Mid sized files??

andrewh2011

andrewh2011

Joined
Jan 6, 2014
Messages
161
Let me start out that i have no experience working metal before trying to make knives so maybe the answer is obvious to you guys that do idk

it starts out with me trying to make a guard for the first time the other day out of micarta (figured it would be easier than the 316 i got for a first guard) and needless to say it went badly. I admit most of the reason was my impatience and most of the impatience stemming from my stupid needle file set. they have come in handy before but they just dont seem to fit the job very well and this takes me to my question how would you go about finding files larger than needle files but small enough for the job?

I usually dont post much but i havnt been able to find anything any help is appreciated
 
I get all my files from Amazon.com. The stuff they are selling in the borg stores nowadays is borderline junk. Simonds, Pferd, Grobet, Iwasaki.....great files. USA made Nicholson files, too, if you can find them. No Mexico or Brazil Nicholson files....they're crappy files.
 
I know exactly what you are talking about. I bought a 4" Grobet file at Blade show from (I think) Hawkins and it is the perfect size at least for the size slots I make for my guards. It was very reasonably priced for a Grobet file. I will note I just looked on their website and did not find the file I bought listed there.

If you can find some old Nicholson needle files they work great also. Corey the Synthsis from this site very kindly gave me some and they are great also.
 
Mforge, I'm pretty sure the OP has needle files now and needs some mo bigger files. andrewh, I would look on the internet, any of the knife supply vendors, like USA Knifemaker will have some good files, I also stay away from Nicholson nowadays because a lot (most) of their files are junk now, not mfg in US. I would look for NOS (new old stock) if I was gonna buy a Nicholson. You can find a lot of good files on that mythical bay, or that big river if you look around--I recently bought a dozen 'Baiter' files off of the bay, they are Swiss made and I have been quite happy with them. Good files are worth the money, you use little else as often for as wide a variety of tasks.

Good Luck finding some files and moving forward with your projects.

Edited to add, be sure and get some handles for your files!
 
Just for clarification. The 4" Grohbet file I was referring to is not a needle file, it is wider and thicker and will remove some real steel, but is thin enough to fit in a guard slot once you get it roughed out some.
 
Thank you all three of you i think i found the file you are talking about M forge the top one on this page http://www.contenti.com/products/files/230-174-2_0.html by the dimensions i think it should work

tell you the truth i never thought to look on a knifemakers site lol these precision files they have look like should do nicely http://www.knifemaking.com/product-p/hf3010.htm do any of you guys have experience with these

between the two i like the sound of the Grobet just because ive heard only good things about them but these others (Habilis) shouldnt be to bad if there on jantz??

but getting away from this particular size of files i do want to buy some NOS files on ebay i saw some pretty good deals and i need a half round still
 
I picked up a bunch of smaller files made by Bahco to round out the file collection of larger Nicholsons. I used 3 of the round and round tapers today and am really pleased. They are super nice, consistent and have many different cuts per file shape. I would highly suggest looking at them.
 
Andrewh, I don't personally have experience with the file you found at Jantz, but it does look good. I can tell you for certain that Grobet files are excellent. I wouldn't be afraid to try either of those files you put a link to.
 
Andrew, those files should work very well. The one I bought was a flat file, The only way I can describe it is it's a 4" flat file. Just like my larger files only since it is 4" it is proportionately thinner and more narrow.
 
thanks guys i think im going to go ahead and buy a couple of grobets if you go to the page before the half round they have a pretty large selection http://www.contenti.com/products/files/full-size-files.html

a lot of those file name ive never even heard before i think ive got some reading to do lol i was thinking the "pillar files" or the "narrow pillar files" idk yet

as i was reading through they said diamond files are for extra hard materiel will they work for hardened steel and will the hard steel wear them out faster?
 
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