possibly a good idea...

or possibly I'm being a cheapskate. I can't decide.

(frame is by kitschy digitals)

I love my Basic Grey precision  file set to death. I use it all the time, for distressing things, but mostly for getting patterned paper to neatly fit onto the edges of chipboard.

The files that get used the most are the kind that are the emery board style. Unfortunately, these seem to be the ones that were the easiest to wear out. And mine wore out pretty fast. Even when I moved the little rubber bit around so I could use every last bit of the file.I'd tried reviving them by toothbrush scrubbing, etc. but when they had finally been worn into uselessness I was pretty bummed. After all, I didn't want to have to go get a whole new file set.. or try to keep track of other random emery board files...  So I waffled about what to do, until I got a terrible (or possibly awesome) idea.

The files themselves are basically a sandwich of different materials. The outer layer is the scritchy, sandpaper like stuff, the inner layer is foam, and the core is a stiff piece of plastic.

I took my old files and peeled off the top layer (the scritchy layer). Underneath was foam covered in adhesive. To repair the files, I just stuck the file adhesive side down onto a piece of sandpaper (super cheap from the hardware store) and then trimmed around it.

Voila, my files were now good as new. I was actually able to "repair" quite a few of my files and still had a lot of sandpaper left over.

I'm still not sure whether to be appalled at my cheapness, or pleased with my own ingenuity.

Either way, I have a good set of files again, so that makes me a happy girl.