What Did You Sharpen Today?

Almost any file will seem 'no good' when it first meets the oxidation layer of an old axe. But you can start in one corner and slowly work your file through that layer. Then work out from there, lifting the oxidation layer with the slightly softer steel below the immediate surface.

If you find an axe that files reasonably well then test some of your old files against that.
 
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Drum4fun said:
I'll be honest... I have a hard time telling if a file is still good or isn't. Many times
my vision is not good enough to visualize the condition of the file grinding/cutting surface.
Thus , the pile of them continually grows.

Charles
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I find that the way a file feels in use tells me more about it than visual inspection. You can definitely feel if a file is cutting effectively or not.
 
I have always been hard on my tools...but loyal to them just the same:cool:

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jblyttle said:
I find that the way a file feels in use tells me more about it than visual inspection. You can definitely feel if a file is cutting effectively or not.
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Indeed. And try using it at different speeds and pressures. Sometimes you find a sweet spot for a certain axe at a certain pressure and feed rate.
 
crbnSteeladdict said:
Is it marketing ploy for Woodings-Verona's hard steel? :) "Our axes will eat your toughest bastard[...] files"
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That's beautiful lol!!
Certainly tougher than todays Nicholson's ;):D

Square_peg said:
How did it happen? Fall on the floor?
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Right!? It may as well have...I was just starting to get it to bite in good for me and CRACK/TWANG!
Of course I am sure I was giving it to heavy a hand and the handle was to small for the tang so...a couple things I knew going into it were a gamble.
Fortunately i have several new to me files courtesy of the Hanover Express to keep me in the game.:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Either a bad heat treat on that file or perhaps it was made from recycled steel that was not fully homogenized, having higher and lower carbon pockets in it. Heat treat may have been designed for the fully homogenized product.
 
Square_peg said:
Either a bad heat treat on that file or perhaps it was made from recycled steel that was not fully homogenized, having higher and lower carbon pockets in it. Heat treat may have been designed for the fully homogenized product.
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I dont know if or what you can see and decipher with the naked eye but I will say I was surprised to see the inner steel a light, milky color grey. Now that observation has no base for comparison, knowledge nor experience in metallurgy :D
Just odd I thought to myself as I was picking up the pieces and quickly thought next that I was lucky I didnt catch any of it in the face or eyes, but it just snapped it two:(
I will say one file in particular and NTM recently, the Nicholson Woodcraft out of Columbia, is a great and new goto addition to my file family. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 



I have been searching the last few years to put together a good set of timber framing chisels. This weekend I found the 1” and about a month ago the 3/4” and the 2” was a while back. But today I turned a hickory handle for the 1” and sharpened all three. I still want to find a few more sizes and maybe a 2” firmer and of course a slick around 3”-4” but this is a good start! These were sharpened up to my 8000 grit norton. Let’s just say there are a few bold spots on my arms now.
 
Regarding the question of "feel" if a file is cutting effectively or not--This is what I do: Take a new old stock file (I have boxes of these from 60+ years) or your best ever axe file, set it aside and only use it as a quality control file to judge all your other files. Get the axe you are about to sharpen set up, take a few strokes with your control file, then try your other files and compare them to this file. Do this when you remove the oxidation layer, do it again after removing the oxidation layer, do it if you hit a hard spot, etc. select the softest file that does a proper job on the axe at hand. This will save your better files for the axes that need them. The only down side is your control file (your very best file) will never again be used to sharpen an axe!
This took longer to tell than it takes to do each time I sharpen.
 
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Started with a Nicholson flat bastard and graduated to a Nicholson mill bastard.
It's coming along.

I am assuming this registered had at one point a drift pin drilled thru. Sad but cant think why else the hole thru the eye in one cheek and out the other
 
Old Axeman said:
Regarding the question of "feel" if a file is cutting effectively or not--This is what I do: Take a new old stock file (I have boxes of these from 60+ years) or your best ever axe file, set it aside and only use it as a quality control file to judge all your other files. Get the axe you are about to sharpen set up, take a few strokes with your control file, then try your other files and compare them to this file. Do this when you remove the oxidation layer, do it again after removing the oxidation layer, do it if you hit a hard spot, etc. select the softest file that does a proper job on the axe at hand. This will save your better files for the axes that need them. The only down side is your control file (your very best file) will never again be used to sharpen an axe!
This took longer to tell than it takes to do each time I sharpen.
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Good and valuable advise. High quality files are hard to come by now. It's a pity. We have the technology for greatness but the market lacks the will for greatness.
 
Miller-drift pins were required on competition axes in some timber sports events for crowd safety. At least this was true when I competed in the 70's and 80's for some major competitions. Don't know about today. Your axe may have been a competition axe at some time? I have never seen a working axe pined, too much work when you can just put another nail, screw, etc. to fix it.
 
Old Axeman said:
Miller-drift pins were required on competition axes in some timber sports events for crowd safety. At least this was true when I competed in the 70's and 80's for some major competitions. Don't know about today. Your axe may have been a competition axe at some time? I have never seen a working axe pined, too much work when you can just put another nail, screw, etc. to fix it.
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Thank you Old Axeman for shedding some light on that.
I agree, one or two nore nails should hold it:D. I find the possibility of it being in competions very intriguing and why/how has its journey brought it to the scrapyard? I am fortunate and happy to rescue it. If this axe could talk.
 
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