File card

I've always used a file card too. On another forum somebody posted the use of chop sticks using the end of the stick. And I'll be dipped if'n it didn't clean a file I thought was shot. It's not really fast but it sure does a good job and one chop stick if used properly lasts forever.
 
Well Huckshawn there’s not a man or woman here that can tell you that you cannot use your wire brush. That’s your right! But, after having used a file card, I stopped using a wire brush. The file card simply worked better.
 
Brass cleans a file the best , even the stubborn arc faced aluminum files. It just plain works. I've used file cards and the pics , but my old machine shop teacher taught us about the brass trick over forty years ago. And in the past years it's never failed to work.
 
I use a file card and have for many years. The trick is to use it often. I use it after each 4 or 5 strokes and have never had a file to clog. In fact, I have one file, a 10" Nickleson, that I bought in 1978 when I first opened my shop. I use it daily and it still cuts, not as good as new, but too good to stop it from being my "go to" file. Properly cared for they will last a long time, keep them clean, lift the file on the backstroke, and never let them touch another file. I see so many guys just throw their files all in a drawer banging together, makes me cringe. Then they wonder why they don't cut.
 
Somehow I haven’t been getting notifications about this thread. I didn’t expect such a response. I bought a Nicholson lathe file on amazon and it arrived today. I’ve heard great things about lathe files on the lathe and I look forward to using it. This file I will take care of. Usually my compressed air gun is hanging from a knob on my lathe (no, I don’t use compressed air to clean my lathe, the knob it hangs from is very central to the most used section of my garage and the location is just very handy), and I’ll give the file a few shots to clean the flutes, usually works well. The file I’ve been using has gotten worn out and scored from hard steels, so I was looking to replace it. I like the copper pipe trick. Just so happens I have some copper pipe in the garage. For the time being, it’ll save me from spending more money on a file card for now (got trouble today for all the amazon packages showing up past few days. Lol) I suppose I could include myself in the “what did you buy today” thread.
Thanks everyone.
 
Well you have many good answers on how to clean a file.. But why clog the file in the first place. a trick that my Dad showed me about 70 years ago was to rub a piece of black board chalk into the surface of the file, then not even soft aluminium will stick in the teeth and the finish of your work will improve.
Just tap the edge of the file on a wooden block and the file cleans it's self. Load with more chalk as necessary.
Use only black board chalk or your file may rust.
Brian.
 
BRIAN said:
Well you have many good answers on how to clean a file.. But why clog the file in the first place. a trick that my Dad showed me about 70 years ago was to rub a piece of black board chalk into the surface of the file, then not even soft aluminium will stick in the teeth and the finish of your work will improve.
Just tap the edge of the file on a wooden block and the file cleans it's self. Load with more chalk as necessary.
Use only black board chalk or your file may rust.
Brian.
Click to expand...
Brian,
I tried that trick with railroad chalk. I still have some clogging and need to clean out my files, but hopefully the aluminum didn't stick too badly.
Evan
 
Well even so called common blackboard chalk is might not be the same as it was for our fathers & their fathers. Chalk is calcium carbonate, more recently replaced with gypsum (calcium sulfate) based product we still call 'chalk'. Maybe around the time slate went to blackboards.
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/05/blackboard-chalk-isnt-chalk/
I guess many schools are converting to electronic smart boards, so next generation may not know what chalk is either! LOL

FWIW just for sh*ts & giggles I tried some common talcum powder (baby powder) on a file I was using on aluminum. Seemed like the swarf was slightly less stuck to the teeth & removed easier, but some was still there until the brush took it off.
 
I have used those welders "chalk" sticks for my files and works not too badly on aluminum. However about a year ago I stumbled across a Nicholson Aluminum type A file, designed specifically for aluminum. Takes a bit of getting used to, to get the finish right, but no clogging.

David
 
Well I know I have some 'side-walk' chalk laying around and then somewhere in a drawer - hidden, I know I've got a couple of old boxes of chalk.
Going to have to try that next.
 
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