Recommendation? File Cut?

[Moses_3]

Hi All,

I am looking to add some quality hand files to my shop and was wondering what cuts and brands you might recommend. I figure it would be nice to have something like a ~80-120 grit, ~320-400 grit, and ~600-700 grit. From Googling it seems like I want a 2, a 4, and a 6 cut, but I wanted to ask the people who have helped me in the past.
Also, do you have a preferred brand? I have heard Nicholson are good but not as good as they once were. And I have heard Grobet are great. I can get Nicholson locally but Grobets would be online. And, do you have any thoughts on these needle files Lee Valley sells (I have a gift card)?

Any other file thoughts? Like maybe you thought shape X would be great but it never leaves the tool box, etc.

Thank you in advance for your time.

P.S. I did try the search function. But as many people make files from knives, there was a lot of clutter and after 5 pages of results I figured posting was okay.

 

[Lorien]

keep your eye out for good deals on quality files, but I recommend getting yourself a good variety of different cuts and shapes- even if they're cheap hardware store or no name brands.
I use chainsaw files all the time, they're dirt cheap and come it lots of different sizes. A pillar file has become one of my most used as well.

 

[polish avenger]

Pferd

 

[nettle]

Worth the money.

Glardon-Vallorbe Swiss | OttoFrei.com

Glardon-Vallorbe has been producing exceptional tools in Switzerland since 1899. View their full range of tools here.

www.ottofrei.com

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

For files I use on jewelry and fancy work, I exclusively use Valitan files. They are superb on hard to file things like platinum and titanium. They are super hard and last well when used right. Trying to file hardened steel will still destroy them. The Valitan needle files are the absolute best, but will break if used too aggressively.
For steel, I use Pfred and Nicholson files a lot.

My #1 suggestion to every knifemaker is getting a 12" Magic-cut file. These are made to file steel rapidly. Another very useful file for makers is a 10" Nicholson three-square file. Shop around for good files. While some suppliers sell then]m at a great markup, the industrial suppliers, Like Zeitlin Industrial Supply and Zoro, sell them for about half te going price. A 12" Magicut and a 10" Three-square will run a total of $35 with free shipping. That is what a single Magicut sells for some places.

If you want additional files:
12" flat bastard is great for general shop work.
10" second cut and a #2.
Chainsaw files. Buy them in bundles of six. Find a shop that sharpens chainsaws. They use one a few times and drop in a bucket. I got hundreds from a fellow for free. Most were virtually unused. I use these to round the corners of the shoulders, and to break sharp edges before HT.

For knifemakers, a 10" file is pretty much the smallest size needed for anything but detail work. If you find good deals on 14' to 18" files at yard-sales and swap-meets, get them. You can't believe how fast a big file will take down a bevel.


As to cuts, most of the cuts you describe are finishing cuts. They are of little use in knifemaking except some fine detail work on sculptured fittings. I use from #00 to #7 in jewelry
The most common cuts used by knifemakers are #0 and #1, A #2 is as fine as I can see a need for.

For fine sanding in a file like shape and motion, get sanding sticks that take strips of paper (see image below). You can buy the strips already cut or cut your own from sheets of abrasive paper. I like to buy rolls of 1" wide abrasives and just cut pieces off as I need more. You can also put on a polishing strip of felt and charge it with compound for polishing things once sanded to a high grit. I find te sanding sticks with the sandpaper glued on them a waste of time. Those things shed the grit in a few strokes.
These come in widths from 1/4" to 1.5", but the predominant sizes found are 1/4" and 1". They make smoothing things that were filed smooth and shiny.
Whatever you get, get a couple file cards and brush out your files regularly as you use them ... and at the end of use before putting away.

Now, to debunk a commonly told piece of file use info - We all were told never to drag the file back and forth in a sawing motion, but to lift it on the return stroke. That is in every shop class you took and in most every book on shop techniques you read. I told this to people for 60 years. However, it is wrong. The drag technique, where you just bring the file back to the start position without lifting does not shorten the file life ... and actually filed more steel in a set number of strokes when lab tested. It was determined that the drag cleared the chips more.

Disclaimer on my "you only need a few" file advice- I probably own 200-300 regular files and 200 chainsaw files. I rarely throw one away, and buy boxes of them when I see a deal. I buy them in boxes of six for years as a jeweler and knifemaker. That is a good way to save money in the long run. I also seem to be the end repository for deceased people who had a shop full of tools. Still, I use about half a dozen files for 99% of all my filing.

 

[Moses_3]

Thank you all for your input, I really appreciate it.
And Stacy, as always, your reply is stellar, you're an asset to these forums and new makers like myself.

 

[12345678910]

Nicholson moved from Canada and USA made to Mexico and Brasil.

When the y did that, they changed to line from a stamping to a roll process.

A half round file should have, used to have taper on it in lengthwise direction.
You could start with a small hole or radius and open it up larger.
super useful.

the new roll process makes the file all one width. I hate it.

There is a new "fancy" file shape that does that but it's a specialty at a ^^ price

download the pdf

Nicholson Files and Rasps : Catalog No. 900 : Nicholson File Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

36 p., illus., 27.9 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

https://docs.rs-online.com/4be0/0900766b81058fde.pdf

Canadian sources?
Lee Valley is a bit pricey.
A place where daughters buy dad gifts, or good woodworkers can get specialty hardware.

If USA you would want McMaster Carr
here in Canada I like SpaeNaur
Get the catalogue, you get an education on what's available commercially.

The numbers, they must be metric; I'm still on Single Cut, Double Cut and Bastard.

Don't stick yourself on 6" fine cut file if you need to hog, get a long coarse one.

Princess auto - only if they are selling out the brand names as surplus.
Home Depot

Stay away from the store brands, the made in India imports, soft as cheese, or brittle.

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Safe Edges

A good portion of the files I have have at least one edge ground off smooth, sometimes two.
Often it's the short edge, sometimes it's a flat face.


It's easier to pay attention to just one surface at a time, get it where you want and then put a smooth edge on it while you work in close.

you won't want to do that with your $40-$60 imported files, that's where the Home Depot Nicholsons come in.

-------------
Oil
Never use oil

Keep it clean and dry, use chalk

I have some very stiff nylon brushes and some soft brass ones that I use to keep files clean.
Rubbing hard files with hard steel brushes always bugged me.

 

[Moses_3]

12345678910, thank you for this detailed reply! I will look into Spaenaur, that is a new one to me.