can I use standard modern suspension files in them?

You won't find internal rails for hanging folders in most antique filing cabinets. The drawers were built for manila folders resting directly on the wooden bottom. You can sometimes fit a modern wire frame insert inside the drawer. Measure the internal width first because early century sizes vary slightly from standard modern formats.

how heavy is a solid oak four drawer cabinet?

Heavy enough to require two strong people. They aren't easy to lift safely. Take the drawers out before trying to shift the carcase. It protects the internal runners from damage.

I have found a really nice wooden cabinet but it is missing the sliding metal blocks inside the drawers, does this matter?

Those sliding pieces are called follower blocks. Without them your folders will slump backwards when the drawer is only half full. They don't turn up loose often. Alternatively you can just pack the back of the drawer with an empty box to keep your active files upright.

The brass label handles on the one I want to buy are totally green and crusty looking, what is the best way to clean them?

That green crust is verdigris. It forms when brass reacts with moisture and oils over many years of handling. Take the handles off the drawer front first. Warm soapy water and a soft brush shifts the worst of the buildup without scratching the underlying metal.

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Antique Filing Cabinets in South East

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Designed for commercial offices around the turn of the twentieth century, antique filing cabinets are heavy vertical stacks of deep drawers built to store indexed paperwork efficiently.