Sparex or ferric chloride for old files.

[Uncle Buck]

Hello all;

My question can I use pickle instead of ferric cholride to sharpen old files or is ferric chloride much better. Also, if i can use pickle, for how long must it stay in the solution. If I use the FC how long do I use that for as well. I was thinking later on after I use a mild acid on them I will neutralize them in a baking powder and water solution. Thx in advance for help with my problems.


Joey

"It is better to make one thing right than a million things wrong."

William Shepard

[Ray Rogers]

I wonder if anyone here will know an answer for that. Around here we're usually more concerned with removing the serrations from a file than trying to re-sharpen one.

I suppose that sharpening one is supposed to work by cleaning out the crud that gets between the serrations and maybe removing any 'smeared' metal from the teeth. In that case, FC should do it because that's pretty much what happens when we etch damascus or dissolve a broken tap. A 50/50 solution of FC and distilled water for an hour or two will do a number on a tap. You'll just have to experiement a little .....

[J.Arthur Loose]

I don't believe that sparex will work on iron. In fact, it changes the electrical charge and creates a copper plating solution.

Ferric chloride will do the trick, though in my experience, a file sharpened this way quickly dulls again. But if it's shot already then what's the harm?

[cactusforge]

There is a company in California that sharpens files for a couple of dollers.
http://www.boggstool.com/

Gib

[Mike Hull]

What J. Loose, and Gib said.

[Shakudo]

J.Loose with your jewelry experience i thought you would have known sparex or pickle safe works great for resharpening files.althought it does contaminate the pickle and make it unfit for pickling any non ferrous materials.4 tablespoons of sparex into a gallon of hot (not boiling) water,files can be dipped for 3-5 minutes,then neutralized with baking soda solution. this will only work a few times,then the file becomes blade stock.

[Waycasy]

Ray
I need that gigantic search button!!! I also propose that
anyone here under 1 year (myself included) have it installed
on the CKD opening page!
I have not posted lately because of the button and reading
the forums. Neverless I am still here and nearing completion
of my first knife even though I have very little time to work
because I am moving. Thanks again to all for the information!
HW

[Don Robinson]

Originally posted by J.Loose
I don't believe that sparex will work on iron. In fact, it changes the electrical charge and creates a copper plating solution.

Ferric chloride will do the trick, though in my experience, a file sharpened this way quickly dulls again. But if it's shot already then what's the harm?

You've just given me an idea, J.

I knew that sparex brings copper to the surface on steel, but I'm wondering now if I can use that to get a neat copper color on a knife blade, bolsters, back spacer, etc., without losing any of the good properties of the steel.

I'm sure going to try it and see how it looks. Got lots of sparex.

If this works out, we'll start a new trend.

Do you know of any practical reason not to do this?

[Shakudo]

Don it won't work unless the sparex is first saturated with copper.i personally know of no steels that contain copper as a componet.sparex itself is a "synthetic acid" it will disolve broken drill bits,taps,copper,,and most any other non precious metal given time.

[J.Arthur Loose]

Shakudo,

Putting iron in the pickle was such a no-no that they must have 'forgotten,' to inform us that you could sharpen a file that way in college. I can picture a lot of ruined jewelry pieces and one nice file! It does seem odd since iron turns the pickle into a plating solution... but next time I'm ready to dump the pickle I'll give it a shot!

[Don Robinson]

Originally posted by Shakudo
Don it won't work unless the sparex is first saturated with copper.i personally know of no steels that contain copper as a componet.sparex itself is a "synthetic acid" it will disolve broken drill bits,taps,copper,,and most any other non precious metal given time.

I'm interested and intrigued with this, Shakudo. How would you get a saturated solution of copper, and if you achieved this, would the surface of stainless steel be copper colored?

I know if I put stainless tweezers in the sparex, it blackens the surface of the stainless and ruins the pickling action for precious metals. I figured it was leaching copper from the metal. Almost all metals contain a small amount of copper.

I have plenty of copper and brass to experiment with.

I'll post this question on rec.jewelry and see if Peter can shed some light on the subject.

[Ray Rogers]

Well, I can say that if you use FC to etch some mokume (made of brass and copper) and then later use that same solution to etch a piece of damascus, it will impart a coppery look to the damascus.

Guess how I found out about this......

[Don Robinson]

Yeah, Ray, that's how I found out it discolors stainless tweezers to dip them in a pickling solution, too.

[cactusforge]

Where do you get this Sparex, I could not find it in the Rio Grande Catalog. Dose it have another name. Gib

[Don Robinson]

It's in there, but it has their name for it. Just look at pickling compounds.