Using Coca-Cola to fix rusty files

[b bogart]

I just tried the vinegar soak for a bunch of speacilty files that I was given. Some rusty and some clogged. WOW what a difference. I may be able to use them for a good while longer. Thanks for the tip. Oh and I perfer Mt Dew (not Coca Cola) but not for files

[rtc]

The phosphoric acid matter is serious and care should be taken to never have it  come into contact with springs and highly-carborized steel that is to be stressed or flexed.
My story of hard knocks: Naval jelly is full of phosphoric acid and does a great job of eating oxide, but I've learned the hard way to apply it only to mild steel and non-flexing steel surfaces after I broke all the original springs on a Civil War-period Austrian Lorenz rifle musket after treating the lock interior with naval jelly. The original springs, which had been flexible & strong before, unknownst to me became brittle and cracked from tiny fissures etched into the surface after the naval jelly exposure. VERY disappointing, but The Rifle Shoppe repro springs filled in nicely eventually. Still, I felt [still feel] like a jerk for breaking the originals.

yr servant,

Rich Colton
Montague, MASS

[Sean]

Dan, Where can one buy O-1 steel online??

I like dealing with these guys.

http://www.admiralsteel.com/shop/

Sean

[Bill-52]

I have to agree with the vinegar soak mentioned a couple times in this thread.  I had some old files that I'd inherited from family and friends over the years.  Many were rusted and so clogged they were useless.  I made a cylinder tube from PVC pipe, threw the files and vinegar in and let them soak for a day+.  I'm amazed at how well they came out, clean and sharp.  While not like new, they are now useable.  And the vinegar scent in the workshop was much better than that of many acids. 

Bill

[msw]

I have heard of using CocaCola (aka "Coke") to clean rust, but never tried it, although i've used naval jelly, which i have come to understand is very similar in chemical action.

The problem, i suspect, is similar to that of using the electrolysis (ww?) method (where you stick the rustythingy in a bucket of baking soda solution and run an electrical current through it): you'll end up with no (or very little) rust, but the pitting will still be there.

It couldn't do too much harm, so it's probably worth a try, but i wouldn't bet my horse and sword that it'll work.  If it does, i would rub chalk (sidewalk chalk works for me) into the deep grooves, and card the files fairly often.  If you keep after this, and you keep the handles tight (you do have handles on all your files, don't you- no fibbing, 'cause we can tell), you should get a good bit of use out of your files, but they're an expendable tool, sadly enough.

Best of luck with your project!

[holzwurm]

I can't lay my hands on the Company name but they are a machine shop tool repair outfit in Pasadena CA. They sharpen files like new. I've sent them about 15 worn out files and they return in bright beautuful condition. They examine each file and (I think) if it's Asian made they charge you .25 cents for the exam and send it back not worth trying. But, every one of my American or European file came back looking clean and working like new. They charged me about $1.50 per file. I went through my files about a month a month ago and threw away anything that was off shore junk.  I still have a lifetime's worth of files - mostly flat bastards. They are like lint - they just collect everywhere. Most are 10 inch. Wish I had some 8".

[AeroE]

Use white vinegar to clean and sharpen files. Soak them overnight, they will be covered with a fine soot-like coating, wash them in running cold water while brushing with an old tooth brush, dry with a clean rag or paper towel. Give them a light coat of oil.  The vinegar is dilute (3 or 4 per cent) acetic acid. The fumes are harmless, and the action is slow so if you have let them soak longer than overnight no harm is done. Use the cheapest vinegar, no need to get some fancy name brand.  Muriatic acid is hydrochloric acid, using it calls for some precautions. The fumes are very dangerous to breathe, and the liquid will burn your skin. To top it off,  the fumes will cause all the iron or steel in your shop to rust. Nitric acid is even worse.  John

I pretty well agree with this method (cleaning in vinegar).

Clean the files first, that will reduce the black scuzz left after the soak.  I have a .30-06 case with the mouth flattened that can be pushed or pulled along the teeth to scrape out whatever pins and crud are stuck there.  Then a soak in vinegar for 24 to 30 hours, just whatever is convenient, a rinse, brushing off the black soot (a very good description, that I wish I had coined), another rinse, dry, and then oil.

Before I start on a file, I check the condition of the teeth.  I see no point in spending time on one with damage; throw it in the scrap box for the future.

I haven't tried this, but I expect a strong mixture of Lemishine will accomplish the same thing, maybe a little better.  Lemishine contains citric acid.  Find it amongst the dish washing supplies at Walmart. 

I use Lemishine solution to clean cartridge brass that has become extremely corroded back to nearly new looking condition - a session in an ultrasonic cleaner with a little Dawn added will remove all of the carbon soot in just a few minutes.  I don't reckon the Dawn is necessary, but it serves as a surfactant, so it can't hurt, either.

[holzwurm]

I can't lay my hands on the Company name but they are a machine shop tool repair outfit in Pasadena CA. They sharpen files like new. I've sent them about 15 worn out files and

Look up www.Boggs Tool, Pasadena CA