I finally stopped soaking my rasps in solvent every night

Been doing it for years, thought it kept them clean. Last month my mentor said I was just stripping the protective oil off the steel, and now my rasps are actually lasting longer after I stopped. Anybody else switch up a routine habit and get better results?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix_hayes6421d ago

I finally stopped soaking my rasps in solvent every night"... I've always washed mine with a stiff brush and light oil after use and never had issues with them going dull.

cora86320d ago

Funny you mention that. I used to soak my chisels in mineral oil overnight every time I used them. Thought I was preventing rust and keeping them slick. Then a guy at a tool swap told me I was basically ruining the temper on the edges by trapping heat and moisture. I stopped and just wipe them down with a dry rag now. They hold an edge way longer and I don't have that weird oily film on everything. Kind of makes you wonder what other "standard" practices are just wasting time.

abbyg6016d ago

Funny how we overdo things, isn't it, just because someone told us it was the right way.