Rejuvenating a Nicholson #50?

[rmnc3r]

My #50 Rasp is getting short in the tooth - has anyone used the (White 5% Distilled) Vinegar Soak to rejuvenate a #50?
Does it work as well as it does for Regular Files?  I usually soak for 3-4 days.

While on the subject of Vinegar Soaking Files - does the remaining rust infused vinegar make a good stain for Maple?
Sloshed vinegar sure stained my Concrete Driveway.

[Scota4570]

I can not see how acid will help. 

There is an outfit that sharpens files and rasps for a nominal fee.  Maybe someone here knows? 
Possibly, https://boggstool.com/ 

I just sharpen them with a Dremil cut off wheel or a diamond wheel.  They cut nice after.  The flat top teeth make a flat rasp mark. 

[Eric Krewson]

I highly recommend Bogg's Tool, I sent my 49 and 50 to them, they came back as sharp as new. They only charge $8.50 to sharpen a cabinet makers rasp, money well spent.

https://boggstool.com/

[WadePatton]

My #50 Rasp is getting short in the tooth - has anyone used the (White 5% Distilled) Vinegar Soak to rejuvenate a #50?
Does it work as well as it does for Regular Files?  I usually soak for 3-4 days.

While on the subject of Vinegar Soaking Files - does the remaining rust infused vinegar make a good stain for Maple?
Sloshed vinegar sure stained my Concrete Driveway.

If you can find posts here on "iron acetate" you'll be looking at discussion of staining stockwood with rust infused vinegar.  Some use it all the time.  It does -not- require a blushing heat.  TEST though.  Can be very gray/black on many woods. If I recall correctly, one of the guys tweaks his iron acetate solution to adjust the colors it gives. 

I had two solutions at one time, and the one that appeared gray/black, gave more of a red/brown color to the wood, whilst the one that looked red/brown turned the same wood gray/black.  Test and adjust, and enjoy the low toxicity of such homebrew.

-look for posts from "Long John".

[Dan Fruth]

So how do they rejuvenate files anyway?

[tiswell]

  This is from The Boggs website.

"All sharpened files are block-tested and inspected.  Those which fail are dipped dark red and rejected.  Even rejected files are vastly improved and can still be used very effectively and may feature the advantages of our ABRASIVE BLAST LIQUID HONING PROCESS to sharpen files and other small tooth tools as seen in American Machinist, Anvil's Ring and many other industry publications.  Using steam, we relief-grind with abrasive blasting, taking material from the back edge of the tool to reform and sharpen the edge.  Our process will give you the sharpest edge possible."

   I have used their services on two occasions. I got 30 files back from the a month or so ago. I am happy with the results.

                                                                                                                                     Bill Nash 

[moleeyes36]

I’be used Mr. Boggs a few times in the past with generally good but mixed results.  His results with rasps and coarser files works very well, but with finer files, say no. 2 and finer not so much.  I sent him a set of no. 2 Swiss needle files that were getting dull.  I got back files that had the teeth so far removed they were essentially only good for burnishing.  I now only send him rasps and mill files.

Don Richards

[Bob Roller]

What does a #50 wood rasp look like.I may have a new one but have no
way to know what it is.Do they have the number 50 stamped on them?
Bob Roller

[rudyc]

Here you go Bob--
And yes, it will have the #50 stamped on the tang near the main body of the file.

[Eric Krewson]

The new 49 and 50s are made in Brazil (I think) and have a reputation of being of poorer quality than the old US made ones.

All mine are US made.

[rickw]

I got one of the Brazilian-made Nicholson #50's from Jamestown a while back. It wasn't very sharp when I got it, so I sent it to Boggs along with some other files and rasps.
It came back nice and sharp. I haven't used it enough  to be able to tell how well  it will stay sharp, but right now it works fine.
I believe that you can order a #50 directly from Boggs, and have them sharpen it as well. You might call them and ask.
Rick W

[rmnc3r]

Since my current build is past the point of needing work with the #50, I decided to throw it in a vinegar bath along with other files in need of sharpening.

I'll follow up with a post of the result in a few days.

[Rich]

This is the first rifle I built from a blank. Stained with the rust infused vinegar from soaking files. The stain worked great on the wood, but had a short shelf life. The liquid developed a deep rust color and later would not stain wood but did a great job on leather. The rifle looks as good now as when I built it. I hope the picture shows up

[jerrywh]

So how do they rejuvenate files anyway?

They do it with acid. Probably Nitric which is the fastest way. Sharpening files has been done that way for at least a hundred years. How do I know? I have been doing this for over 50 years and learned it from an old 1850s blacksmithing book. Nitric acid about 10% will do it in a hour or two. Depends on how bad the file is.  After soaking in acid they are washed in backing soda and gently bead blasted. Some people oil them but not me.

[rmnc3r]

Finished soaking, neutralized the acid with baking soda and water and sprayed on some WD-40 - the teeth seem sharper, just as with files.

Don't know if the Vini-iron concoction will give the rusty-brown I'm looking for on wood, but it sure stained my hand rust-colored, thanks to a hole in my glove.

It was posted here before, but the link din't show up in the post - I came across this video on hand cut rasps that others may enjoy



And this vid for hand cut files

[Jim Kibler]

So how do they rejuvenate files anyway?

They do it with acid. Probably Nitric which is the fastest way. Sharpening files has been done that way for at least a hundred years. How do I know? I have been doing this for over 50 years and learned it from an old 1850s blacksmithing book. Nitric acid about 10% will do it in a hour or two. Depends on how bad the file is.  After soaking in acid they are washed in backing soda and gently bead blasted. Some people oil them but not me.

I'm pretty sure most sharpen with an abrasive material in a water blast.  The blast from the tang end of the file so the abrasive flows up the back side of the tooth. 

Jim

[jerrywh]

Jim. Could be. New technology always advancing.  I am finally old enough to know I'm not always right.  Anyway,  old timers  used to do it with acid and it works. Use a glass dish.