Best brand / supplier of files

Just had a flat bastard file get dull on me after a fairly short life of filing only mild steel and brass. Looking through my file draw I probably need to replace a few other files.

Anyone got a recomendation for a particular seller or maker of files?

Sorry if this is teaching granny to suck eggs here. I sometimes forget the things my old dad told me and files need to be hung and not slung in a draw… keep em clean, Card/ chalk em. Try and keep two one for Non- and another for ferocious so it really bites… I am sure you will get better answers. Files to some degree are expendables like these new great indexable tips for lathe tools. I have files that were my dad's and some i have picked up at shows and they are good as each other.

M

The well known Swiss brand of Axminster tools but being swiss they are not so hefty as stubbs. They do cut well though.

John

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Should be able to find Vallorbe from several sources, Proops usually have a good range at the shows

+1 for Vallorbe

Files don't get much better than theirs.

Downloadable info here

MichaelG.

Vallorbe are the ones that Axminster stock. I can never remember the name. They are nice and sharp. Bastard cut though - never used it even though I spent around 5 month on a bench learning to file and removing some really serious amounts of metal. Wish I still could. Second cut other than smaller sizes. I don't think bastard is really suitable for mild steel. My father used to have some about for wood - ex bench fitter amongst other things. The school I went to used 1st cut for finishing wood edges - in a grooved holder to straighten them. Stubbs files were curved so that the flattened when the correct working pressure was applied. Going on the ones I have Vallorbe don't do that. I bought 2nd cut and they feel as expected.

John

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I line the drawer and keep them all apart so they dont break each others teeth. Gonna try that idea of keeping different files for different materials though.

Vallorbe certainly seem to be a favourite. What about Peter Stubs? Noticed some "new old stock" available on the internet. I feel like I know of them but I can't quite remember.

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A once great name **LINK**

But I have a suspicion that quality started to decline after WW2

... If they are very old stock, definitely buy them; otherwise, I'm not sure.

MichaelG.

Nicholson is also very good. Niko.

Heard some grumbling about Nicholson because it shifted manufacture to Brazil. Might just be the generic knee jerk reaction that happens whenever something gets moved out the US. Had one but I never truly new how good it was cause I accidentally used it on hardened steel.

Also before mentioned Stub files were apparently bought from the company when it shut down in the 1990s. No super glorious files there then.

Don't forget that you can sharpen them. See RE GENERATED FILES on this forum on how to do it, also SHARPENING FILES.

**LINK**

BobH

Most of my files are either Nicholson, or Wiltshire, I'v had no problems with them, have not bought any lately, so I don't know what's on the market here these days, my local second hand dealer sometimes has new or near new files with a price under $NZ10.

Ian S C

Most files at shows seem to be in boxes without separation of one from the other. AVOID.

BAHCO, Vallorbe and Nicholson for me. Still using some Stubbs needle files given to me 50 years ago, almost as good as new.

My first job with a file was an around 4" cube of mild steel that finished up at just under a 2" cube with dice dots on it. I'd hate to do any job like that with anything other than a Stub's file. This was well past WW2. I don't think anybody used any other brand in the UK for serious work. Swiss brands sometimes came into riflers and needle files.

It's easy to spot a real Stubs file - run your finger over it and it will feel very sharp. Oddly they remove metal more efficiently after some use. The only problem really is the need to be pretty fit and strong to make good use of them. A few weeks of 8hr a day filing soon does that and blisters turn into calluses. I did buy some used ones that were supposed to be ok. They were well worn out.

The curve in them allows things to be worked flat with light pressure. It's also there so that the file flattens when used correctly. That aspect is unique as far as I am aware.

They also made silver steel. Sizes were always very close and it worked well.

One odd thing is that I'm always inclined to spell it with a double b. No idea why. It might come from looking for silver steel and some one trying to make use of the name.

John

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Gona buy some Stubs since when they are gone they are gone. If they turn out to be crappy I can get Valorbe or Nicholson fairly easily. Pferd suppliers appear to be elusive.

I was going to use the old files for tooling (I hear carbon steel can leave a better finish than HSS) but I might try that acid sharpening on some of the better ones. Nice link