Is a file a file?

aggiebuilder2003

aggiebuilder2003

Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
443
I recently scrounged up some courage and decided to try and customize an old LB-7 that I acquired cheap. I'm just about finished with the file work I am doing on the backspring and down the blade and my triangle file is almost worn down. Granted, it comes from a little set of Stanley jeweler's files I picked up at Home Depot so they are not the highest quality I'm sure. What is a good brand of file to get/ use so that I'm not burning through a file on every knife I decide to tinker with? Is this maybe a technique issue on my part? (Bearing down to hard, cutting too fast?) Is there a way to "sharpen" my file I have? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
One thing to help keep you files in good working order is a file card. These allow you to brush out the chips that get built up between the teeth. I smack my files on a wood surface every few passes to knock out chips as well. Also, using chalk helps cut down on the chips loading the files and works as a kind of dry lube. I tend to use Nicholson files because they are decent quality and easy to find at most hardware stores. Another thing to consider is that the spring has been hardened, but it isn't as hard as a blade. I don't make folders, so I really don't know if most guys do filework before HT or not, but it's something to consider.
 
Hopefully you'll get some other responses but if I understand correctly your working on a blade that is already hardened ? In my limited experience I completly smoked a couple of needle files doing this with them and it's very difficult to get nice clean cuts. Diamond files are the way to go for hardened steel ! They cut so much better but will wear out also. I file worked a couple of kit knives with a $7.99 set of harbor freight diamond needle files and the triangle file was shot by the end but I did get fairly good results though. One thing to watch on these files is the triangle file only had one truly sharp corner. I did the initial hogging with a rounded corner and finished up with the nice sharp corner to extend the life of the sharp side. If shopping at the store I'd open the package and try finding a set with a good triangle file in it.

hope this helps -Josh
 
Thanks Josh and Mark. Yes this is an already hardened knife. It is a factory Schrade that I decided to try and embellish a little. I used a wire brush to clean the file as I went and thought I did a fair job at it. The problem seems more that the cutting edges have more or less flattened down. I may be inadvertently putting too much pressure on the file as I pull back through the cut. My technique may be the issue. I apply pressure as I push through the cut and then I let up as I pull the file back for the next pass (sort of a sawing motion for lack of a better way of describing it). I may need to simply push through and then lift the file out of the cut and make another pass.
 
The issue is likely that the material your trying to file is only slightly less hard than the files. This will wear the files quickly, and with your description of the file teeth "laying down", its very likely that you'll need a set of diamond needle files to successfully accomplish the job. Either that or go buy about 3-4 sets of the ones you have now, and consider them "throw away" tools when the job is completed.
 
Hi,

Proper file technique is to push the file through the cut , then lift up off the work for the next stroke. Otherwise the cutting edge is either chipped or rolled over when drawing it back while touching the work.

For what you did, I'm amazed the file lasted long enough to do the job on hardened steel. But in any case, files are consumable cutting tools. It's OK to wear them out.

dalee
 
Thanks you guys for the help and advice. I may have prematurely burned through my file with some bad technique, but for my first time trying any kind of file work I thought this turned out pretty good. I'm not done, but here is what I have.DSC_0445.jpg

DSC_0449.jpg

DSC_0456.jpg
 
Is that the first thing you filed or just the first knife.Man that looks nice, great gob!
 
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