Where to get a good filing jig?

S

shane justice

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May 12, 2003
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I own two filing jigs.

One from Uncle Al...it seems to work ok...unless my flats are not exactly parallel to one another. Then it torques and twist enough to make the shoulders cut at an angle. It's a good product...but it took a while to get the hang of it.

The other is from Sheffield...it is the kind that is basically two parallel bars of steel with a couple of bolts holding the blade in place. It seemed to work ok, until I realized the steel of the jig was being removed along witht he steel from the blade. Seemed counterproductive.

Does anybody have a jig that works well? Know where one can be got?

Thanks,

SHane
 
Mine came from K&G (or Koval?) and is of the latter type you mentioned.It is hardened steel and does not file away.Of course you don't put it on the grinder.I file the shoulders after profiling,and touch them up before HT.I have a diamond file I use to clean them up after HT (and to make last adjustments when fitting the guard).
If your jig is getting filed away you could re-flatten it on a surface plate with sandpaper.You can make your own jig from two pieces of 3/4" wide by 1/4" thick 1095 or 5160.Drill and tap the holes before HT and use hardened bolts.Temper the steel after HT at 400.
A great tip on soldered guards is -when filing the seat,after all is parallel,take about three good strokes on each side of the flat side of the tang (from seat to seat) using the jig as a guide.This creates a minute (about .005 -.01") shoulder .It is not enough to create a stress problem on the blade,but the solder will run along this channel and will make the prettiest seam.It also allows for the guard slot to be .01-.02 smaller than the blade,thus making a snugger joint at the solder line on the ricasso (assuming that your tang has a slight taper and you file a good slot).
Stacy
 
Ok Stacy. Thanks for the good advice. H*ell of a good presentation of technique...that last 1/4 inch always kills me...

I'll keep at it...

Anybody else got a good source for a jig?
Shane
 
bladsmth said:
Mine came from K&G (or Koval?) and is of the latter type you mentioned.It is hardened steel and does not file away............
Stacy
Click to expand...
I have the same type. I got it from Koval.
Riverside machine has one the same, but it's twice+ the $$.:eek:

http://www.kovalknives.com/home.htm

BTW, Koval calls it a file guide when you are finally able to get to their complete index.
 
:D I do that too Stacy on the thicker blade tangs :cool:

I made mine out of O1 and welded then at a right angle and milled
and slot in the top and milled it at 90deg's
H/T'ed HARD the I just line up the blade where I want it and clamp it up in the vise using rubber jaw protectors..simple, works fast and easy..
 
I also try getting close enough so you don't need to do either
but that will cover up some extra space and make life easier if you over shoot by a tad.
zero clearance is a press fit. and with zero clearance and a little heat
you can do wonders. also if you do go over just a tag you can tighten up things by peening the edges in some then re fit and resurface again.
can save a lot of filing if doing it by hand. been there done it :)
 
I have one from Milton Choate. It's hard as hell and so shouldn't suffer from the files themselves. It's supposed to be good for filing the shoulders and also to help filing the slot in a guard. I say should be because I've never used it. I figure I should be able to accomplish these tasks on the mill. Milton sells these things at all the knife shows. He calls them a Poor Man's Mill. I've thought of selling it, what do you guys think, will I use it some day?

John
 
Keep it,someday you will need to trim up a shoulder,and won't want to set up the mill.
 
Mike-

I know a guy with the one from Koval... well, it's from Koval, maybe not the same one you have... but anyway, I have the one from Al... and I would pay 4 times as much judging by the quality of the one from Al vs. the one from Koval. Al's is made from two THICK pieces of A2 at around 64Rc, press fit guide pins and it's all machined flat and square.


Shane-

I think it's pretty hard to beat the one from Al. Just put your blade in it and then check it with the broad side of something like a machinist square, 1-2-3 block, something like that that's wide and FLAT.

Hold it up to the light and make sure you have both side of the jig dead square.

File the shoulders in.

Then hold the whole deal up to the light again, and run the FLAT block over it again... if it catches at all, do some more clean-up.

I file, and then go over it with a piece of precision ground steel and 220x paper. This gets if flat and smooth... just right for the guard joint.

I don't solder anymore, I do a super tight press fit and seal it with something like JB weld or silicone. If it's tight, there will be no sealant showing... it's just to seal the joint, not hide it.

Just my $0.02 :)
-Nick-
 
Dang...this thread has taught me a bunch!

Like I said I use one from Al..it is the one with a hardened faceplate and the body is made from separate pieces of aluminium...you can use it for round fixtures too.
I think the one you guys are favoring is the Milling jig he offers...I don't mind paying the extra for getting extra...the Sheffield one sucks...(BTW when I called them...the guy said..."What do you want for $23 bucks and hung up on me...)

Al's jig is a good product and I have no gripes...When my sides aren't parallel it will tweak the aluminum just a hair...and then the shoulders are cattywampus....

Looks like I need one of them flat blocks...and some more bench time...

BYW...Stacy, What kind of diamond file? Forgot to ask.

JMXCPTR..."Never sell your tools."

Dan, is there a place where I can see your jig? Like on one of your tutorial dealies? I think I saw one like that before...can't remeber where.

A tight fit is a tight fit...a poor fit cannot be hid nor plugged from the critical eye. It's where we prolly all look first when we pick up a knife...and one of the things that will usually make us look longer. my dos pesos...that's why I am working so damned hard to get it right.

Shane

Thanks again for everybody's help...
 
Oh, sorry Shane... I didn't realize that you have the one with the V-jaws for doing round-stock (i.e. integrals).

The one I have is a few years old, and is simply two rectangular pieces of A2 with two bolts and two guide pins.

I've never used that one you have, so I shouldn't have commented, sorry :)

-Nick- :D

http://www.wheelerknives.com
 
shane justice said:
Dan, is there a place where I can see your jig? Like on one of your tutorial dealies? I think I saw one like that before...can't remeber where.
...
Click to expand...
Shane
remind me thusday and I'll post a picture of it
I'll be out most of the time till then, dang doctor visits :grumpy:
 
My jig is like the one most of you described but my files have bit into its surface too. It's just not hard enough. I broke the first one overtightening it around a knife the first time I tried to use it, so the softer version is probably a good deal for me. I'll take the time to flaten it up once in a while, that's a good idea.

bladsmth said:
A great tip on soldered guards is -when filing the seat,after all is parallel,take about three good strokes on each side of the flat side of the tang (from seat to seat) using the jig as a guide.This creates a minute (about .005 -.01") shoulder .It is not enough to create a stress problem on the blade,but the solder will run along this channel and will make the prettiest seam.It also allows for the guard slot to be .01-.02 smaller than the blade,thus making a snugger joint at the solder line on the ricasso (assuming that your tang has a slight taper and you file a good slot).
Stacy
Click to expand...
That's another good idea Stacy! Dang, that's the kind of stuff I want to remember when I'm down there trying to fit up a guard. Maybe I'll copy that off and print it on some fancy paper to hang over my vise so I don't forget! :D

And Nick, one of these days I'm going to achieve a press fit too - I really am. I mean it. :rolleyes: Some things are so easy to buy into and so hard to accomplish...

Good thread, thanks.
 
I'd lose it if I printed it out...maybe a forearms tattoo? :D

Dave,
I couldn't believe it when my jig showed file marks...

I have lusted for a mill for a long time..but have always believed it better to learn it the hard way first. Plus a mill is a whole new set of wats to prarque things up...Right?

It may be time to take advandtage of my local college ed program to get some machining classes....and learn how to peak in thousandths....

SHane
 
Just a side note-

I've got a mill, but I still use the filing fixture to put in the guard shoulders. I just think it's faster/easier to put the blade in the fixture, get the exact angle to the blade you want (or DON'T want ;) ) and file away.

The nice thing about carbon steel is you can just heat the ricasso with a torch to a nice blue a couple times and file away (you knew that already though!).

-Nick-
 
Geez you guys. Use a file with a safe face to keep from damaging the jig/guide so much.;)

I only use mine for guard shoulders, but often mill them with an end mill that has a 15 degree radius on the corner, to eliminate the possibility of stress risers in that area.:eek:
 
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