The file thread

killa_concept said:
I looked them up and everything I've read seems to say they're made in Germany? Either way, it beats Simonds and Nicholson's business practices. Do you have any experience with their Mill Bastards by any chance? Are they durable and of good (58+ hrc) hardness? And you mentioned cost, but their 12"ers seem to be pretty reasonably priced at $14.. only $2 more than a Nicholson. Am I looking at the wrong item?
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Whoops! My mistake. Germany it is. Yes the smaller models are very reasonably priced. I've mostly had experience with their farrier's rasps which are a hefty price difference vs. Nicholson/Black Diamond ones. F. Dick makes very nice files and rasps from what I've heard, including specialty ones. But they're a bit hard to find in the US to my understanding. I'm set up with F. Dick's USA distribution but they only import their culinary/butcher's knives--not any of their files or farrier equipment. Boo.
 
hostileuniverse said:
People with no understanding of economics...

Those files from BOTH companies were going to stop being made here regardless, the only question is if they would continue to be made at all. The business costs associated with running a factory here are staggering, and they continue to rise much faster than a company can justify marking up their product. Don't be so quick to blame the company, blame the politicians who don't know or care about what it takes to run a business.

My 2 cents
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I don't see how my comment in any way suggests a poor understanding of economics, aside from the fact that I lumped in "operating costs" with "labor" - which I personally don't feel is too horrendous an offense... let alone one that merits a personal attack.

There's a plethora of reasons that makes outsourcing a very favorable move for companies - and politicians are hardly the only ones at blame. Wage rates haven't really been keeping up with the cost of living or inflation, meaning most people don't have as high of disposable income and that money tends to buy less than it used to. It's made the majority of consumers much more frugal in their spending. That in turn makes companies very frugal in their overall production costs as it directly impacts their potential net profit. It's a viscous cycle. If you want my honest opinion on the issue, it ultimately comes down to the rich wanting to get richer by making the poor poorer and this is just some of the fallout from a dwindling middle class in a quickly expanding globalized market.

But that's not what we're discussing here now is it? You say not to be so quick to blame the company, but let me ask you this: who's choice is it ultimately to outsource jobs regardless what factors bring the decision about? ...Exactly. And it's my right as a consumer to spend my money as I see fit for whatever reason I deem appropriate. Whilst the vast majority of people would prefer to spend as little as possible regardless the circumstance (and that's a big motivating factor in outsourcing: lower production costs > lower prices > more sales > better net profit), I personally prefer to let a little thing called ethics shape my decisions as well. I'm hardly a big earner, being all of 22 years old and working grocery.. but budget allowing, I'd prefer to make purchases from local and ethical companies. I don't just wear American Apparel and own a Chrome bag for the style... or buy food locally because it's hip.. Or EDC a Kershaw Leek just because I like the design. It's because I care enough to try and keep my hard earned dollars within the community and not support people and companies who believe in (be it directly or indirectly) an exploitative globalized market.


I'm sorry to derail this thread so terribly, but to bring this back all onto topic:
Were I to walk into a hardware store needing an axe and a file, I'd pick the Council Tool or Estwing over the No-Name Chinese axe regardless the price difference. And I would have time after time picked the Nicholson or Simonds over the No-Name file regardless of the price difference there as well. I understand the better majority of the population wouldn't, and I understand it was in those companies' best interest to outsource... but sadly, that choice (and it was a choice), means they won't be getting my business - as little a difference as it makes to their bottom line :rolleyes:
 
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you forgot to add "illuminati", "1%" and, "it's Bush's fault", just kidding man,

i use a Century half round 4 in 1 file, no idea where it's made, if it's crap I won't buy again
 
Here is what I use for a rasp. Its a Nicholson #49 secound cut pattern makers rasp. I have a #50 also it is a little smother than a 49 but clogs to much for my taste. same size teeth just that the 50 has more of them.
These are hand cut and just a joy to use. If you use a rasp alot get one and don't look back. Mine are made in USA so I really can't say what the new ones are like. If you picked this up you would never again use one of those rasps with real agressive teeth or a 4 in 1.
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I also follow the rasp up with a coarse file. I have several, these files never touch metal. It just don't work for both. I don't know that you could ware rasps and files like this out. Do more damage set them down on hard surfaces and banging them together than useing them. It cuts down on sanding to follow up with the file and those teeth are not to bad on those rasps.
I hate sanding:grumpy:.
 
I use a rasp like that and then follow up with the 4-in-hand to smooth things up. The one at the bottom of this photo is my most used rasp. It reads 'Arcade, USA' stamped in a horseshoe. The next two are old Adkins 'Silver Steel' rasps. The top one is a NOS Master Mechanic (made in USA) which has never kissed wood yet.

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I use a Grobet needle files. They cut quickly and smoothly. As for my larger files, I really like my Simonds Maxi-Sharp files. They come very sharp and stay sharp.
 
I use Nicholson 6&8 " mill bastards at work. Most of them are made in mexico. Pretty sure none are made in the ol Estados Unidos anymore. Also, I think most of them are now case-hardened.

I buy lots of old american files at flea markets for playing around with making knives with.

A new file (filing aluminum only- try to keep separate files for steel and al) will last me maybe 6-7 months, before its junk and I keep it just for lathe work.
 
At work our files are all mangled, people dragging on the pull stroke, not using the file card or chalk when filing aluminum so I get to try and clean out the teeth, it's really a shame.
I stayed late for an hour off the clock one evening and cleaned all the files, then took one home as payment, a small half round nicholson made in USA. Probably worth about 15 minutes of my work but I enjoyed it anyway, and saved myself a trip to the hardware store. I really need to store mine better though, garry3 is correct, you should never let them touch each other and get banged up on stuff, used and stored properly a file should last a good while.
As for rasps, I am really glad you guys brought them up, I have a 4 in hand and a couple other and they clog too easy, my cheap chinese one with pointy teeth is great, I am going to spend a little extra at lee valley and get a nice nicholson one.

Whoops just recognized that cheap chinese rasp on the lee valley site, it's Italian and really decently priced, I am going to get another one.
 
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