# A Way To Store Files



## ML_Woy (Jul 18, 2015)

About a month ago I sent all of my files off to the Boggs Tool Company to have them sharpened. I was extremely happy with the quality of work they performed and after paying the bill I decided I had better come up with a way to properly store the files. Not having enough drawer space, or wall space, I built this tree to house the files.


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## Mark_f (Jul 18, 2015)

ML_Woy said:


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I didn't know you could have files sharpened. Is it cheaper than a new file?


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## ML_Woy (Jul 18, 2015)

Yes it is, an example is a new horse rasp costs about $15, Boggs sharpens them for $5.00.  Go to their web site: http://www.boggstool.com/ and learn all about their services. The real decision as to whether you save money is how far you are and what the shipping costs are. Good company great service.


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## RJSakowski (Jul 18, 2015)

It sure beats my file box.  Nice handles too.

What method does Boggs Tool use for sharpening them?  

Bob


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## ML_Woy (Jul 18, 2015)

That I do not know, I do know that he has high standards and if a file does not have enough teeth left, he marks it with red paint and sends it back cleaned. Go to their web site http://www.boggstool.com/ and he might say how they sharpen them.


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## RJSakowski (Jul 18, 2015)

ML_Woy said:


> That I do not know, I do know that he has high standards and if a file does not have enough teeth left, he marks it with red paint and sends it back cleaned. Go to their web site http://www.boggstool.com/ and he might say how they sharpen them.


Thanks ML_Way,  Their website states that they use abrasive blasting from the backside of the tooth.  Their prices seem to run abut a third to a quarter of new file prices.

I have used muriatic acid (HCl) to clean and etch the teeth with some success.  It removes material from both sides of the tooth, though.  

I also wonder if an electrolytic process would work.  I might give it a try.

Bob


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## ch2co (Jul 18, 2015)

Just took a look at the Boggs site, truly fascinating! I've never heard of this process and have a whole drawer full of dullish files... hmmm...
They say that the process works best on coarser files, and often results in better than new filing quality.... hmmm.....
Does anybody else have any experience with these guys?
I might just bunch up a few them and give it a try.  Thanks for info.

Chuck the grumpy old guy


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## RJSakowski (Jul 18, 2015)

Chuck, one concern that I have is that you may not have uniformity in tooth height with this or any other resharpening process.  For finish filing, I prefer a new file to a resharpened for that reason.

Bob


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## kvt (Jul 18, 2015)

I like the idea, and have some old files I may have to send,   I think for general work, it would be good, but like Bob,  I would have to see it before using for finish work.


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## ch2co (Jul 18, 2015)

Thats sort of what I was thinking. Give 'em a try and see how it flies.....er files.

Chuck the grumpy old guy


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## brino (Jul 18, 2015)

Years ago I found an article in (I believe) Popular Mechanics (one of the old "Do It Yourself Encyclopedia" books) where they use sulfuric acid directly from an automotive battery to "sharpen" files. I do believe it would reveal a new cutting edge, but (like others above) I worry that it's not very controlled. But of course, it's for hand filing, not machine grinding, so maybe it doesn't matter......

-brino


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## turnitupper (Jul 18, 2015)

No sense in sharpening the newer Nicholson (Brasil made) files. Rubbish! I have a pair of 40 odd year old 12" tin snips that I have always sharpened with Nicholson files. Bought a new 2nd cut mill file, ran it across the blades, would'nt touch them. Flattened the teeth so much that you could almost see your face in the shiny surface left on the file. Grabbed a Bahco file and no trouble sharpening.
John.


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## ch2co (Jul 19, 2015)

Most of my files are Nicholson, old ones.  Do the new Nicholsons not work well?  Bahco is a name that I've never heard of.  What say you all,
what are the best files out there these days? I've sort of just been getting back into shop work in the last couple of years and most of my hand
tools are old. and at 70+ years, when I say old, I mean old.  I still use some hand tools that were my dads. While in the working world, I always
had machine shops at my disposal and had them do anything I needed. Now its down to fixing up the stuff around the house, and making and remaking 
astronomical stuff for myself.  I do have a need for sharper files though and so will probably be investing in some, thus my interest in
what Boggs has to offer or just buying new ones. Suggestions?? And just to keep this post on topic, I store my files in a drawer that is reserved 
mostly for files. 

Chuck the grumpy old guy


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## ML_Woy (Jul 19, 2015)

turnitupper said:


> No sense in sharpening the newer Nicholson (Brasil made) files. Rubbish! I have a pair of 40 odd year old 12" tin snips that I have always sharpened with Nicholson files. Bought a new 2nd cut mill file, ran it across the blades, would'nt touch them. Flattened the teeth so much that you could almost see your face in the shiny surface left on the file. Grabbed a Bahco file and no trouble sharpening.
> John.


I to have a concern about quality of files these days since none are made here any more. I had that discussion with the owner of Boggs Tool Company and he said he has access to may different foreign made files of different qualities and that there are still good files on the market. I was missing some in my set, so I had him fill in the gaps, and I got some good quality files at reasonable prices from him. Nice thing about sending files to Boggs is they check out what you send thoroughly before they sharpen them and will not sharpen a bad file, you get it back painted red.


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