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Sean D Evans
10-09-2012, 11:03 PM
I recently picked up about thirty files at an antique store I frequent. A bunch of made in USA Nicholson standard triangle saw files, some cant saw files along with a couple files for Japanese saws. So I assume this was part of a guy's kit that did a good bit of saw filing. There are several that I can't identify. They are consistent in width but taper in thickness to a knife edge. The wide edge is rounded. A cross section would look like a teardrop.

Ring any bell's?
Stuart Tierney
10-10-2012, 12:58 AM
Tree, bandsaw or circular saw sharpening?

Still available, but not common. I didn't take note of what they were for, just saw the profile and assumed it was for sharpening something with a round bottom gullet.

(I've been looking through a lot of file catalogs of late...)

Stu.
Gary Herrmann
10-10-2012, 9:42 AM
Weren't those called knife files?

Oh George...
george wilson
10-10-2012, 11:22 AM
They are called pippin files with the teardrop cross section. They are useful in filing up curved shapes,such as brass trigger guards for 18th.C. flintlock rifles,where you have varying curves. You use the rounded back where curves are tighter,and the less curved sides where curves are flatter. A much used file in the gunsmith shop in Williamsburg.

Pippin files cost more than regular flat files because their teeth are trickier to cut due to the varying curves.
Stuart Tierney
10-10-2012, 11:30 AM
Kind of like a French curve used in drafting I suppose.

Interesting. Makes sense why they're still available I suppose.

Stu.
ian maybury
10-10-2012, 12:38 PM
Availability of quality files is starting to become a problem over here - like they are not being used all that much any more. The choice is reducing, and quite often those you can get don't cut and are pretty useless....

ian
Stuart Tierney
10-10-2012, 12:48 PM
Availability of quality files is starting to become a problem over here - like they are not being used all that much any more. The choice is reducing, and quite often those you can get don't cut and are pretty useless....

ian

You just answered the question of "why was I looking at a lot of file catalogs?"

Good files are not too difficult to find here. ;)

Stu.
george wilson
10-10-2012, 1:59 PM
I notice ENCO is still selling Nicholson files.I don't know WHY ANYONE is still carrying them since they are no longer any good.