Dead file vs. stone?

A burr file starts out as a regular flat file. It is placed flat on a stone then run back & forth to remove the sharp edges that would normally cut metal. The result is a file that will only catch small burrs that are on the surface of your work. To answer dlane's request for a photo, these things look exactly like a regular file. You'd have to know what it was, or figure it out when you notice it is a pretty crappy file :)

Never heard of a file being used this way. Draw filing, yes, stones to remove burrs, yes, but nothing like this. So, if you grind the teeth off then I assume the idea is that the sharp edges of the flats you create do the cutting instead of the original crests of the teeth, correct? Hunh, learn something new every day.
 
Never heard of a file being used this way. Draw filing, yes, stones to remove burrs, yes, but nothing like this. So, if you grind the teeth off then I assume the idea is that the sharp edges of the flats you create do the cutting instead of the original crests of the teeth, correct? Hunh, learn something new every day.
It sounds like a similar idea to the flat ground precision stones that Robin Renzetti has got us all psyched up about...
 
Well, there's flat and then there's flat like you guys are doing. I have always used a translucent Arkansas that was trued on sandpaper on a tempered glass plate and that has served me so far. Nothing like you're doing, though, Bob.
 
One advantage of a burr file is that it can be used dry, no need to lubricate it like a stone. Of course, you still have to clean your work before marking it again.

Still, it sounds like I need to get out my tempered glass plate to flatten/refresh my Arkansas stone. Hopefully I will get to a point on my surface gauge where I can switch to the stone.

Mark
 
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