This was on the car before I disassembled it. If I remember correctly, it sometimes slipped out of neutral without squeezing the handle.

How do I sharpen the teeth?

Knock out rivets and replace it and new pawl also

Those teeth don't look too bad, especially if you adjust the brakes to avoid the three poorest teeth. However the ratchet is another story and most need replacement.

You could try using the edge of a small half round file.

tri corner file. The teeth don't look that bad, maybe you need the other part replaced.

Looks like a big part of the problem is the fact that powder coating is preventing the pawl from fully engaging. Also, in my experience (admittedly limited) "slipping out of neutral" is as much due to the point at the end of the pawl becoming worn, and thus rounded, to the extent that it won't hold. In addition to cleaning out the powder coating and slightly deepening the spaces between the "teeth" on the quadrant, I would also use a file and "sharpen" the point on the pawl. Actually, it would only cost to a few bucks to replace the pawl and spring, and even add the new design replacement type spring, but I'd bet that the file work I mentioned would fix the problem,....FWIW,...harold

Oh,...and one other thing I might add,....it's a good practice to "squeeze" the latch BEFORE you pull the hand brake lever back, and then release the latch when the lever is all the way back. That way, you eliminate most of the wear of the "teeth" on the quadrant, and the point of the pawl will remain sharp much longer,.....harold

Some sixty years ago when I was a teenager, yo could always tell if someone have been taught to drive, by some like the British School of Motoring or had just leant from friends or parents. The BSM people stressed to keep the button depressed when applying or releasing the hand brake. The rest just let it click....

Bill, I repaired mine with a hack saw blade, holding it at an angle. It works and holds against applied pressure.
Vern

Mark G, a three corner file will have 60 degree angles. These are greater than that needed to keep the teeth sharp. Mark S's half round file edge will do the trick. However, it is difficult to get a good stroke on any file in that position on the frame. A new quadrant and pawl is the best answer. Be sure to buy the more expensive quadrant, as the tooth profile on those is considerably wider and will not wear as quickly.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

In the old days people used to sharpen their saws with a triangular file. The same technique would work here. But you would have to remove it from the frame to do a good job. By then you might as well replace it.

Yes, listening to the ratchet sound is fun .. but it wears the teeth. My father used to love the sound of the "ping" his pocket watch made when he pressed the cover to close it. One day it stopped making the sound ... he had worn the edge of the cover. Cost him a lot to have it built up to work again. :-)

Sounds to me that the hand brake spring isn't strong enough to keep the hand brake pawl engaged.

To much paint in the teeth also doesn't help either. The brake quadrant doesn't look that worn.

Using a file to clean out the teeth will help some but if the spring is weak in the handle it wont work as it should.