Nicholson Milled-Tooth Files vs. Liogier Floats

[Paul Georgia]

So I'm looking at a good way to trim tenons and have narrowed my choice down to the Nocholson mill-tooth file

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=56529&cat=1,42524

and the Liogier float

http://www.hand-stitched-rasp-riffler.com/tradition/woodworking/floats/rapes-fraisees.html

I like the float because it seems relatively easy to sharpen. My question on the Nicholson file is whether it can be sharpened and how. And if you don't sharpen it, how long does it stay sharp?

[David Weaver]

If I were in your shoes, I would buy the Lie Nielsen plane bed float in the thinner thickness. (1/8th?).

You don't want a milled tooth file to trim tenons, you want something with straight teeth that will tear the vertical fibers off the tenon as it moves across the grain, it will work faster.

I would much sooner have LN's bed float with a riveted handle than a file shaped handle. The flexing of the float, if you apply pressure to it to get it to flex, will occur out toward the end of the float where you want it. If you don't want the flexing, you can just ease off of it and it will basically cut a flat surface. That flexing will come in handy over the lifetime of the float, though - without it, you can't cut a long flat surface.

LN's floats are a tough knife steel that sharpens easily with files but stays sharp for a long time.

[Chris Griggs]

If I were in your shoes, I would buy the Lie Nielsen plane bed float in the thinner thickness. (1/8th?).

You don't want a milled tooth file to trim tenons, you want something with straight teeth that will tear the vertical fibers off the tenon as it moves across the grain, it will work faster.

I would much sooner have LN's bed float with a riveted handle than a file shaped handle. The flexing of the float, if you apply pressure to it to get it to flex, will occur out toward the end of the float where you want it. If you don't want the flexing, you can just ease off of it and it will basically cut a flat surface. That flexing will come in handy over the lifetime of the float, though - without it, you can't cut a long flat surface.

LN's floats are a tough knife steel that sharpens easily with files but stays sharp for a long time.

Agreed. Nothing I can add here really. I bought the LN bed float on Dave's recommendation and I can honestly tell you it was one of the best $50-$60 I've spent on woodworking.

[Paul Georgia]

Thanks David. Very helpful.