Cutting a Nail Nick

William Schrade

William Schrade

Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Messages
632
I don't have a mill yet but looking for ideas for cutting a nail nick. I have a cone rotary file in the drill press but it's not the right radius nor angle.
A long or short nick would work.
Thanks,
Bill
 
Dremel cutoff disk in the drill press. I clamp mine to a board and slide the board on the drill press table, so I have one less dimension to worry about.
 
Bill,

Last year I was playing with the standard 1” AlOx Dremel cutoff disks for a similar purpose of cutting filework starter slots in ferrule material.

I couldn’t approach the rpms needed in the drill press so I switched over to the Dremel itself and rigged up a butt ugly, but effective, bottom-mount table using that “router” head adapter that came with the last Dremel I bought. I remembered seeing a similar home-brew solution made by MS Lin Rhea some years ago that would be at least as effective.

With either setup you can vary the mandrel’s height by about 3/8” above the work table and just guide your marked up part by hand to control the cut length. Little bit of a learning curve (especially approaching acute corners) but overall this was simple, robust and flexible IME.

I expect using a cheap diamond file (e.g.course EZ-Lap) to chisel dress the cutoff disk’s edges will add to their potential for cutting folder blade nicks.

I can’t help but feel some irony in that literally thousands us can reach into a pocket -- right now -- and pull out near perfect examples of proper nail nicks that are within an inch or so of your venerable family name. Glad you are here and doing what you are doing! Best to you.
 
Jason Fry said:
Dremel cutoff disk in the drill press. I clamp mine to a board and slide the board on the drill press table, so I have one less dimension to worry about.
Click to expand...

Jason,
I tried that. Not happy with my results, thats when I tried the rotary file. Not happy with that either.
thanks
 
Andy,
I've been wracking my brain all day to figure a way to do this. What you suggested was a thought I had but decided a Rube Goldburg device wasn't worth the effort.

Thanks for your kind words.
Bill
 
You need a bigger rotary cutter, a drill press (or mill) and a machinist's vise.
I cut mine with a graver, by hand, before hardening.
 
I made a simple punch for nail nicks.
It needs to be used before finish grinding.
 
I used a punch ground from a cold chisel for years. Then started using a dremel with the thinnest cutoff wheel, free hand. I cut a straight line, then carefully carve out the bottom edge to make it look right. I got pretty good with the dremel. But started using a mini mill a couple years ago. There's a learning curve with all three methods...
 
I used to do it the way Don did, after the thin cutoff wheel I used a
dressed (at an angle) Dremel grinding wheel and freehand. Today its
all on my surface grinder.
Ken.
 
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