Were to buy file guides, or plans to make them

Get uncle Al or Bruce Bump. Don't waste your time with the guides usaknifemaker sales. They are inaccurate and do not have carbide faces.
 
Schleifstein said:
How about to old worn out flat files, bolted together? they'd be tougher than mild steel and way less expensive than carbide. Would have to grind them flat on two adjacent faces.

[edit] Actually, I would use the old files as face plates attached to a mild steel file guide. You need the rigidity of the thicker pieces.
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Drilling the bolt holes might be problematic. Maybe if you used mild steel and JB Welded the file to the face. You could leave the mild steel a bit longer than the file. On second thought, this file trick might leave marks on you knife that aren't easy to get out.
 
The plus side of getting a Bubble Jig; you get a file guide, a bevel grinding clamp and an accurate tool that lets you grind precision bevels with matching plunge lines and its half the cost of a file guide alone. Check us out; we have a solid rep. world wide.

DSC00867.JPG
 
I have one of Bruce Bumps file guides and it is VERY well made. It's worthy every penny and I believe that they are making a stainless steel model. ...Teddy
 
Schleifstein said:
How about to old worn out flat files, bolted together? they'd be tougher than mild steel and way less expensive than carbide. Would have to grind them flat on two adjacent faces.

[edit] Actually, I would use the old files as face plates attached to a mild steel file guide. You need the rigidity of the thicker pieces.
Click to expand...

I couldn't let it go. So, I whipped up a new file guide last night (above design). I'll post some pics soon. Materials came super cheap.
 
rscoffey said:
Drilling the bolt holes might be problematic. Maybe if you used mild steel and JB Welded the file to the face. You could leave the mild steel a bit longer than the file. On second thought, this file trick might leave marks on you knife that aren't easy to get out.
Click to expand...

That's almost exactly what I did :) plus drill pressing the bolt holes. Will have pics soon. Also, I left a gap between the scrap file faces and the clamping face of each guide bar. The old files won't touch my blades that way.
 
I am using one of Bruce Bump's 3" stainless file guides. It's a little pricey for what it is, but I'm glad I have it. It's a bit heavy and takes some getting used to when grinding, but it has helped me with establishing my plunge lines. Highly recommended if you have the money.

Adam Buttry

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Schleifstein said:
I couldn't let it go. So, I whipped up a new file guide last night (above design). I'll post some pics soon. Materials came super cheap.
Click to expand...

I spent about $10 on materials, but most of you should have this stuff laying around. When I get off my day job today I'll go grind the faces flat and parallel while it's all bolted up.

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First off, I know this thread is old... but the content seems to have been revived. ;)

I own an Uncle Al carbide guide, and also have a large one with a couple extra features that I made. Before that I used the old style guide from Al that uses 2 large pieces of hardened A2 for the body. Before that, I did all the stuff mentioned in this thread--- clamping old planer knives onto a blade, mild steel that had to be reground all the time, even a guide made from ATS-34 that never worked right (because I didn't know what the hell I was doing when I made it!).



So with that in mind... my 2 cents is to buy one from Uncle Al at Riverside Machine or one from the Bruce Bump shop. :)



Folks always want to balk about the price of these, but if they priced out the steel, carbide strips, precision dowel pins, bolts, time to square and surface grind the steel body, mill out the cavity for the carbide, drill/ream/tap for the pins and bolts.... They'd realize the asking price is more than fair.... especially for a tool that will last longer than any of us will. ;) :)

And don't forget to factor in the years those two shops have spent making high quality work, that allows them to machine parts for a guide that actually comes together parallel/true time after time.

The idea of just clamping two hard objects on either side of the blade will work to an extent, but you're going to spend a lot of time fiddling with them to get them lined up/parallel. Or, if you don't get them lined up, then there isn't much point in having any sort of guide over just free-handing/eye-balling it. (Which is okay too! But this thread is about guides :) ).
 
NickWheeler said:
First off, I know this thread is old... but the content seems to have been revived. ;)

I own an Uncle Al carbide guide, and also have a large one with a couple extra features that I made. Before that I used the old style guide from Al that uses 2 large pieces of hardened A2 for the body. Before that, I did all the stuff mentioned in this thread--- clamping old planer knives onto a blade, mild steel that had to be reground all the time, even a guide made from ATS-34 that never worked right (because I didn't know what the hell I was doing when I made it!).



So with that in mind... my 2 cents is to buy one from Uncle Al at Riverside Machine or one from the Bruce Bump shop. :)



Folks always want to balk about the price of these, but if they priced out the steel, carbide strips, precision dowel pins, bolts, time to square and surface grind the steel body, mill out the cavity for the carbide, drill/ream/tap for the pins and bolts.... They'd realize the asking price is more than fair.... especially for a tool that will last longer than any of us will. ;) :)

And don't forget to factor in the years those two shops have spent making high quality work, that allows them to machine parts for a guide that actually comes together parallel/true time after time.

The idea of just clamping two hard objects on either side of the blade will work to an extent, but you're going to spend a lot of time fiddling with them to get them lined up/parallel. Or, if you don't get them lined up, then there isn't much point in having any sort of guide over just free-handing/eye-balling it. (Which is okay too! But this thread is about guides :) ).
Click to expand...


Plus the diamond grinding wheel for the surface grinder, a $20 wheel just won't cut carbide.



Unless you've already got all those goodies, making just one isn't worth it.
 
Bought one from Bruce, It's accurate, stainless and worth the money. I'm thinking of buying another one, just in case.....
 
NickWheeler said:
First off, I know this thread is old... but the content seems to have been revived. ;)

I own an Uncle Al carbide guide, and also have a large one with a couple extra features that I made. Before that I used the old style guide from Al that uses 2 large pieces of hardened A2 for the body. Before that, I did all the stuff mentioned in this thread--- clamping old planer knives onto a blade, mild steel that had to be reground all the time, even a guide made from ATS-34 that never worked right (because I didn't know what the hell I was doing when I made it!).



So with that in mind... my 2 cents is to buy one from Uncle Al at Riverside Machine or one from the Bruce Bump shop. :)



Folks always want to balk about the price of these, but if they priced out the steel, carbide strips, precision dowel pins, bolts, time to square and surface grind the steel body, mill out the cavity for the carbide, drill/ream/tap for the pins and bolts.... They'd realize the asking price is more than fair.... especially for a tool that will last longer than any of us will. ;) :)

And don't forget to factor in the years those two shops have spent making high quality work, that allows them to machine parts for a guide that actually comes together parallel/true time after time.

The idea of just clamping two hard objects on either side of the blade will work to an extent, but you're going to spend a lot of time fiddling with them to get them lined up/parallel. Or, if you don't get them lined up, then there isn't much point in having any sort of guide over just free-handing/eye-balling it. (Which is okay too! But this thread is about guides :) ).
Click to expand...


I definitely want a Bruce guide; that thing is sweet. I just need something to fill the need until I have the money. I did just drop $$$ on other gear and there's not gonna be much left over for a while. After i sell the next batch of knives, then I'll probably get the Bruce. In the mean time, this was a fun little project and I love to tinker.
 
Schleifstein- I started my post and got called away before finishing it... just want you to know that I wasn't directing my post at you. :)

Just for kicks, here's my guide from Uncle Al along with the one I made. I like to tinker too :)

file guide 1.jpg file guide 3.jpg
 
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