Reply To: Use of chalk with files
Welcome! / Forums / General Woodworking Discussions / Tools and Tool Maintenance/Restoration / Use of chalk with files / Reply To: Use of chalk with files
Not just ‘Chalk’……’Chalk’ is Calcium Carbonate- a form of Limestone. Useless on files.
For saw-files, you need what is termed, ‘French Chalk’ or Magnesium Silicate…………. basically, it’s refined talcum powder – without the perfume.
French chalk, when used with files, holds and suspends the micro-particles of metal, allowing them to fall away in the powder without jamming the cutting edges of the file stitching – thereby prolonging the edge sharpness and the life of the file…… some folk use it, some folk don’t.