Hitchcocks Forum

I just found this out - you lot probably already know but;
Before you clean your files with the file card (all got one of course haven't you?) flood the teeth with WD40. It makes cleaning so much easier and even shifts aluminium debris.

Excellent tip, thank you 😀

Brush your files,
and you'll get smiles,
When you go to use them again, la, la!

will remember that, thanks Pete.

That's interesting I have never come across a file card or I have forgotten so have just ordered a couple

when i was an apprentice,many moons ago, i was told not to use file cards as it was as hard as the files and continued use would dull your file.what we had to do was to get a flat piece of copper about 1" wide rub it along the diagonal cut teeth near the handle so that you ended up with a serrated edge on copper ,then rub copper diagonally following the cut of the teeth and the copper releases the debri embedded in file.Hard to explain but it works a treat,and i still do it the same

Any dirty files I might have get cleaned by being 35x overwritten with a "windows washer" programme. I've never managed to undelete one yet

Some long ago handed down tip from my late dad lurking at the back of my brain about using chalk on files. Possibly when filing soft metals like aluminium? Maybe to clean a file after use on soft metal by chalking it and filing a piece of steel? Can anyone confirm?

Where I worked, they used a brush similar to a scrubbing brush, only it had fine, short, stiff stainless- steel type bristles in a semi-circle.It cleaned the grooves very well.

Yes Leon, that's what I understand a file card is. Very interesting about using copper though, I'll try that.

GeoffB , chalk is used to help stop file from clogging up on any material