Old timer told me to soak my rasps in vinegar overnight... I thought he was nuts

Robert Rodriguez · 2026-06-12T15:40:04.232955+00:00

Guy named Hank at the Oklahoma State Farrier Conference last year swore by it. Said it eats the rust and gunk without ruining the file. I figured what the heck, left my two favorite rasps in a bucket of white vinegar for about 10 hours. Pulled em out, rinsed em off, and holy cow they cut like new. No scrubbing, no wire brush. Just gotta oil em after so they don't flash rust. Has anyone else tried this or am I gonna wreck my tools long term?

elliotjenkins4mo ago

Used to be a skeptic myself, thought vinegar would just eat the steel. Tried it on a beat up farrier's rasp last spring and I'll be darned if it didn't work like magic.

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sullivan.abby4mo ago

Did you notice any difference in how long the sharpness lasted compared to a regular cleaning?

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elizabeth_bailey264mo ago

My grandpa used to soak his rusty old wrenches in a bucket of Coca-Cola overnight, swore by it for loosening up stuck bolts. Never tried it on rasps though, that's a new one on me.

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