Files....

One of the biggest assets I have in my shop is my files, I have a few mill files, bastard files, double cut bastard files, a jewelers file. Most of which I have inherited from my Father and Grandfather. All seem to be getting a bit tired. I reciently purchased a new Nicolus double cut bastard file from the local hardware store and it was great for about 2 weeks and now its getting tired like the rest it works just not fast like when it was new. Does anyone have any good recomondations for some good new files or is there a way to sharpen or maintainence them. Im also looking for a set of good small files or jewelers files. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Reguards Tony

I really like my Spyderco Pro Files
:: Spyderco Product Details ::
Great for delicate shaping around heels & toes of razors.

Do you have a jeweler's supply house near where you live? They will have the best selections of small files on hand.

Otherwise some place like this: Jewelry Making Supplies | Files - Beading Supplies, Metal Working Tools

You can get lost drooling over their selection of files. Grobet has a great reputation, but you pay for it.

No matter what you buy, a file will wear, especially when working on hardened steel like a razor. A file card/brush is very helpful and there are methods of using an acid to "buy more time" from a file by chemically sharpening the teeth. But this also removes material from the file.

Good luck on the search.

I think that files fall into that category of "They just don't make 'em like they used to," so I'm with you on that. Nicholson was a great brand, and they're still good, just not as good.

You might want to check out this link...

Industrial Supply Equipment from MSC Industrial Supply

They have most everything you could need, and they stock the best brands available.
For doing small work, you may want to look at riffler sets. Many shapes and sizes..

I got a $7 half round file from Home Depot a year ago and it is till going strong.

I am a big fan of using files and rasp. Only putting pressure on the file when you are on the cut stroke helps with the life of the file.

Some of my favorite files/rasp are the Nicholson pattern makers rasps #s49 and 50#. They are only for wood and soft materials, but they remove material fast and leave a great finish. I use them on every set of scales that I make. They are spendy but will last a lifetime. My other favorite file is a Grobet that is both tapered and half round on both both ends, one end is is single cut the other is double.

I know that you can have files sharpened but have never had it done. I have read about soaking them in acid but have never tried it. I have also read in old books that some craftsman would soak their files in crocks full of urine to sharpen them. (Yikes) Sorry about the last sentence. I had to include it, when will I ever get to use that information in a conversation again.

Charlie

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Originally Posted by spazola

Sorry about the last sentence. I had to include it, when will I ever get to use that information in a conversation again.

Charlie

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Probably when you are explaining to SWMBO why you are collecting your urine in a 5-gallon pail in the workshop. :roflmao

I don't know how it works for most people, but when I was a cabinet maker I would have a large company sharpen all of our saw blades, they also had a file exchange program where I would trade a worn file for a freshly sharpened one for only the cost of sharpening. This works well and they would paint the end different colors for how many times the file was sharpened so each time I would trade in the file I got had only one more sharpening over the one I turned in. I do know that they could only sharpen like 3-4 times.
I do agree that they aren't as good as they used to be, I think the cut is different too because the older ones don't fill up as easily as these new ones do.

-G

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BKratchmer

Probably when you are explaining to SWMBO why you are collecting your urine in a 5-gallon pail in the workshop. :roflmao

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Combat Can!

Valtitan files are SICK!

http://www.saveedge.com/

PFERD Files & Rasps


They both make more files than you can shake a stick at. Haven't used either one because the only files I "consume" are for my chainsaw. Word on the e-street among professional saw users and racers is that these are the best on the market. Grobets are highly regarded as well. I do know that not all files are created equal. If you use a file to sharpen your chainsaw do yourself a favor and splurge on the STIHL brand files. I don't waste money on Oregon files anymore.

As for the lifespan, this will sound dumb, but view them like a non-stainless razor. They WILL rust...and easily at that...rust means dull even if it's just a little. There's chalk you can buy to rub on your files to keep them from rusting. It's better than just using oil because oil traps all the filings and makes the file load up faster.

it depends on how you use your file if its a single cut file it will only cut moving it forword going back and forth with a single cut file will ware the file out faster

I ruined a file by filing a piece of bone back and forth. The middle of that file now has gleaming ridges which indicate that the cutting edge is pretty much gone. Luckily the round side of that file is still sharp so I can use it for stock removal.

As with all things, you can't learn without making mistakes along the way. As long as you learn from them, it's just paying dues.

I just use cheap diamond files from the local home pro. They do all of my heavy work because I have an aversion to any power tools.