Great video thanks for sharing 👍 I was handed down my great grandfather and my grandfather's files... I've been slowly restoring them as I need them but after seeing this I think its time to spend a day bringing them all back to life. Thanks again!!!
@allamas12275 жыл бұрын
You can actually hear the difference between the old side and the side you just cleaned up towards the end of the video. Very nice. Thank you, I am going to try this.
@davidnighswander70223 жыл бұрын
Cleaning is a great first step. More dirty files are tossed than dull ones. I have been a proponent of acid sharpening for years. It will sharpen files that are dull. It won't restore missing teeth. One easy way to improve the filing process is to use a piece of soap stone to coat the file before use. The soap stone is slippery and prevents the chips from clinging to the file. You can buy soap stone for marking steel at hardware and welding suppliers. With the soap stone and a file card you can keep your files clean and sharp longer.
@arboristBlairGlenn3 жыл бұрын
Good advice, thanks
@lesconnally94283 жыл бұрын
Hilarious. I went googling. Found this video and went watching. And I kept saying to myself.. I know this voice! It sounds like the tree guy I watch ... and omg it *is* you 😂😂😂. Handy tip too.. TY
@arboristBlairGlenn3 жыл бұрын
I guess I get around
@omarhadjarab80498 жыл бұрын
Like you sir, I collected tons of those through the years and I found out the best way to do that efficiently is actually to use a metal wire wheel on a hand drill. It does it steadily, nicely and in no time. Thanks for sharing this video with us. Regards.
@UnstoppableTramp5 жыл бұрын
That is the fastest way to ruin a file!! Ask any machinist/metal worker if they go anywhere near a file with a wire brush
@tomgdownhill4 жыл бұрын
THANK YOU! all the years of experience i've been around, and never learned anything like this! this is a machinist must know!
@arboristBlairGlenn4 жыл бұрын
Tom G try it. It really does work.
@tomgdownhill4 жыл бұрын
I've already bought some old files to try it on, since my daily's are pretty well kept as they are :p
@RutherfordRyan17 жыл бұрын
Thanks Glenn, followed your system and a couple of nights immersed in vinegar with an inherited rusty collection. You were quite right, it's not sharpening just total clean out, but they feel like new tools.
@arboristBlairGlenn7 жыл бұрын
RutherfordRyan1 files are expensive!
@l.ashighest51322 жыл бұрын
I used a flat head and it worked!! I honestly had no idea how to restore my files if it wasn't for your video so much thnx for your tips and knowledge.
@arboristBlairGlenn2 жыл бұрын
Listen to us “old guys”😊
@arboristBlairGlenn9 жыл бұрын
I bought the collection of files from a friends son ( friend passed away), and I'm slowly getting them in order and stored correctly.
@davogifman5426 жыл бұрын
I think I'll stick to the 24 to 48 hour depending on severity 6% vinegar bath along with a file card rub down followed up with an immediate baking soda wash then top it all off with industrial silicone spray. That has kept my grandfathers Nicholson files working like brand new for 17 years now,but then again maybe it's just all about the craftsmanship?
@arboristBlairGlenn6 жыл бұрын
Davo gifman some cheaper files don’t last. I only get a few sharpening with chainsaw files. They are very cheap so I toss them for a new one.
@billybass41895 жыл бұрын
Whats the best way to remove the excess rust to begin with please? Should i soak it in vinegar or similar?
@arboristBlairGlenn5 жыл бұрын
Billy Bass I have not had to deal with too much rust. A good wire brush is what I start with.
@billybass41895 жыл бұрын
@@arboristBlairGlenn dunno why i just completely forgot about the wire brush lol thanks, the one i have has been sitting at the bottom of a toolbox unused for some yrs so its a project for me to restore it as best i can.
@micbyte Жыл бұрын
What kind of metal are you using apologize if I’ve missed that part aluminum ? Thanks
@arboristBlairGlenn Жыл бұрын
Just a large soft steel nail. Takes a minute of cutting the grooves to match the grooves of the file. Works great
@cmcc19713 жыл бұрын
I was given an armful of files from my aunt when my uncle passed a month ago. Thank you. I wasn’t sure what I was gonna do with them.
@arboristBlairGlenn3 жыл бұрын
You will enjoy saving them
@1stNintendoCollector5 жыл бұрын
So Manny files, you need a filecabinet!
@arboristBlairGlenn5 жыл бұрын
1stNintendoCollector yes I do
@amorphous143 жыл бұрын
I see what you did there...
@cmcc19713 жыл бұрын
Glenn, what’s your opinion on using a wire wheel on a grinder to gently clean them?
@arboristBlairGlenn3 жыл бұрын
I feel that a wire wheel would hit the tops of the ridges but not be very effective at cleaning out the gullets. A file card is good to a point but still can’t get to the bottoms of the grooves. This technique is the best I have seen.
@josephkrug85796 жыл бұрын
That is a cool trick. For the files I have cleaned, I have had some good luck using a handheld steel wire brush (like your brass one but steel), as so far most of my debris were just wood vs metal. I will keep your trick in mind if I run into files with much more serious clogs. Thanks :)
@arboristBlairGlenn6 жыл бұрын
Joseph Krug try it, faster and deeper than a brush
@AliakberLokhandwala-ey9hj9 күн бұрын
Dear sir, can a aluminum tube or pipe flattened at the end work instead of the nail you have used ?
@arboristBlairGlenn9 күн бұрын
@@AliakberLokhandwala-ey9hj I have heard folks using copper but I believe if it is too soft, it may just clog the file. Try it and see
@dragonsink69887 жыл бұрын
I heard a flattened out piece of copper works amazing for this too. I tried it on a few of my old files and they came out just like new but felt abit sharper too
@garetz20115 ай бұрын
In 1980 my father brought home a bottle of something like "deactivated acid" and used it to rust a file that was no longer as good as it was when new. He told me that the corrosion ate all blunt nosed file teeth is such a way that they became less blunt (more material removal at the sharp corners of the blunt tooth). Two things happen when a file is rusted in acid: blunt teeth become sharper and the file is degreased. A machine shop is always a place with a lot of oil/grease. Oil and grease are things that can ruin the cutting job; so, a degreased file will always cuts better than before the degreasing. My father told me to avoid touching the file with my fingers, our skin have oil and, on a machine shop, much more oil is expected. Since my father started on machining in the end of the fifties I assumed he was right. I removed a lot of rust from my files this week using muriatic acid, they are not like new, but they are much better today than they were last week. I rusted two old and stressed files with a strong bleach, it worked. Muriatic acid is safe and almost harmless if used with care.
@arboristBlairGlenn5 ай бұрын
I honestly have not tried acid but have been told many times that it works.
@garetz20115 ай бұрын
@@arboristBlairGlenn And muriatic acid is cheaper than vinegar!!!
@bobcarwell91724 жыл бұрын
I have read that a "file card" is not a good idea because the steel bristles are too hard and can damage the file- dunno if its true or not though. I've read so much it becomes a religion about file care, just like the lore on chainsaw sharpening. But I have seen numerous suggestions to use a copper tube with flattened end because the copper is hard enough to get into the file crevices deeply and mechanically, but not too hard to damage or dull the file teeth. Also big arguments whether the chemical treatment with acid (muriatic, citric, etc.), drano, etc. followed by a base bath (baking soda, etc.) sharpens or just cleans. My surmise is its just the latter.
@ianelley9 жыл бұрын
Try using a piece of copper pipe flattened at one end, works really well too, a little softer than steel
@arboristBlairGlenn9 жыл бұрын
never thought about copper pipe but that might make for a wider flat. Thanks for responding
@ianelley9 жыл бұрын
Your welcome
@HanstheTraffer6 жыл бұрын
Copper pipe or tubing is the common medium for making a scraper for these. Another tip is to rub soapstone across the file before using it to keep the file from plugging up. Some use chalk but soapstone is the much better of the two.
@felixthecat2656 жыл бұрын
A rifle cartridge case pinched in a vice works as well.. larger the better!
@rexnemo Жыл бұрын
@@HanstheTraffer We learnt the chalk technique back in school about 50 years ago ! Where has all the time gone ? Oh the teacher called it "pinning ."
@daviddaddy6 жыл бұрын
What a Nice trick! Thanks for sharing bro! Im going to try this! Love you file collection! My Condolences to you, Sorry about your Friend. Nice tools to remember him by. Im sure he loved those files and is glad to see you cleaning them up! Have a great Day!
@arboristBlairGlenn6 жыл бұрын
daviddaddy thank you. Hope you find my other videos valuable
@kilted13 Жыл бұрын
Would this work even better with some cutting fluid?
@maplebones6 ай бұрын
I have a very old machinery hand book that illustrates a way to sharpen files. Basically it directs a jet of high pressure steam to which is added fine sand to the backside of the teeth. The claim is that the sand wears away the back of the tooth and leaves it pointed again.
@arboristBlairGlenn6 ай бұрын
I would love to see that work as I have a huge collection of old files and rasps. Several hundred!
@1873Winchester5 жыл бұрын
I can see this working for single cut files, but double cut? Have you tried?
@PintaoLoko10 ай бұрын
Is a file sharp? So, if we only have to clean, it doesn't seem to be that hard. But, if we have to sharp?
@arboristBlairGlenn10 ай бұрын
If a file gets too dull to use, cleaning won’t help much but generally the clogged files just need a good clean up out to still be usable.
@felixthecat2656 жыл бұрын
Another thing you can do with old files is to grind a face flat. This will give you a sharp cutting edge and a safe edge. If the file already had a safe edge, then regrinding this will expose a new sharp cutting edge. Works best on square or triangular files, but enables you to file cleanly into corners.
@dt90942 жыл бұрын
That’s the best I’ve seen yet. Thank you
@arboristBlairGlenn2 жыл бұрын
Hope you find time to explore my other videos too.
@jacknissen6040 Жыл бұрын
Good one !, thanks. piece of hardwood works if clogging is not too hard. Many years ago i found a commercial business that re-sharpened files by sand blasting. It was at very low angle from handle end and used fine blast media. They resold files with logos removed. We tried and it did work. Never liked the acid or vinegar method.
@arboristBlairGlenn Жыл бұрын
Hard to imagine how sand blasting can sharpen
@bigoldgrizzly3 ай бұрын
ebony piano keys work well and I keep a pot of these on the bench for cleaning my bench files before putting away
@orange12v7 жыл бұрын
You need to store them separate from each other in a tool roll or knife block like device
@arboristBlairGlenn7 жыл бұрын
orange12v very true
@u498712 жыл бұрын
Driing...Driing - Another call for one of the World's finest arborists - always in demand :0)
@iandearetmietmimitfrsa627511 ай бұрын
Nearly, but not quite... Get a strip of soft metal (brass, nickel silver, copper at a pinch) and near the tang where the file is least used work the strip until it's toothed to the correct pitch, and spacing as the file's teeth. Now gradually work your way down the cutting surface lifting all the visible filings, but more importantly, you'll see all the minute, greasy, almost mud like residue, being lifted as well.. This was first shown to me, 40 years ago by an old engineer, who learnt it from an even older one 😉 My father didn't even know about it, snd he was a Watchmaker to trade! PS Rasps are slightly different, it may be possible to refresh those somewhat, by knocking new teeth, I suspect heat, and some Smithing might be involved, some very coarse files might benefit from the same treatment, but the costs will be perilously close to the price of a new replacement
@arboristBlairGlenn11 ай бұрын
Good advise to start near tang where it’s still sharp. Is there an issue with the soft steel? Copper better?
@iandeare111 ай бұрын
Soft steel isn't soft enough, and will wear the file, copper is probably too soft (although I've never used it) As a professional Musical Instrument Technician l've always had access to scrap brass, and nickel silver (nickel silver is my preferred choice, slightly harder than brass)
@arboristBlairGlenn11 ай бұрын
@@iandeare1 thanks, I will try brass. You looking for exotic hardwoods for your instruments? I have some of the best!
@iandeare111 ай бұрын
@@arboristBlairGlenn: I'm NE Scottish, bit of an ocean between us LOL 🤣
@BruceThomson2 жыл бұрын
Brilliant, thanks! I'll try it. Almost too good to be true. 'Thrilled to learn how to recover my files and rasps, and feel that brand-new bite again. =)
@arboristBlairGlenn2 жыл бұрын
It won’t work on a rasp
@BruceThomson2 жыл бұрын
@@arboristBlairGlenn Thanks - yes, For the rasps I saw another vid that does - He first cleaned the rasp with a wire brush fitted in his drill press. Then he immersed it in sulfuric acid to sharpen it. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/pneylp-FfJagrK8 Your and his vid made my day. =)
@offshoreman716 жыл бұрын
If you put a little bit of 85% phosphoric acid on them with that tool, it'll be more effective. The acid by itself removes rust like a champ!
@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0Ай бұрын
tried this, and thanks for the advice, amazing!
@arboristBlairGlennАй бұрын
👍🏻
@flhusa18 жыл бұрын
google sharpening a file with acid. you won't be disappointed.
@arboristBlairGlenn8 жыл бұрын
J Davidson I have seen that but have yet to try it. Have you?
@flhusa18 жыл бұрын
I JUST DID ALL MY FILES USING THE ACID METHOD AND THEY ARE ALL LIKE BRAND NEW. I WAS SURPRISED HOW THEY TURNED OUT. I HAD A 6 INCH BRASS WIRE WHEEL I USED ON THEM AFTER THE ACID ETCHED THEM.
@arboristBlairGlenn8 жыл бұрын
J Davidson I own about 300 files and rasps. Do you think this will work on a rasp too?
@flhusa18 жыл бұрын
Can't hurt to try it
@readysetsleep7 жыл бұрын
I've cleaned a bastard file with vinegar from the supermarket. Just over night and it cleaned off the rust, after I cleaned it with a copper tool similar to Blair's custom cleaning too. It was sharper than just using the cleaning tool, I used the bastard file to sharpen up the shovels so it gets clogged up pretty quickly.
@piotrlenarczyk58033 жыл бұрын
Thank you for video.
@arboristBlairGlenn3 жыл бұрын
Hope it helped
@thomasrose69628 жыл бұрын
This process obviously cleans the valleys but i dont see how it would sharpen the actual teeth
@arboristBlairGlenn8 жыл бұрын
Thomas Rose no, but a good cleaning can restore a file that is still useful but not destroyed. Use acid to sharpen
@thomasrose69628 жыл бұрын
logic would dictate that the acid would dull the teeth
@arboristBlairGlenn8 жыл бұрын
Thomas Rose I agree but not having tried it, it's worth testing. I have heard the acid process for years and I'm ready to give it the "acid test"!
@daviddaddy6 жыл бұрын
He clearly states in the video its not Sharpening just Cleaning.
@another1commenter7706 жыл бұрын
You are correct acid will clean the file but not sharpen it. most the time a file is clogged but not blunt as the states in the video
@جاماحمدي11 жыл бұрын
أعجبني
@micbyte Жыл бұрын
Never mind my video started 1/4 way through. Thanks I have a collection as yourself. My relatives were Metalsmith a early 1930’s I was gifted these files that you cannot replace today.
@arboristBlairGlenn Жыл бұрын
Score!
@jarkolimbo92686 жыл бұрын
good one
@P61guy619 күн бұрын
Thanks
@tomaslainas6959 жыл бұрын
great! i will try this on my old files
@arboristBlairGlenn9 жыл бұрын
Files can be expensive so this trick can bring them back to a new life.
@arboristBlairGlenn8 жыл бұрын
Have you tried it yet?
@tomaslainas6958 жыл бұрын
yes! and im impressed at how much of a difference it made! now i got my diy file cleaner close at hand each time i use the files :D more than anything it prevents scratching of the work-piece, since it removes also the tiny shards of steel that gets stuck, so its saving a lot of time in my metal-work, not having to file of scratches!
@rexnemo Жыл бұрын
I go to the trash bin and use the undelete function . Oh wait there is another sort of file ?😁 I'll show myself out .
@j.bmillennial39885 жыл бұрын
Do you oil your files?
@aspincelaframboise53005 жыл бұрын
Ya NEVER use oil on a file. When not in use, chalk will protect them from moisture and oxidation eh… Ü
@karabesklow4 жыл бұрын
dude. i did this it doesnt feel any different. it just cleans material clogged between teeths. cutting ability of the file is still same.
@arboristBlairGlenn4 жыл бұрын
Muhammed Gundogan your file must be too dull. Cleaning out the build up allows the file to work again but it does not bring it back to sharp. Most files stop working because they get clogged up. Yours must be too far gone.
@karabesklow4 жыл бұрын
@@arboristBlairGlenn simply it cleans. Does not sharpen in my perspective.🤔
@arboristBlairGlenn4 жыл бұрын
Muhammed Gundogan that is exactly what I said in the video. Most files stop working BECAUSE they are clogged up. This is NOT a sharpening process.
@Kris-825 жыл бұрын
what companies are making great files?
@arnaudvelter5 жыл бұрын
Nicholson, Pferd
@gitrpicker5 жыл бұрын
I hope you bought those in that bucket. I'm tires of seeing people toss them into a heap like that and then tell us how careful they are with tools. It dulls the hell out of them, but anybody with common sense knows that.
@arboristBlairGlenn5 жыл бұрын
Jim T that is how I got them. My file drawer keeps them apart. Good point, thanks
@daanrademaker6099 Жыл бұрын
Genius
@arboristBlairGlenn Жыл бұрын
Simple idea that works well
@PLBIV2 жыл бұрын
Haha what if he just ended the video after saying "ok, heres a tip"... like, hes not lying haha
@arboristBlairGlenn2 жыл бұрын
Sorry?? Don’t understand
@PLBIV2 жыл бұрын
@@arboristBlairGlenn you said that as you showed us the tip of that tool.....
@UnstoppableTramp5 жыл бұрын
It is best to used your same method but with a piece of hardwood buddy.
@johnduffy654611 ай бұрын
I've gotta try this
@arboristBlairGlenn11 ай бұрын
Some folks say copper is better but soft steel seems to work fine for me.
@Smokinstrainstation884 жыл бұрын
I got a old 2 foot k&f know anything about it ?
@arboristBlairGlenn4 жыл бұрын
Taylor Woods no, 24” is a long file
@jgrizzlybaer7 жыл бұрын
I am no expert on files but it may be worthwhile to pass on that there is a tool called a file card (or file brush). It is designed specifically for cleaning files of all types. It will make much quicker work of cleaning the file teeth. On occasions when there is excessive pinning (clogged teeth) then the procedure described in this video might be the method to use. Also note that using these mechanical cleaning methods still leaves debris in the teeth you can't see leading to less than 100% performance. I have seen on one of the professional fine woodworking shows use a chemical cleaner you can soak the files in after the mechanical cleaning to further remove the microscopic debris. It was a DIY network show whose name escapes me as well as the name of the cleaner (maybe Ferric Chloride??). And no...it was not vinegar.
@arboristBlairGlenn7 жыл бұрын
jgrizzlybaer I neglected to say in the video, that o first used the file card. This method takes it a step beyond the file card. Acid is another process, but messy.
@jgrizzlybaer7 жыл бұрын
Yes, I agree your method is a good second step if needed. But afterwards a chemical cleaning will go all long way to further clean those files. Just be sure to put a rust-inhibiting protectant on the files immediately after ANY cleaning. By the way, the DIY show I mentioned demonstrating the chemical cleaner was Wood Works by David Marks. I still was not able to get to the name of the chemical cleaner used. Good luck to all and thanks arboristBlairGleen for a very worthwhile file cleaning tip!!!
@arboristBlairGlenn7 жыл бұрын
jgrizzlybaer I did the video work for David Marks KZbin channel as well as two of his DVDs.
@arboristBlairGlenn7 жыл бұрын
jgrizzlybaer this is at my house kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2jZd3iqps-AerM
@sublime3927 жыл бұрын
That 100 dollar file that you where talking about is a farriors rasp and cost about 8 bucks to 15 bucks for a new one.....
@arboristBlairGlenn7 жыл бұрын
Haze you are right about the name of one of these tools but wrong about the cost. A good rasp of this size is very expensive. A cheap 14" farriers rasp is between 15 and 25. These larger rasps are much more costly
@sublime3927 жыл бұрын
arboristBlairGlenn oh. ok. thank you for sharing your knowlage I'm pretty young so I'm not nearly as familiar with tools . even though I'm a Smith lol but hey. thanks for the tip on cleaning the files.
@daviddaddy6 жыл бұрын
8 to 15 bucks for some Cheap Chinese made ones Probably. But im sure his are old American Made ones which are much more Valuable because you cant them like that really anymore. Besides maybe Nicholsons files and raps. The quality just isnt the same and youll find that true with most New tools from over the Pond. Thats why im a firm believer in Good old U.S. made Tools or even German or French tools from Europe are Really Good too! Sheffield England i Beleive still makes Really Good quality Steel Tools that will last a lifetime.
@davogifman5426 жыл бұрын
A Nicholson 14in farrier rasp cost under 25.00 usd new. I think the big picture is. Take care of your good tools,and they'll serve you well And that Nicholson rasp I'm talking about is about 4 years old now an works just as well now as it did the day I got it,but the main thing is? I take care of it. I think that's something our elders did much more then we do now days. Because I remember my Dad always cleaning the tools when he was finished with them,and I still remember getting my ass whipped for messing with the tools. "They're not toys son!" "They're tools."
@howardlovecraft7504 жыл бұрын
The title should read How to clean a file.
@arboristBlairGlenn4 жыл бұрын
Darryl Hurd a dirty file does not work. A cleaned file becomes useful or “restored”.
@admiralbenbow5083 Жыл бұрын
Just boil your files in soda crystals dissolved in water. Cleans the file and also sharpens the teeth. Meanwhile you can get on with something else....
@arboristBlairGlenn Жыл бұрын
What are “soda crystals?
@admiralbenbow5083 Жыл бұрын
@@arboristBlairGlenn This is by far the longest URL I have ever seen... www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/dri-pak-soda-crystals--fine-1kg?catalogId=10241&productId=80742&storeId=10151&gclid=Cj0KCQiAt66eBhCnARIsAKf3ZNEqJ7UmMjOT0ugi1J_HJ0THPEg1rkdBnEozwoXctYXJuctv-gz6xm0aArDOEALw_wcB&langId=44&Google&krypto=ZNb3l60seqb%2Bg6ucLIMSnBni%2FJ6x1Z3oubPwq75%2FyfjCQb2hv9nO%2Biq4mj%2FT9o9lqCdCAscFLrU%2FuJCGFobUSKx9V2ueC6WgPC5ugs3KAa%2F0v%2BYZSEY8oUz8YbqC5fmYLk9qNndzvstP3ObtHYK1E4m7ikkSkXPoKQgDIKOE%2BdpeQV3dYiQFGkVWVNoLJRWRG4XSEmsH0Ym3QRe%2FyMtn22IFdYyIv%2FUBLHT0HaD5m2Fc%2FI2EvUvNOkbje%2BLWAZvr%2FEQY1C9A9LTUweeda7aVLMvyKBueAEDdLnZ8%2FYZ0iTnfrHRknAfxvS033%2FQtCO%2BaGPWpLEpeYVU9%2By21nnu%2FhKfDneybG5omOR3u5VO6qS5yrUlGH1YDZaQD3Ls%2BXfc8zWhZ5J542cgXByfRcxUwojCTw3OFRbQDTXWeZUBXtgdX3qYm2%2FKf1QO56uoo3LHYkh7vl%2FF%2B2WJNwfKsnHuAVjl5YCCVvZSXOV%2BUwdh96IENHQWWGKpdA948HsfL9A4Nr2ZyVhWfzWQLFEnU2P%2B48A%3D%3D&ddkey=https%3Agb%2Fgroceries%2Fdri-pak-soda-crystals--fine-1kg You can also use this stuff to clean out your washing machine. One cup in the drum then set it to hot wash. NO clothes in the drum. And the dishwasher. Cleans out all the calcium deposits etc., and its dirt cheap.
@superbnotsuperB3 жыл бұрын
COMPOUTER FILES
@arboristBlairGlenn3 жыл бұрын
??
@josiahspino83452 жыл бұрын
20 YO Federally Recognized Native American from CTWS, WarmSprings Oregon. I See the Worth of that Beautiful Collection of Files you have right there sir. Sadly I have about A solid 2 Files. But I do have a Plentiful Collection of Chinook/Sockey/Coho Salmon with Extras from this past Salmon Season. And I just finally put a close to my salmon season for the year so I can have time to cut fire Wood And hunt but my tribe put those seasons to a hold because of the heat. Would you be willing to Barter? I can send you my email.