Hand file

[Steven Hsieh]

Im wondering who makes decent hand files these days?

I bought a Nicholson half round coarse from Woodcraft, Its made in brazil. It cuts alright.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000282/382/Wood-File-1-x-932-10-Long-takes-a-Medium-Handle.aspx


http://www.artcotools.com/grobet-swiss-precision-files/ (http://www.artcotools.com/grobet-swiss-precision-files/)

I heard Grobet are good, are there any companies?

Thanks

[george wilson]

I HOPE the Brazilian ones are good. The Mexican files are soft. Maybe there is still some hope.

[Bernadette Semilla]

From what I know, the USA made Nicholson and Simonds are still good though their others are subpar. Swiss made Grobets and Vallorbes have excellent reputations but their price tags reflect this. I think Grobet has a USA factory but I don't know if they do files there, I've only read about flex shafts and motors being produce- but even so I think they would be good quality.

[David Weaver]

I think the stuff branded "Grobet USA" is actually eastern european or indian. Wherever it's made, it's actually fine stuff and not too expensive.

[Derby Matthews]

I haven't had any experience with Grobet files and will give those a try after reading Davids comment. For a long time I would only buy Nicholson or Simonds NOS files. I use most files up in a 6 mos or so of commercial use, and it's been getting more difficult and expensive to find certain styles of the old standbys. I've started buying Bahco files from my local ACE Hardware store. Don't know if they're still made in Europe. So far these seem to be keeping an edge pretty well, and like any good shrubbery they're "not teew expenseeve". The Ergo handles that come with each file are comfortable and stay on tightly. I'm impressed with them so far.

[Joshua Byrd]

I've got one Grobet file, a 12" half-round mill, if I remember correctly. I absolutely love it.

Funny story, but my wife actually got this at an HR training seminar several years back. The attendees were randomly grouped together and then each group was given a workplace scenario which they had to resolve. After every group had worked out the issue and presented their tactics to the instructors, her group was nominated "Most Likely to Go to Jail." As a result, they were all given files. The file went into a junk box and was forgotten about. A couple of years later, I started picking up interest in woodworking, so I dug the file out and tried it out. After reading up on how good Grobet files were, I told my wife that "they must have really thought you guys were going to jail. They gave you the good stuff!" :D

[Gary Herrmann]

Is Honauer still made in Switzerland?

[Steven Hsieh]

I HOPE the Brazilian ones are good. The Mexican files are soft. Maybe there is still some hope.
Which file do you have that is made in Mexico?

So far we know that Chin-se made are the worse of all of them.

[Gary Herrmann]

The Brazilian files also seem to be softer than the US made. I can file a corner off a Brazilian made file with a US made file.

[Edward Clarke]

Speaking from deep deep ignorance here but... is it possible that the Mexican and Brazilian files have simply not been heat treated in the correct fashion? Could these be "repaired" at home to correct the problem? There was at least one thread in the past few days about heat treating steel to make tools at home.

[george wilson]

I wrote a posting on a package of 12 triangular Mexican Nicholson files I got months ago. They were able to be filed with an old USA made Nicholson file. I filed them until I reached the hardened core,but the soft skin was much deeper than the full depth of the teeth. Somehow,these files were allowed to decarb during the hardening process. And,there seems to be no way to get in touch with the Cooper Group,who now owns them.

Others here have remarked that their Mexican files dulled right up,too. I hope they have it right in Brazil. I wish whoever is making the files in Mexico could get a handle on quality control. They look perfectly good,but are just soft.

Yes,I could pack harden my files as a last resort,but I am a professional tool maker with the equipment and the know how. How many others could do this for their files,and WHY should they have to?? There has been no price decrease from Nicholson in spite of the cheaper labor they are getting in Mexico. Their products OUGHT to be as good as they used to be.

There are times I am glad I'm as old as I am. I have enough to see me through.

[Jack Curtis]

I got lucky on ebay a few months ago and found a cache of NOS US made Nicholson's for not too much money, which work as expected. So it sometimes pays to do searches you don't expect to succeed.

[george wilson]

I look for NOS files,too. Bought out the local Home Depot.

[Jack Curtis]

I look for NOS files,too. Bought out the local Home Depot.

Wow, how many was that?

[Steven Hsieh]

The Brazilian files also seem to be softer than the US made. I can file a corner off a Brazilian made file with a US made file.

I also was able to file the brazil made corner with an US made nicholson file. The questions is the brazilian one made better than mexican one?

[Federico Mena Quintero]

I wrote a posting on a package of 12 triangular Mexican Nicholson files I got months ago. They were able to be filed with an old USA made Nicholson file. I filed them until I reached the hardened core,but the soft skin was much deeper than the full depth of the teeth. Somehow,these files were allowed to decarb during the hardening process. And,there seems to be no way to get in touch with the Cooper Group,who now owns them.


When I saw your original thread I tried browsing a little to find a way to locate the Nicholson / Cooper factory in Mexico. I lost the link, but I *think* I did find it.

George, if you were to send them a letter, what would it say? I could translate it into Spanish and try to make some phone calls here. Can't hurt to ask.

(Metalworkers around here also complain about the dismal quality of new files...)