Metalworking files - Guidance required please

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... and more recently I observed a demonstration by a watchmaker who was filing a square on a winding shaft: He had already prepared the [Vallorbe] file by grinding and polishing the safe-edge to a mirror finish, and he cleaned the file about every three strokes as the work proceeded.

MichaelG.

I always thought that not throwing away blunt files meant you ended up with a huge collection of blunt files that fooled you in to thinking you had a file when you didn't

If you think some of those files are expensive , try Liogier hand cut rasps which i have a couple .(around 60-150 euros each).

I have a couple of Auriou as well which also werent cheap, the course teeth ones are good on aluminium). I found them fantastic to use on wood which is what i use them for but the expense led me to make my own small ones ,hand cut with a punch from gauge plate.

I also have several of the vallorbe /grobet in very fine teeth size for use on sterling silver . Also very good but small teeth gum up extremely quickly on soft metals.

Corradi(italian machine made files and rasps), is another brand that seem to get good reviews from people i know.

One of my attempts at rasps:

Edited By mark smith 20 on 10/11/2017 10:41:21

Great advice, thanks. I've plumped on a Sandvik Ergo set; I've been trying to go for the best I can afford but my budget isn't bottomless. Their reviews both here and elsewhere seem quite promising. That's not to say I won't top up the collection with one or two individual files where required if any of these don't cut it. As for the storage tips thats great advice; I'll sort out some seperated storage in order to make sure they don't get damaged.

Thanks all,

Jon.

Hi

It seems to be accepted wisdom that one should use a new file first on brass, and then relegate it to use on steel once it has lost its initial sharpness.

Where, if anywhere, does use on alloy or plastics come in this sequence?

Rod

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Hard Aluminium alloys, and most plastics are fairly harmless [but obviously beware composite materials].

Soft alloys, and mild steel, tend to 'pin' the file, and it is the cleaning process that does most damage.

Hard steels simply wear the teeth.

File teeth for Brass need a sharp edge ['though not necessarily a very acute angle] to cut properly ... With blunt edges, the file will skid over the surface.

That's my story anyway ... I welcome other opinions.

MichaelG.

You need to watch ebay. I managed to buy some boxes of Stubbs files for my workshop!

this is how I've stored my files. I just used 1 1/4" waste pipe cut to 3 different lengths, stick together with expanding foam and cobble together a box to go round it.

I recently bought a few Feterai from Arc Eurotrade. Best "fine cut " files I have ever used.

Some Vallorbe have disappointed as have most Bahco and Draper.

Like vintageengineer I have been fortunate in finding NOS Stubbs files in auctions, and cannot fault them.

The most useful file in my kit is an 8" safe edge Millenicut - but beware, as some Ebay sellers offer files of suspect quality.

3D printed needle file rack. IIRC a few stubs and 1 or 2 Vallorbe in there... mostly Draper and obscure names. The 3D printed handles off thingiverse are great, I now have many more:

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Come on chaps ... Sunday morning is a good time for alternative hypotheses

MichaelG.

May I add a reference to the file known as " The Farmers Friend", this is a one piece flat file with handle incorporated, 2 safe edges, no teeth on half inch of forward end to allow 2 handed grip without getting splinters, it is fine toothed & more importantly single cut, made for sharpening unhardened garden tools etc. However in the engineering world very useful for drawfiling, deburring & so forth. Single cut means you don't get what looks like the coarse knurling produced by cross cut teeth, used on the lathe also good results, removing fine slivers when trimming bolts & screws massacred by hacksaw. Mandatory health & safety note, I make no apologies for being left handed, when using on the lathe therefore, left hand on handle, right hand on front end, entire body positioned to right of job, not in front of it with left arm arched over danger area as I have seen some folk do. This technology is available at a car boot sale near you for about 20 pence a time, cheers.

Bob

I wouldn't buy a set to be honest. I do have a set and pretty much 95% of the time just use the flat No.2. I don't think I've ever used the rat tail. An exception is the CK branded needle files, I use most of them, though again, the round file doesn't get used much.

Steve

Does anyone know where to buy triangular needle files, such as are used for opening the holes in clock and watch hands ( about 21/2 inches long ) I can only get round and square. they don't seem to make threesquare

Roy

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Roy,

These may be too large [in both size and price] but Walsh seems a good place to start.

**LINK**

https://www.hswalsh.com/product/escapement-file-threesquare-tf93

MichaelG.

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... taking good care of my old needle files

Or ARC, not tried the triangular but bought the half round and round ones which work fine.

**LINK**

Mark, Michael and Jason All these files are about 5 to 6 inches long I asked for 2 1/2 inch

Non of the clock material houses seem to stock threesquare

Thanks anyway Roy

Do you mean 2 1/2 " blade or overall length? The blades on many needle files are only 2 1/2" and about 5 1/2" or 6" overall.

The valorbe escapement files as far as i know are smaller than normal needle files they are listed at 55mm long whereas the regular needle files are listed at 160mm long.

Such as https://www.shesto.co.uk/brands/vallorbe/vallorbe-le3014-55-6-escapement-file-three-square-6-cut/

Though the sizing on various sites is highly confusing

Edited By mark smith 20 on 12/11/2017 15:54:14

Edited By mark smith 20 on 12/11/2017 15:54:45

Edited By mark smith 20 on 12/11/2017 15:58:22

Pferd make superb files, spendy but superb. I've had some for years and they still give a good cut. Nicholson USED to be great files, not keen on the newer version.