Cleaning Between the Teeth of a File

[Jim Koepke]

This could have gone in any number of forums here on SMC.

If you have used a file on a soft metal like brass or aluminum, you have likely experienced the file clogging. Often a file card or wire brush will not clear these jammed in shavings from a file.

Here is an old trick seen in a magazine from the late 1970s to rescue files from such a fate.

This may be easiest by first starting to find a handle to hold a nail. A 16d nail works well. Mine measured as having a 5/32” shaft. A 9/64” hole was drilled into a piece of scrap to be used as a handle. The nail was driven in to depth so as to not split the wood.

Next, cut the head off of the nail below the gripper marks on the nail. When this is completed the end is smashed down as best as possible with a large hammer. File or grind a flat edge at the end of the nail. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Now it is ready to be used to clean a file:

468142

Push the flat edge over the file following the direction of the teeth. The teeth will cut grooves in the soft metal of the flattened end of the nail. As these are being cut points will form at the edge that will push against anything caked between the teeth of the file.

After a little use it will look like this:

468141

If this wears down over time it will be easy to make another.

jtk

[Don Orr]

Great Tip Jim!
I was taught to chalk my files before using them on soft metals. Rub a stick of blackboard chalk along the file. The chalk fills the gullets so they don't get clogged. You probably know this but others may not.

[Ronald Blue]

Good idea. I always had good luck with a file card but when those particularly stubborn spots used the point of my scribe pretty effectively. I can see your method being faster though.

[Jim Koepke]

Yes Don, chalk is an old standby until there isn't any in the shop.

This was used most recently when some wood was being taken down slightly on the lathe. That not only packed in the wood dust but the heat really baked it in.

My first thought was to use my recently made awl since it has a very fine point. Then this was remembered and it works wonderfully.

It works best on single cut files but can do good on double cut files as well.

jtk

[Stephen Rosenthal]

That’s an interesting idea. I’ll have to try it. I’ve always used a file card, or a dental pick for really packed in shavings. But the nail trick looks a lot speedier.

[Jim Koepke]

That’s an interesting idea. I’ll have to try it. I’ve always used a file card, or a dental pick for really packed in shavings. But the nail trick looks a lot speedier.

Yes it is. A pick can only clean one row at a time. The flattened nail can do a bunch in one or two shoves.

Once it has gone across the file a few times it has a whole row of perfectly spaced little picks.

jtk

[Doug Garson]

I have a Kutzall carbide sanding and carving disc for my hand held grinder. The recommended method for cleaning it or rotary burrs and hand rasps when plugged with wood is to burn it with a butane or propane torch and then remove the char with a wire brush. Wonder if that method can be used for a file plugged with wood provided you didn't overheat the metal and destroy the hardness? Obviously not applicable when plugged with soft metal.

[Andrew DiLorenzo]

Hammer flat any 3 or 4 inch piece of copper pipe. Running that against the file will cut grooves that will clean the file.

[Ole Anderson]

If you are really interested in filing, check this out from Fireball tool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbykic--SKA&ab_channel=FireballTool

[michael langman]

Hammer flat any 3 or 4 inch piece of copper pipe. Running that against the file will cut grooves that will clean the file.


A piece of brass flat stock was kept in many machinists tool boxes to clean their files with as you have described.

Not letting the file get over filled also helps. In other words clean your files before they get too bad .

[Jim Koepke]

If you are really interested in filing, check this out from Fireball tool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbykic--SKA&ab_channel=FireballTool

Thanks Ole, that was an interesting and informative video.

The only regret is being an old timer it is no longer possible to tell the old timers who taught me they were spreading an old wive's tale.

jtk

[Bill Dufour]

Remember it is possible to send files out to be sharpened. Theoretically you could do it at home with acid. Only worth the cost for quality larger files.
I would assume they clean the teeth before sharpening.
Bill D