: I've a small collection of files that are dull from use, mostly
: sharpening machettes. Seems a waste to throw them out. Can they
: be used for anything other than steel scrap?

: John

Files are made from plain carbon; high carbon steel grade; 1090 or similar.
They are hardened to about 62RC; about as hard as steel can get.
At that hardness they are too brittle for knives.

If you shape a knife from a file it has to be further tempered, making it a little softer but much less brittle.
Or anneal it; shaped it; reharden it; temper it.

1090 Steel is still used for knives.
Its real draw back is lack of corrosion resistance.
Its other draw back is that it doesn't sound exotic enough.

Without tempering files can be made into scrapers and similar tools.