- Joined
- Mar 1, 2011
- Messages
- 273
This subject was under discussion in the "Mod'ing the CS Trailhawk" thread in the Hawk & Axe sub-forum and I thought I might make a new thread for the discussion instead of clogging up a pre-existing thread with a side discussion. . .
I took an impromptu filing class with one of the retired toolmakers from our shop since hand filing doesn't get much attention in our apprenticeship anymore. . .there was a small group of us that wanted to change that so we approached the retired toolmaker about giving us a class and he was more than happy to oblige.
First off, here's a basic primer on files from Nicholson files. . .a good start covering the different types of files and there uses as well as a bit of history. . .
http://www.evenfallstudios.com/woodworks_library/nicholson_guide_to_filing_2006.pdf
The above document shows two different ways to hold a file based on the type of filing you are doing (standard filing vs. draw filing). . .this is one area where our instructor (Ron) disagreed, he doesn't like to hold the file that way, but what he did say was that it was more important that the manner in which you are holding the file is comfortable and allows you good control and dexterity of the file.
Most of what we did were hands on exercises that are difficult to put into words in such a way that it would be useful to a reader, but one that I can explain and that would be useful to the knife maker would be creating radii using ahand file.
Creating A Radiused Edge Using A Hand File
The first step is to file 45* angle on the edge to be radiused, next break that 45* angle by filing an ~22.5* angle on both edges of the 45*. Now you are ready to create the radius.
Ron said that he sees many mechanics and even veteran toolmakers going about this incorrectly. . .he sees most people go about this by pushing the file away from them and going from the near side of the work up and over the top of the edge. . .the correct way to do this is to start with the file on the top of the work, push the file away from you while rolling the file down over the edge and onto the near side of the work. . .
. . .by using this method we were all able to create 1/4" radii on workpieces in about 2 minutes with finishes that were much better than what you would get using a corner rounding cutter in a mill, were spot on checking them against a radius gauge, and they were achieved much quicker than having to set the work up in a mill!
I will try and take some pictures to better illustrate this and maybe figure out how to adequately explain some of the techniques we were shown.
I took an impromptu filing class with one of the retired toolmakers from our shop since hand filing doesn't get much attention in our apprenticeship anymore. . .there was a small group of us that wanted to change that so we approached the retired toolmaker about giving us a class and he was more than happy to oblige.
First off, here's a basic primer on files from Nicholson files. . .a good start covering the different types of files and there uses as well as a bit of history. . .
http://www.evenfallstudios.com/woodworks_library/nicholson_guide_to_filing_2006.pdf
The above document shows two different ways to hold a file based on the type of filing you are doing (standard filing vs. draw filing). . .this is one area where our instructor (Ron) disagreed, he doesn't like to hold the file that way, but what he did say was that it was more important that the manner in which you are holding the file is comfortable and allows you good control and dexterity of the file.
Most of what we did were hands on exercises that are difficult to put into words in such a way that it would be useful to a reader, but one that I can explain and that would be useful to the knife maker would be creating radii using ahand file.
Creating A Radiused Edge Using A Hand File
The first step is to file 45* angle on the edge to be radiused, next break that 45* angle by filing an ~22.5* angle on both edges of the 45*. Now you are ready to create the radius.
Ron said that he sees many mechanics and even veteran toolmakers going about this incorrectly. . .he sees most people go about this by pushing the file away from them and going from the near side of the work up and over the top of the edge. . .the correct way to do this is to start with the file on the top of the work, push the file away from you while rolling the file down over the edge and onto the near side of the work. . .
. . .by using this method we were all able to create 1/4" radii on workpieces in about 2 minutes with finishes that were much better than what you would get using a corner rounding cutter in a mill, were spot on checking them against a radius gauge, and they were achieved much quicker than having to set the work up in a mill!
I will try and take some pictures to better illustrate this and maybe figure out how to adequately explain some of the techniques we were shown.
