Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
File questions
JL
>I now have a drawer full of files and rasps. Some of them have a bit of rust. How do I deal with the rust and prevent it from happening again?
Another question is I have a number of files that are "pie wedge" shaped in cross-section. They are "round" or radiused on one side and taper to the other side. What the heck are they? I have heard of half-round, flat, triangular and round files, but I don't know what to call these (or what they are really used for).
Re: File questions *LINK*
John Aniano in NJ...
>Hello JL (?),
Get them cleaned and sharpened by Boggs Tool. They do a great job (my opinion) on even the finest of files (#6 cut). The link to Boggs is below in green.
The pie-shaped file with the rounded end I once used for sharpening circular saws, the pre-carbide ones. The rounded portion did the gullets and the rest of the file did, well, the rest of the tooth configurations. Peter Taran's excellent website says they are called a "Great American Pattern Saw File" and also says "Designed to sharpen two and one man crosscut saws...". His Vintage Saws link is:
http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=sawcare&right=/file/file.html
Over and out,
Re: File questions
Jim in Burlington Ontario
>I just give them a real good brushing with a fine wire brush made for files and a quick squirt of topcoat.
Re: File questions - thanks
JL
>That would explain why so many of them. My stepfather had a lot of circular saw blades (as he was a construction carpenter). He probably had them on hand to do touch up to his saw blades.
possible cheaper shipping
bill tindall
>Shipping file can be costly.
If you live in east there is a place in Ohio that does sharpening..File Sharpening Co 1 800 828 8298
I have used them successfully.
Re: File questions - many thanks
JL
>I guess I can bundle up a bunch and send them away. I will check to see if they do rasps also.
Re: possible cheaper shipping
William Duffield, on the Cohansey
>Files will fit in a USPS Priority Mail box that you can get for free and assemble yourself at the P.O. They will ship as many files as you can stuff in the box anywhere in the U.S. for $7.70. There is no weight restriction. You could fill it with a block of steel for the same price.
When you ship them, simply wrap them individually in a sheet of newspaper and secure with scotch tape.
He probably had so many of them because he didn't throw the old ones away. Of course, even without a good sharpening service available to him, he probably knew the file steel was useful for all sorts of other toolmaking tasks. Saw steel dulls files in a hurry.
Re: possible cheaper shipping
Ernie Miller Topeka
>Aren't them boxes great! I shiped the head off that dummy round yesterday and it weighed 28 pounds I saved the buyer almost $12 Yah you can ship alot of files in one of them for little $
Re: File questions - many thanks
JL
>Rasps, files of every description - "Just send them, we'll open an account..". Prices are reasonable $1-3 for most files and rasps. The one guy I talked to is a real enthusiast. Doesn't matter if they are rusty, if the files are too pitted, they will get rid of them and not charge you for services - but if you want them back they will charge.
thanks for that tip
bill tindall
>Clearly I need to visit a post office more often and see what they sell. Last time I mailed files to Ohio it cost $15.