saw sharpening - files from Axminster

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Peter

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Alf]

I have collected a large number of unused NOS saw files from a number of brands, and just use them without getting obsessive.

Now don't let BB hear you say that... :lol: Welcome to the forum, Peter.

Anyway, I've now heard from "Moira" at Cooper Tools:

"Thanks for you recent email regarding nicholson files. Plse note 0011120500 is now obsolete <5" - see page 17 of the catalogue PDF>, however, there is still stock of 48 available.

Unfortunately we do not deal direct. Plse contact the following toolbank call centre number and they will be able to advise you of a local supplier:

Tel: 0845 658 0357"

Now every one of the local stockists that "Jo" at Bahco sent me are Toolbank too. Nowhere on the Toolbank site do any double extra taper saw files get listed though, so how do I get hold of them? It's no good trying my local stockist - it's hard enough to get them to order something in the catalogue. DAMHIKT... So next step is to email Toolbank ('cos I hate telephones). Isn't this fun? :roll: :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[engineer one]

ok alf, after all my talk, i finally checked out the SHESTO site.

they only do Vallorbe, but their triangular normal range products are
from about £12.00-15.00 plus shipping.

their phone number is 02084516188
email [email protected]

they have a decent website, and you should look under the hobby part,
although you could also check their jewellery products too. some of the tools there are VERY nice.

better than trying to get a tb responce.
paul :wink:

 

[Alf]

Paul,

Yep, I already checked out Shesto's site - no saw files at all. At least Toolbank do stock them, just not XX slim. Heck, TB may surprise us all, who knows? I've not yet reached the point of despair by any means; still plenty of options to try.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks BB. Will order these files as just getting into saw sharpening

 

[Alf]

Hah! Humble pie all round for those who doubted Toolbank - "Stuart" has got back to me already:

Dear Sir, (I signed my enquiry with my full name - would it be very bad to email back thanks starting "Dear Madam" to "Stuart"? :twisted: )

Thank you for your enquiry.

We can supply you with Bahco double extra slim taper files. The 4" file is priced at £5.25 including VAT, the 5" file is priced at £5.69 icluding VAT and the 6" file is priced at £6.34 including VAT. Delivery time would be 7-10 days, please note that our normal carriage rates would apply.

If you wish to order this item or for any further assistance please call our
freephone 0800 068 6238.

Spot the drawback? Yes, the outrageous prices. Well they reckon they've got me over a barrel, haven't they? B****y Toolbank. You may spit out the humble pie. :evil: On the other hand it wouldn't take many files to go over the £45 point and get free delivery... :roll: :lol: I think'd probably work out cheaper going to LV ( and finally placing an order with them ) and get an auger bit file while I'm at it.

Ah, bother it, I'll just use the extra slim from Axminster and stop trying to do the thing properly - I don't have the capital to support a saw file habit in this country... But there you are, if you have, now you know where to go. :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Matt1245]

Only just caught up with this thread. Alf - as your local toolbank stockist (360 ish miles away) let me know what you need and i'll sort you out a better price and some nice e-bay style packaging.

Matt.

 

[Alf]

Only just caught up with this thread. Alf - as your local toolbank stockist (360 ish miles away) let me know what you need and i'll sort you out a better price and some nice e-bay style packaging.

Matt, I'll PM you - if I can get this internet connection to stay on long enough... :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

Since I purchased these files from Axminster, I thought I'd put my initial results up, in case they help anyone.

http://www.geocities.com/plybench/saw_sharpen.html

BugBear

Moving on, I bought the smallest Grobet (LN) files from Classic Handtools (pricy...) But nice and small and good.

Returning to my workshop, I find I'm an silly person.

The APTC Swiss/Vallorbe files are (in fact) branded as Grobet.

In fact they are the same as the LN files.

So - APTC clearly have the "right" supply lines in place, from the right source.

All we have to do is HASSLE them to get the smaller sizes. Cause big 'ol APTC is a lot cheaper than a hand-tool boutique (sorry Mr Hancock).

BugBear

 

[David C]

The precision swiss files from Dick & Shesto are remarkable things.

There are about four grades finer than a UK Fine or Smooth grade, though Swiss & German grading seem to be different.

Their ordinary very fine files have wonderful much sharper square cutting edges, making tidy rightangled corners feasible which is not really possible with UK standard files. I keep an extra fine grade for tidying the corners of plane throats.

Know less than nothing about saw filing, and a fair bit about stoning off excessive set and evening up uneven set. This was necessary with most UK dovetail saws over the last 30 years. Finally I think manufacturers are paying more attention?

Has anyone used the £85 dovetail saw from Thomas Flynn please?
David C

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Has anyone used the £85 dovetail saw from Thomas Flynn please

wish that was all it was when i bought mine it did however come in a nice black case but not worth the extra £50.

only used it for a test cut so far but your welcome to give it a workout if you can sharpen when you return it.

I

 

[bugbear]

Since I purchased these files from Axminster, I thought I'd put my initial results up, in case they help anyone.

http://www.geocities.com/plybench/saw_sharpen.html

BugBear

Moving on, I bought the smallest Grobet (LN) files from Classic Handtools (pricy...) But nice and small and good.

Blech;
the idiocy continues!

I bought the 5" and 6" - I bought the smallest they had (unlabelled in a carrier bag!), but the assistant didn't know which was which.

The 5" has a 4" long cutting surface, which is how the assistant and I convinced ourselves it was a 4" file.

But comparing the 2 new files to my APTC files, my 2 APTC 4" are an inch shorter than the smallest file from Classic Hand Tools.

This does confirm however, that the C H T files are indeed much narrower, size for size.

BugBear

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

Just to add confusion about what LN actually supply....

I recently got some files direct from LN. (shipped to my office in the states and a kindly friend brought them back along with other goodies - a very nice saving over buying in UK - but thats another story)

I have 2 full sets; one with handles and one without. Both sets contain both Grobet and Nicholson files.

Of the unhandled files ;all were Grobet except the smallest (4inch double-extra-slim,) which was Nicholson.

Of the handled files; both the largest and smallest were Nicholson.

 

[Alf]

Sheesh, that's really annoying about the Nicholsons - I was hoping they were a one off, 'cos frankly I haven't been impressed with them at all. Too aggressive.

Not a happy bunny, Alf

 

[David C]

The skilled art of "Fitting" having virtually ceased to exist, I wonder who cares much about files anymore except for trad clockmakers and saw filers?

Not many of either species left?

David C

I think fitters might have been very skilled at fettling.....

 

[engineer one]

actually david it is interesting that many of the fitters tools are
similar to those of the cabinet maker.

i was trained to use files, for the woodworker these would be rasps.
and finally we would use various kinds of scrapers, including the
3 sided ones, and not quite a cabinet scraper, but a flat one which
allowed for more sane use.

as a trainee i had to cut and file a cube of metal with only a hacksaw
and a "turnip" file about 12 inches long, plus of course a micrometer,
and square. amazing what you can do to make a 1 inch cube square
in all directions. :twisted: :roll: :lol:

actually one of the areas where files and scrapers are used quite a lot
in modelling, railways in particular, for bearings, solder removal
and metal removal.

paul :wink: