The German
36 Cal.
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2010
- Messages
- 97
- Reaction score
- 0
How do you keep you metal files clean ( from metal parts, while filing)?
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
How do you keep files clean
- Thread starter The German
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,538
- Reaction score
- 80
Most commercially made file cards have a bronze or brass "rod" or "stick" with them, that you can use to pick out stubborn bits of steel in the teeth. You can obviously make your own " Pick" up out of any soft metal rod you buy at a hardware or hobby store. You run the picks across the teeth, parallelling the grooves on a single cut file, and going first one way, and then the other on a double cut file. A stiff Wire Brush can also serve to clean files.
Its much harder to find a proper brush or file card to clean the teeth on jeweler's files, BTW. That is where using a bronze cleaning brush on a hand drill, or grinder arbor comes in handy. Steel bristles, turning under powder, can dull your file teeth quickly.
Its much harder to find a proper brush or file card to clean the teeth on jeweler's files, BTW. That is where using a bronze cleaning brush on a hand drill, or grinder arbor comes in handy. Steel bristles, turning under powder, can dull your file teeth quickly.
paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,538
- Reaction score
- 80
I was trained to use file cards, and "picks", but I have used a piece of brass plate stock once, and it worked well for me- as Roy describes.
Years later, cleaning out my Dad's shop, I found a long piece of copper plate that he had put electrician's tape to form a better handgrip. When I examined the working end, you could easily see that he was using it to clean files. Why he didn't show us that trick I will never know.
Not everyone has access to flat brass, or copper plate. But, if you visit a scrap yard, its something to ask about, and buy. Lots of uses for the home gunsmith.
Oh, I tried using Aluminum flat stock for cleaning files, and it didn't work well. I believe its simply too soft to do the job well. An aluminum plate(1/4") under a bottom pour casting pot works great, as it transmits heat so fast, that any lead that drips on it, or spills, cools very quickly, and hardens for easy removal.
Final thought: The Best way to keep your files cleaned is in preparing the file before you use it. Fill the grooves with chalk. The chalk prevents metal from getting down and Sticking hard to the teeth, and is easy to remove with any form of scraper. Re-chalk the teeth. The chalk also keeps the file dry and free of rust between uses.
Years later, cleaning out my Dad's shop, I found a long piece of copper plate that he had put electrician's tape to form a better handgrip. When I examined the working end, you could easily see that he was using it to clean files. Why he didn't show us that trick I will never know.
Not everyone has access to flat brass, or copper plate. But, if you visit a scrap yard, its something to ask about, and buy. Lots of uses for the home gunsmith.
Oh, I tried using Aluminum flat stock for cleaning files, and it didn't work well. I believe its simply too soft to do the job well. An aluminum plate(1/4") under a bottom pour casting pot works great, as it transmits heat so fast, that any lead that drips on it, or spills, cools very quickly, and hardens for easy removal.
Final thought: The Best way to keep your files cleaned is in preparing the file before you use it. Fill the grooves with chalk. The chalk prevents metal from getting down and Sticking hard to the teeth, and is easy to remove with any form of scraper. Re-chalk the teeth. The chalk also keeps the file dry and free of rust between uses.
Chalk and a file card. Sometimes I have to pick a sliver out of the teeth with something. I usually use my pocket knife to do that.
I bought a box of kids' sidewalk chalk for a $1. The box of chalk came with several pieces that are probably an inch in diameter by about three inches in length and in a variety of colors :haha:. Works great.
I bought a box of kids' sidewalk chalk for a $1. The box of chalk came with several pieces that are probably an inch in diameter by about three inches in length and in a variety of colors :haha:. Works great.
The German
36 Cal.
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2010
- Messages
- 97
- Reaction score
- 0
Thanks guy's!!
Ace Hardware (and others) sell brass plates in various thicknesses.
A couple of dollars can buy a 1/16 inch thick plate which will work nicely to clean file teeth.
I know those of you who mentioned this method know exactly how you do this cleaning but for those who don't you rest one of the edges of the brass on the file teeth keeping the angle of the plate at about 45 degrees to the face of the file.
Then, push the plate in the direction that the teeth are cut while applying a fairly heavy downward pressure. This is crossways to the direction that a file normally cuts.
The file teeth will embed themselves into the soft brass allowing the brass plate to get clear to the bottom of the teeth. (This forms little notches in the edge of the brass plate).
Do not "file" the brass plate with the file like you were trying to reduce the size of the plate.
A couple of dollars can buy a 1/16 inch thick plate which will work nicely to clean file teeth.
I know those of you who mentioned this method know exactly how you do this cleaning but for those who don't you rest one of the edges of the brass on the file teeth keeping the angle of the plate at about 45 degrees to the face of the file.
Then, push the plate in the direction that the teeth are cut while applying a fairly heavy downward pressure. This is crossways to the direction that a file normally cuts.
The file teeth will embed themselves into the soft brass allowing the brass plate to get clear to the bottom of the teeth. (This forms little notches in the edge of the brass plate).
Do not "file" the brass plate with the file like you were trying to reduce the size of the plate.
truckwilkins
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2010
- Messages
- 652
- Reaction score
- 0
my grandad would to keep his files from rusting would dip them in oil when he put them up and then when he was ready to use them again he would dip them in acetone or mineral sprites to get off the oil i should do this but im too lazy he always said i was a nerdowell wonder what he meant?your fren truckwilkins
