Metalworking files – Guidance required please

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

In the past I've bought cheaper tools for certain jobs and then found the quality wanting. In the case of metal working files I've got a few scrappy ones but I think I should really invest in some proper quality items before I go starting my next project. So here are the questions…

1. Which metal work file brands do people recommend please? Both budget and for the sort of tools I'll end up handing on to my kids.
2. When I did my apprenticeship we used a combination of chalk and file cards to keep them from clogging. Is that still accepted best practice for brass, aluminium and cast iron etc?

Any guidance or advice will be gratefully received.

Thanks,

Jon.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

+1 on file cards. As for files,best you can afford
Jim

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Vallorbe have always had a good name, I've also bought a few of the Tome ones that ARC started doing about a year or so ago and they work well for the money.

I also use chalk to stop pinning, sometimes clean with a carding file but a flattened bit of copper pipe works well too.

[Michael Cox 1Participant @michaelcox1]

+1 for Tome Feteira files from ArcEuroTrade.

Mike

[VicParticipant @vic]

I’ve read quite a few complaints about files made in South America and Spain so maybe avoid those. The best files now seem to be Swiss Glardon Vallorbe but they aren’t cheap.

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

+1 for Vallorbe. I've got some Draper 'engineer's files', which were cheap (like 2 quid apiece) but they didn't work well, even from new, so money down the drain really. £5-10 for Vallorbes seems a bargain to me!

R.

[Richard S2Participant @richards2]

If I had to replace, or add to my 40-70 year old Sheffield Steel brands file stock, it would be the Sandvik (Coromant) Brand. You'll get what you pay for in quality and durability. A good set of assorted Swiss Riflers are also handy.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

Thanks for the tips all. I don't think I can quite afford the Vallorbe, I realise you have to pay for quality but I don't actually have enough spare cash for a set of those!

Thank you everyone, further advice still welcomed.

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Most of my recent file purchases have been quality Sheffield made ones, mostly as NOS off eBay, at sensible prices.

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

Do you really need a 'set'? You don't say what your project is, but in my experience buying 'sets' of almost anything is a bad idea. You end up paying for stuff you never use. A lot can be done with a hacksaw and a decent No2 file.

R.

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

For best quality I use Vallorbe, expensive but I have found they last better than any others and are more precisely made. I also use Bacho which I find great for roughing out, also others of unknown make from exhibition suppliers — sometimes a bargain to be had !
John

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

+1 for Vallorbe, I have a few small Vallorbe files and they are very good. I also use Swedish files – Öberg – and some unbranded ones that work well.

Thor

[Stuart BridgerParticipant @stuartbridger82290]

I bought a set of Sandvik Ergo a few years back, still going strong

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

+1 for Grobet-Vallorbe.
I got one here and there and now have 1,2 3 cut plus a big old dreadnought which eats ally and leaves a superb finish.
This year I intend to acquire some Tome Feteira, see how they compare.

John

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

May I ask a question of those recommending Vallorbe? Trying to find UK sellers, I found that Vallorbe sell two different ranges of file. Vallorbe SAVER files are competitively priced in the range £4 to £10, others – very similar in appearance – cost about £30 each.

Thing is the web sites I found don't make it clear which they are selling, apart from the price. One lists the expensive range as 'Precision' files. Judging from price many outlets only sell the cheaper SAVER version.

Are inexpensive Vallorbe files better than other brands, or is it essential to buy the expensive ones to get quality?

Dave

[robjon44Participant @robjon44]

May I suggest for ripping into soft materials like thick aluminium sheet & chequerplate the Aven File or a clone, modern form of the dreadnought, if you use the adjuster to curve the blade, reducing the number of teeth in the cut results are spectacular, then return to flat for finishing straight lines, had good results making new larger rear step for campervan this way ( 12 inches to the foot scale )

Bob

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 10/11/2017 08:49:50:

May I ask a question of those recommending Vallorbe?

[ … ]

Are inexpensive Vallorbe files better than other brands, or is it essential to buy the expensive ones to get quality?

Dave

.

Dave,

This sort of publication used only to be available in a 'plain brown wrapper'

… but it's available on the web now

**LINK**

http://www.vallorbe.com/umv/ch/fr-ch/file.cfm?contentid=5102

MichaelG.

.

Source: http://www.vallorbe.com/en-ch/products/files/precision-files

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 10/11/2017 09:35:36

[RobinParticipant @robin]

Many years ago I was told, "Any file will do for brass, but your brass files never touch steel"

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Further points to remember, when not in use store them apart from each other (hung on cup hook?).

Do not buy at exhibitions where the files have all been jumping about in a box, if they are not separately packed, do not touch them. Bumping about kills the teeth!

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

If you think £5/10 is too dear for a quality file,you may be at the wrong game. Good tools do not come cheap,at the beginning,but end up being the cheapest in the long run. How do I know ? been there ,done that,have a box full of junk to prove it !

I,m still using tools I bought 50 years ago,they seemed dear at the time,but now ?.Along the way I was tempted by "bargain" offers [like many of us ],then I got sense and left them alone. A good file is a pleasure to use,while a bad one is a pain-in-the-arse,and sometimes in the hand as well.

You dont need a full set,just two or three to meet most of your needs and add to to them as required.Suppose you spend £50 on your files,how many pints will you buy for that,and how long will they last you ?

£50 over how many years ? No contest ! Go for it and enjoy using proper tools.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Robin on 10/11/2017 09:34:40:

Many years ago I was told, "Any file will do for brass, but your brass files never touch steel"

.

… and more recently I observed a demonstration by a watchmaker who was filing a square on a winding shaft: He had already prepared the [Vallorbe] file by grinding and polishing the safe-edge to a mirror finish, and he cleaned the file about every three strokes as the work proceeded.

MichaelG.

[RobinParticipant @robin]

I always thought that not throwing away blunt files meant you ended up with a huge collection of blunt files that fooled you in to thinking you had a file when you didn't

[mark smith 20Participant @marksmith20]

If you think some of those files are expensive , try Liogier hand cut rasps which i have a couple .(around 60-150 euros each).

I have a couple of Auriou as well which also werent cheap, the course teeth ones are good on aluminium). I found them fantastic to use on wood which is what i use them for but the expense led me to make my own small ones ,hand cut with a punch from gauge plate.

I also have several of the vallorbe /grobet in very fine teeth size for use on sterling silver . Also very good but small teeth gum up extremely quickly on soft metals.

Corradi(italian machine made files and rasps), is another brand that seem to get good reviews from people i know.

One of my attempts at rasps:

Edited By mark smith 20 on 10/11/2017 10:41:21

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

Great advice, thanks. I've plumped on a Sandvik Ergo set; I've been trying to go for the best I can afford but my budget isn't bottomless. Their reviews both here and elsewhere seem quite promising. That's not to say I won't top up the collection with one or two individual files where required if any of these don't cut it. As for the storage tips thats great advice; I'll sort out some seperated storage in order to make sure they don't get damaged.

Thanks all,

Jon.

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