Getting in to a good set of hand files

mikey said:
So, if I had to start all over again, I think Grobet is a good brand to go with. I would buy a good riffler file set. I would also buy (for me) 8" single and double-cut files for general use and at least one 10" lathe file. I would buy handles for all of them, a file card and some railroad chalk for my aluminum files.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

That is a really wonderful and appreciated response. Thank you so much for taking the time. I now have a plan (your plan:).

Thank you to everyone who replied. Much appreciated.

CW
 
I totally forgot to mention Pferd files but Emilio took care of that. Pferd has a Flat File Plus that is very much like Grobets chip breaker file. @darkzero has this Pferd file I believe and can tell you more about them.

I think Grobet and Pferd are about on the same level. Nicholson was also good in the old days but had some quality control issues. I don't have any Simonds files but they're another popular brand.
 
Awesome... so I'm at Dunkin Donuts this morning talking on the phone wth a friend about this with the plan to selfishly blow a bunch of $ and get me some nice files when I get home. So I hang up (lol... old terminology surviving) and a guy at the next table says "you ain't going to like Grobet files... at least Grobet USA... made in India". Swell. I won't get into the details but my day job has introduced me to "made in India" and....... no thank you... ever. Back to the drawing board.
 
A literal festival of weasel words... I can't even tell if they make them in Switzerland anymore but no matter. The fun has been thrown into a sack, worked over by a bunch swarthy no-necks with baseball bats and tossed into the river.

There's a process I call "slob-enabling"... the process of making a technology or service more accessible to a broader range of people.... lower the cost... make things easier to use... reduce any/all barriers to entry in order to grow profits. Sounds like it's all unicorns and rainbows on the surface... great... let others in to play. But what ALWAYS happens is some never-done-ANYthing slab of cubicle meat with his MBA in memorizing administrative minutia back at the manufacturer notices it's just not worth it to keep supplying the early-adopter/innovator/high-standards end of the market and pretty soon all you can buy is junk put together by a bunch of guys that drive ox carts to work, followed by the third stage of the problem... the market just stops caring... forgets how to care... and takes whatever you throw at it. I really thought this activity would be a gorgeous creative respite from the mounting BS and herds of excellence-averse slackers in tech but my God, it doesn't end. Four hours that my ancient carcass does NOT have to spare.. just to fail to try to give myself a little treat of something nice. Had the money... wanted someone else to have the money... but can NOT spare the heartbeats. Thanks for all who made such great and sincere suggestions. I truly appreciate it. It was extremely good of everyone to take a shot.
 
Clock work said:
Awesome... so I'm at Dunkin Donuts this morning talking on the phone wth a friend about this with the plan to selfishly blow a bunch of $ and get me some nice files when I get home. So I hang up (lol... old terminology surviving) and a guy at the next table says "you ain't going to like Grobet files... at least Grobet USA... made in India". Swell. I won't get into the details but my day job has introduced me to "made in India" and....... no thank you... ever. Back to the drawing board.
Click to expand...

You can still buy Grobet American S-files. Made in the American patterns but still made in Switzerland.
 
mikey said:
I totally forgot to mention Pferd files but Emilio took care of that. Pferd has a Flat File Plus that is very much like Grobets chip breaker file. @darkzero has this Pferd file I believe and can tell you more about them.

I think Grobet and Pferd are about on the same level. Nicholson was also good in the old days but had some quality control issues. I don't have any Simonds files but they're another popular brand.
Click to expand...

35 years ago when I worked in a shop I spent a lot of time with a file in my hands. We bought Simonds resharps with safe edges in boxes of 100. Those were by far the best files I have ever used. When I left I took a handful with me that were well used, (not stolen) they are still my go to files. Sadly what happened to Simonds is worse that what what happened to Nicholson, the current quality is worthy of china or india. I think Mexican made Nicholson is better than current Simonds. A good file should last a long time if not dragged backwards with pressure and it kept reasonably clean.
 
mikey said:
I totally forgot to mention Pferd files but Emilio took care of that. Pferd has a Flat File Plus that is very much like Grobets chip breaker file. @darkzero has this Pferd file I believe and can tell you more about them.

I think Grobet and Pferd are about on the same level. Nicholson was also good in the old days but had some quality control issues. I don't have any Simonds files but they're another popular brand.
Click to expand...

Sort of like a rasp for metal. Ok not really, not nearly as coarse & aggressive as a rasp would be for wood. It's great for faster material removal when you need to shape something. I've only used mine on aluminum & plastic though. Not sure if does well with steel or if it's even recommended. They don't clog as easy on aluminum which is nice. Sadly I don't use mine often & haven't in quite sometime. Haven't had a need to do any shaping by hand.

I do love the long angle ("lathe") files though. I like them so much I bought a case of the Pferd ones.
 
Nicholson production moved to Mexico some time ago, and those were terrible files when they replaced the USA made Nicholson files. However, lately the Mexican made Nicholson file quality has been improving, and they are now worth buying again, on a cost/quality comparison. The problem is telling the earlier bad ones from the later better ones that both say Mexico. If it says Nicholson USA on it, and is in good condition or new, buy it for sure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top