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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7,559 Likes: 249
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7,559 Likes: 249 |
I wouldnt mind seeing pictures of a striking file.
For holding sheet abrasives, I made some using decent hardwood. I just drilled a hole for the radius I wanted then cut through the middle of it with a band saw and left enough meat to form some sort of grip and way to steady the paper. They hold up for many years and dont scratch if it hits the work. For narrow spots, I use acrylic triangle stock for the backer. I consider them disposable, but they hold up good enough, and are easily cut to different lengths and reshaped as needed.
I have a few files that I ground off teeth to make safe files so they dont cut on one or two surfaces. The belt grinder will do it quickly, and keep them cool enough and pretty true.
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 151 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 151 Likes: 2 |
Think James Howe's "The Modern Gunsmith" shows striking files made from Vixen files. Chuck
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,081 Likes: 462
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,081 Likes: 462 |
drop point file, made from 1095, the teeth were cut with a 50 tpi checkering file.
Last edited by SKB; 06/12/20 05:24 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 260 Likes: 5
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 260 Likes: 5 |
I had a beval edged paring chisel that was made up from an old file, it was surface ground on all edges then flatted out on oilstones to get the sharp edge, I could only pare wood with it as it would shatter if struck with a mallet but it never lost its edge while in my ownership. Sadly it went west with all my tools on the boat coming back from Canada 1971. Now I have had one remade in the old style.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 363 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 363 Likes: 16 |
Special files are rather easy to make for a special purpose. Thinking back about hand saws, the rip saw and cross cut saw. These were sharpened, and even the teeth were set by carpenters of the past, There were special vises that were designed to hold the saw blade for filing. The key was the saws were made (I am assuming) out of a medium carbon steel, were were "spring tempered" so they had toughness to retain the edge but also could be filed to sharpen.
You can made a special purpose file out of an old file, anneal the file, cut the teeth with a tree corner file before hardening and tempering. Now it can be sharpened like the crosscut saw when it needs it. After hardening and tempering lightly sharpen to get the edge back. The extra narrow pillar file, about 5/16 by 1/8 is in a shape to make a special file. Obviously, these are wood cutting saws, I mean files.
Dennis Potter
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7,559 Likes: 249
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7,559 Likes: 249 |
Thanks for the additional comments about forming file teeth, Dennis. I still have my Grandfather's hand saw jointer and tooth set. It took a while, but eventually I switched to reaching for a hand saw as a first choice for quick cuts even though I have power tools ready to go.
Just for a quick side comment, years ago I made two back saws just for fun. The readily available material for making the blade is generically sold as 'blue temper steel', which is basically 1095 tempered back to 50ish Rc, right around your spring temper.
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