Dad’s, that are all dull but I didn’t have the heart to throw away. This will rescue them, thanks so much!

DaveEtchells

For those who prefer chemistry a bit less harsh you can use undiluted vinegar instead of 10% sulfuric acid- it just takes longer.

zrebbesh

Incredible! Wonderful and useful! I was always taught at school to NOT put files together where they could dull each other - but to chalk them (although nobody ever showed me what kind of chalk to use or how to use it!!) and wrap them separately in paper or cardboard. We were told as an alternative to stand them in a block of wood with appropriate holes drilled in it, and placed where no metal would bang against them.

rustyfox

nice! and much faster than they way i sharpen my files (one tooth at a time). esp liked the copper pipe cleaner. i use wood, but I'll have to try copper on the stubborn ones. thanks!

ThisOldTony

something I do as a blacksmith is I take regular chalk and rub it on the file. it will lubricant and keep the file from filling up and clogging.

gateway

I can even tell by the difference in sound pitches or notes the file produced before and after the process that you actually did a good job on that file, thanks for sharing this tip

joeelias

I use a very similar method on my files, but use a 100% salinity table salt brine and DC current to electo etch a few microns off the outer surface. Microscopic inspection before and after shows a clean sharp edge where they had been rough and rounding.

justindunlap

i was skeptical that it was going to do much, my files are pretty old and used hard, i wasnt amazed, i was absolutely blown away, they are like new, it worked wicked awesome, mind bottling !

jacksonian

unclogging or sharpening this is something lots of people did not know how to do and will help them with there files working again and its very easy...nice job.

dreamkissu

I have to say we all should be listening to the old timers more we would all have more knowledge . Those old guys and gals have made my jobs a little bit easier, thanks dude.

williamflora

Dale,

Thanks for this helpful trick! This afternoon, I've been working on restoring about 8-10 files that I thought were total junk... just tried the first 3 that I took out of the acid bath, and they cut like a new file!

I used Muriatic Acid (hydrochloric acid) instead of sulfuric.

Probably the best tip in this video is to use a piece of copper pipe to make a file scraper... it works better than any file card ever created for cleaning the file... and is probably responsible for 75% of the success of this method.

Thanks again, I've now got about 10 more "new" files for the shop that were destined for the scrap bucket!

BKD

0:56 Before I was allowed to be enrolled and studying at the High School in Aachen to become an Electrical Engineer, I had to absolve an internship, learning to weld, filing, sawing, etc.
The studies did not work out but what I learnt in the training workshop proved priceless throughout the next 55 years and still do.

wwhb

Thank god for you tube and passing this old timers trick onto the next generation! Keep up the good work!

timmallard

How to Sharpen Metal Files