Any suggestions for cleaning out needle files? I’ve read a couple of different ideas online ranging from a card file (wouldn’t that be too big for our small files), MEK (currently testing that theory out), to hard wood.

My files are the cheapo Mirco-Mark files that I’ve had for years so they have a combination of metal and plastic shavings. Yes, I now know not to mix metal and plastic files together but 5-10 years ago when I got them I wasn’t that smart.

This is what mine look like.

Any ideas other than the above?

A file card may work, otherwise one of those little wire brushes. Scrub sideways … parallel to the teeth.

Remember that files also get dull, if cleaning the doesn’t do the trick you may need new ones(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

I soaked them in MEK for about an hour and most of the plastic bits dissolved, so the next step is getting rid of the metal shavings, so I think a brush or file card is the next step.

When all else fails I’ve used an Xacto #11 blade, tedious, but it does work and they’re small.

Needle files can be too fine for a card file.

John

The back or the front of the blade? When I was looking online I saw both approaches but it sounded very time consuming!

The tip!

When they get dull, you can ‘refresh’ the edges with nitric acid. An old jeweler taught me that… but now a daze it’s cheaper to replace.

John

I use a wire brush parallel to the teeth, then if that doesn’t work i do what John does and use the tip of a #11. I am about due for a new set and Harbor freight has a nice (for harbor freight) set for four bucks. The ones I have now I have had for 10+ years from them and they are still decent for what I do with them.

Not to mention John, the steel used today to make files is no where near as good as it once was…

Bob “IA3R#7” Cope said:

the steel used today to make files is no where near as good as it once was…

But is it as good once as it ever was?

I look for older tools at garage sales(the few I drop in on). Old vise grips are good, since the new ones are made in China and not Nebraska. Jaws won’t even line up on them.

Forrest Scott Wood said:

Bob “IA3R#7” Cope said:

the steel used today to make files is no where near as good as it once was…

But is it as good once as it ever was?

This makes me want an old file and a new file and do some scientific research. one swipe each to determine if it is as good once as it ever was and a 1000 swipes to see if it is as good as it once was.

Nice play on words.

Jerry Barnes said:

I look for older tools at garage sales(the few I drop in on). Old vise grips are good, since the new ones are made in China and not Nebraska. Jaws won’t even line up on them.

Jerry,

I had to chuckle at this thread and your response to it. I have a brother-in-law and nephew that go to garage sales looking for old files to put in a forge to make knives out of. They use new files to sharpen and shape them. Seems backwards.

Bob “IA3R#7” Cope said:

Not to mention John, the steel used today to make files is no where near as good as it once was…

I’m using the files that I inherited from my father, that he got from his father, that grand dad got from his father. They are still going strong.

Devon, It’s right thinking to put the best steel into your product, you can always replace the tools. I have over the years.

I like German and Swiss files best.

John

I thought steel was steel? What makes cheap steel different than expensive steel?

I MEK’ed the files and it worked good enough to remove the plastic bits, but the brass and other metal shavings are still stuck. Next time I hit the hardware store I’ll stroll down the file aisle and place a few new ones and a file card in the basket. I’m sure I;ll use them around the house right?

But for now it works okay again. BTW I’m filing out windows and doors for the 'Dozer…

John Caughey said:

Devon, It’s right thinking to put the best steel into your product, you can always replace the tools. I have over the years.

I like German and Swiss files best.

John

Yeah I suppose you right on that. They know more about files and screw drivers than I thought imaginable. They made me a knife out of a railroad spike that is pretty cool.

Craig,

Are you serious??? You can’t be…(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif) Steel is steel… hmmmmm(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Devon Sinsley said:

Craig,

Are you serious??? You can’t be…(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif) Steel is steel… hmmmmm(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

No really, I have no idea why… I get the idea of different grades of metal, but other than that I’m completely lost. Enlightenment me please! Remember, I’m a young buck… Edit: Gogle says that 3500 different grades of steel exist! Wow!! So what your saying that if you use type 3499 instead of 3500 it makes that much of a difference in the quality of the steel, and then the tool?

Different alloys cause different effects. High carbon tool steel is too brittle to use as car wheels. Railroad frogs are high in manganese according to a recent Trains mag.

Yes it matters. It may be easier to see the diff between #1 and #3500 if you thought subtle differences were the same.

John