Thread: Axes!

This may sound like a stupid question but what exactly is a bastard file? I've used my father's tools my whole life and he has a lot of files and I have no idea what the names of the different files are, other than a rasp.

What I was taught was that it means a file that is neither a smooth or rough cut; in other words it is a "bastard" , in between.

Originally Posted by Grizzley1

This may sound like a stupid question but what exactly is a bastard file? I've used my father's tools my whole life and he has a lot of files and I have no idea what the names of the different files are, other than a rasp.

Not a stupid question, as most people nowadays would probably ask, "Is it a Word doc, pdf, or jpg? I asked the woman at teh computer store for a bastard and she slapped me."

Originally Posted by Hirlau

What I was taught was that it means a file that is neither a smooth or rough cut; in other words it is a "bastard" , in between.

Right you are. The file classification is evenly numbered, so mathematically speaking the "bastard" and "second cut" are the middles--the bastard being rougher as in courser. A single-cut means there's one row of diagonal teeth running up the file. A double-cut means there's two opposing diagonal rows running up the file, crossing each other, that form little diamonds. The single takes off less material per stroke but leaves a smoother finish while the double takes off more material per stroke but leaves a rougher finish.