Files

[chunkolini]

I have a random collection of files from car boot sales, mostly well past their best.
My Pa has given me fifty quid for my birthday to buy a set of decent files.
I am a bit overwhelmed by the variety but have seen these http://www.toolite.org.uk/14781012-file-piece-p-33925.html locally.
I have quite a few bahco tools and have never had a problem with any of them.
They look like a good starting point, should I budget for half cut round and square as well? might be able to get them a bit cheaper of the web, but these are a local company

 

[Pete.]

Are they full-hard or case-hardened? Where are they made?

I've never liked plastic handled files tbh. Have a few but I much prefer to use the timber handled ones.

I use a brass wire brush for de-pinning them.

 

[chunkolini]

Where are they made? they are a company with a good reputation, their adjustable spanners are wonderful things. They originated in Sweden but I think they have gone global.

 

[Welderpaul]

I have the same set, perform very well, still sharp and shift stock very quickly.

A very worthwhile buy IMO.

 

[Hitch]

Got them too, getting a bit tired now though.

The best file I own cost me £1 at the steam fair

 

[hareng]

£41 delivered here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bahco-1-4...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item564f8723a9

12" bastard is a lot more useful than a 10" but not easy to find good ones that last. Of all places we used to get J&L to source by box load.

Smaller files and have gone down pan last 10 years is Vallorbe/Grobet but what other choice is there.
Better off buying individually needed with wooden handles.

Bargain as far as Vallorbe goes http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-swiss...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item43b3a28993

 

[chunkolini]

Just spotted the Bahco ones on Amazon for 40 quid, so i will get a round half cut one as well and maybe a half round.
And of course look at bot fairs for any others.

 

[madkayaker]

I have those at work and seam to work a treat. I do prefer the wooden handled files we have at work (new) there is no marking on them but I think they would have come fro RS

 

[cumbriasteve]

When they were clearing out the large apprentice training centre where I worked... I went in after a fortnights holiday to find they had filled half a skip with new files and sent it for scrap...and these were the absolute top quality files that only government money buys in that quantity.

The rest of the skip was filled with milling cutters, lathe tools, taps, dies, chucks and taper shaft drills new and used.

I still feel sick every time I think about it.

 

[500e]

When they were clearing out the large apprentice training centre where I worked... I went in after a fortnights holiday to find they had filled half a skip with new files and sent it for scrap...and these were the absolute top quality files that only government money buys in that quantity.

The rest of the skip was filled with milling cutters, lathe tools, taps, dies, chucks and taper shaft drills new and used.

I still feel sick every time I think about it.

Had a friend who ran a Motor vehicle work shop at a hire education establishment, They shut it down made him redundant & sold the machine shop for SCRAP I did say it was a higher education place shame on the management, you can imagine the scrap man thinking

 

[madkayaker]

the RAF pay the local scrap man to take things away. at one base i do work this recently included 4T of copper pipe and three gas turbine engines

 

[gordon stephenson]

You could get good files recut at one time, Don't know if they still do, Also heard of folks putting blunt files in to a bath o battery acid etc for a while and then give a good rinse and dry, It's supposed to give them a new lease of life,

 

[brightspark]

You could get good files recut at one time, Don't know if they still do, Also heard of folks putting blunt files in to a bath o battery acid etc for a while and then give a good rinse and dry, It's supposed to give them a new lease of life,

i did an article on here about sharpening files with acid. it works verry well as long as the files arent too blunt some people discredited it but heres the post and proof http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=20463

 

[gordon stephenson]

Used literally hundreds or thousands of files (over the last 55 years) and been fortunate in never having bought a single one!! same with Sandvik hacksaw blades, still have enough left last me out!! even if I last another 55 years.

 

[hareng]

We used to use a local company to get files 'properly' recut but theyre not far off the price of a new best quality one.
They also used to do the acid way, some useable after, mostly not as it eat away large areas of smooth and 2nd cut stuff. Luckily they only charged if came out useable, some lasted an hour some lasted a couple of days ala Vallorbe quality £14 a chuck 4" knife files. New they would last 1 to 3 days.

Even the Eclipse hacksaw blades went down the pan at least 10 years ago

 

[Shox Dr]

I ve the bachos bought them at rufforth for 15quid.

Meanwhile a mate works as a subby on a power station, he says if a file (or spanner) is taken out of stores even if it isn't used on return it will be binned.

 

[brightspark]

the acid only works on good quality files that slighly have there edge took of them. not worn out crap quality things un branded

 

[pedrobedro]

A few people I know use the Cromwell tools file sets and they are happy with the results they get.

 

[Wallace]

I have a set of 10" Bahco files I was lucky enough to be given and I have used them all but if I had to buy them I would not have chosen the range they supplied. This set are treated as "best" with their own board to hang on with a file card but I wish I had locked them away as a mate of mine who should have known better (trained as a sheet metal worker) decided that sharpening his rotary lawn mover blade should be done with a half round file rather than the grinder.

 

[chunkolini]

My stuff is fairly safe from idiots.
I am the only idiot who will be allowed near them.