Where do you buy files?

[gasket999]

Files are a neglected thing in my workshop. Just a few ratty old ones in a drawer that are heavily worn.

Thought this year I’d invest in some new ones, few sizes and shapes and grades (bastard, second, smooth).

Are there any particular sources or brands people recommend? A few years ago it was Bahco, Tome and Vallorbe but times/manufacturing locations change and I think they might be a bit higher quality than I need. Guess my ideal would be a reseller of “surprisingly good for inexpensive” no-name ones so that I could run to a wide selection.

 

[Kram]

Zoro was good, Cromwell should have similar stuff. They had a cheap 20 file set for a tenner.

 

[Mick Annick]

I got a set of Pferd files from Amazon, for them the price was surprisingly reasonable.

 

[Rannsachair]

May help: https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/decent-set-of-hand-files.148512/#post-2713985

 

[lazybones51]

I saw these in Lidl at the weekend. I haven't personally used them, but they looked like a good set for the money https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/parkside-file-set-17-pieces/p10045981

 

[brightspark]

you can get good quality make second hand files of ebay. i got half a dozen reasonably priced

 

[Maker]

Zoro was good, Cromwell should have similar stuff. They had a cheap 20 file set for a tenner.

Kennedy is a brand you often see on there, one to avoid for files imo. I had a handful and they were rubbish, teeth not quite formed at some edges and really ragged burr-y edges on the other side.

 

[Dozzer]

Recenlty treated my self to some new files, got a set of Bahco, this set but not from this company. https://www.toolden.co.uk/hand-tools/files/bahco-bah47808-ergo-engineering-file-set-5pcs/
been quite good so far. none of them have dulled and they been used quite a bit.

 

[waddycall]

gandmtools.co.uk

 

[Kram]

Kennedy is a brand you often see on there, one to avoid for files imo. I had a handful and they were rubbish, teeth not quite formed at some edges and really ragged burr-y edges on the other side.

Kennedy stuff is generally quite decent, I have a good number of their files.
Any brand can have a bad batch slip through, sounds like you got a bad one?
Zoro were generally very good with customer service, if an item was rubbish they would arrange collection and refund it. I imagine Cromwell may be similar..

 

[winchman]

We used to have Blundells files factory in Prescot Merseyside, I remember talking to the owner a few years ago sadly he sent all manufacturing to the chek republic from memory, looks like he has now closed?