File Cleaner

Anyone who uses a file knows what it's like to have it clogged up with whatever it is your'e filing. While you can get those special wire brushes for cleaning files I don't find they work that well and I can never find them in the shops to buy anyway.

• A piece of copper pipe
• Hacksaw
• Hammer
• Something flat to hammer on
• A clogged-up file

Saw open one end of the copper pipe and hammer it flat. Then trim it to size and if needed hammer it flat again.

I haven't tried using aluminum instead of copper but I suspect it would probably work as well.

Now run the copper across the file in the direction of the file's cutting surface or grain. The first few pushes wont do anything as the file cuts groves into the soft copper. Once the groves are cut you just need to work over the length of the file and push the clogs out of the file's teeth. Repeat on the other side of the file and you should be ready to go again.

It only takes a few minutes to clear the file and the soft copper doesn't create much wear on the file compared to a wire brush.