Thread: Should I oil my files?

I tend to hit files with a wire brush on a drill and some sort of pick to remove the crap. Then a liberal coat of camelia oil should prevent the rust coming back.

Camelia oil can apparently be obtained in bulk from health food stores cheaper than at woodworking supplies places. I tend to imerse the tool for a few minutes and drip dry them. I then remove any excess with a rag. Keep the rag for wiping down your tools after use.

Andrew

Would a quick spray of Inox be suitable to keep files derusted?

I dust them mine with chalk , it stops them from rusting and aids in the de-gunking after you've used them, Also allows them to be used on wood without oil stains
Clean out paint and other crud with a No. 11 scalpel blade, I find rotary brushes blunt files, which is find if you are worried about cutting yourself .
Cheers
Ian

PS. heat the tangs then plunge into slightly smaller holes in WOODEN handles, had some one I know complain that the hot tang method wrecked all of his plastic handles Wood wont give you blisters like plastic will and...er,well it just looks prettier!

pps. just ignore what I've said if you live in Townsville or some other high humidity place the chalk will turn to wet cement, best to store them in a camphor box as i heard somewhere that'll keep rust at bay in high humidity

Sharpen the files in citric acid solution. Use a long cylinder - an old glass vase is good if the wife does not find out, a plastic cylinder is what I use. Once the files are derusted - and sharp - rinse thoroughly and scrub with a nail brush to get rid of the black sludge; and dry with a towel. IMMEDIATELY after drying hit the files/rasps with a hair dryer and drive out all the moisture for 5 minutes or so.

If you live in a temperate area eg Sydney, the files are unlikely to rust - especially if you wrap the files/rasps in cloth or newspaper, and avoid moisture. Works for me.

Keep them away from leather, including leather containers such as old briefcases; some leather is ok, but unless you know how it was tanned - avoid. I discovered the rust inducing effect of leather to my cost, and the files were wrapped in newspaper inside the briefcase.

cheers
Peter

Where were you going with files in your briefcase?...

Got to store them somewhere. I cannot resist old files/rasps so the pile is growing.

Evening Peter.

Have sharpened some in citric acid and some in molasses. Have been rinsing under hot water, scrubbing with brass suede brush. I've then been hitting them hard with a heat gun o dry them off. I've hung some on my tool rack and put others in the cupboard. I've wrapped those in my saw sharpening kit in "rag on a roll" soaked in a bit of Inox (really stinks, that stuff).

I'm in Sydney (The Shire) and back from the coast. My workshop is in the garage which almost like being in the open air. Certainly some rusting potential. I'll keep wrapping and avoid leather.

Cheerio,
Virg aka Brad.