Sharpening files and rasps

[DC]

There is a few youtube vids showing how to sharpen files and rasps. Has anyone done this? Does it work? I know I can send them to Boggs but I live north of the border and the freight, not to mention custom hassles, make that less than attractive.

[DC]

OK. I tried it myself and it seems to work. I used Dupont metal conditioner http://hazard.com/msds/f2/bbq/bbqhp.html  Which is phosphoric acid and chromic acid. Put it in a piece of 1 1/2" ABS with a cap on the bottom. I cleaned the file with lacquer thinner and then soap and water. Maybe it was just the good cleaning that did it but I don't think so. I'm going to do more files with some kind of before and after test(Yet to be determined)

[Gsulfridge]

Keep us posted.  I have a couple that could use some "touching up."

[DC]

I did them for another night. They feel really sharp. Kind of stick to your hand sharp. One had a few aluminum bits stuck to it. I thought the acid would eat that up. It didn't. They have to be clean. More later.

[Traxx]

Ed Scott told me he uses Muriatic acid to sharpen his.

I have not tried it myself yet.
.

[DC]

I was going to use muriatic but I couldn't find it.  That's what I get for cleaning up my shop. So I used the phosphoric and it worked great. I am going to get some muriatic to do the rest of my files.  I think it will be a lot faster. Some of my files were my father's and were just tossed in a box for fifty years. Once I get them sharpened I will treat them better. Anyway it's definitely worth doing.

[Zuma]

Good info-- Thanks for posting it.
Zuma

[Stoker]

Should be able to get muriatic acid from home depot or anybody that deals with concrete products.. Might be called grout cleaner... Bricklayers use it by the drum