Daniel Rode
02-25-2015, 10:40 PM
I intended to make a couple of tapered octagon file handles. I scanned to blog posts by Steve Voigt Zach Dillinger and Joshua Klein figured it was a 30 minute no-brainer. Wow! was I ever wrong.
I wasn't sure how to lay them out, how to clamp, cut, chisel or plane them. Eventually, I got something that resembled a deformed octagon but more like a pair of unequal diamonds. The taper was not at all like the one I had in my mind and the file end was a bit too thin. I also wasn't sure how big to make the hole. Luckily, on 2 out of 3, the hole was well off center because I rushed.:confused: All-in-all, it was far more difficult than I anticipated.
I was forced to take them to the sander and round the edges until I got a handle shaped object. Despite not being able to get remotely close to the elegant tapered octagon, I still ended up with 3 usable file handles. I'm disappointed, but not discouraged.
I'm now on a mission to make nice tapered octagon handles.
Anyway, here's the sanded salvage handles. I wiped on 2 quick coats of shellac and I'll buff them with a little wax tomorrow. Despite their poor pedigree, they'll probably last a decade.
307867
The little dark file at the bottom belonged to my grandfather. It's small and thin and takes a fine cut. It was old when I got it 30 years ago but it's a really useful size. I wish I could find a couple more like it but I never see thin files.
I wasn't sure how to lay them out, how to clamp, cut, chisel or plane them. Eventually, I got something that resembled a deformed octagon but more like a pair of unequal diamonds. The taper was not at all like the one I had in my mind and the file end was a bit too thin. I also wasn't sure how big to make the hole. Luckily, on 2 out of 3, the hole was well off center because I rushed.:confused: All-in-all, it was far more difficult than I anticipated.
I was forced to take them to the sander and round the edges until I got a handle shaped object. Despite not being able to get remotely close to the elegant tapered octagon, I still ended up with 3 usable file handles. I'm disappointed, but not discouraged.
I'm now on a mission to make nice tapered octagon handles.
Anyway, here's the sanded salvage handles. I wiped on 2 quick coats of shellac and I'll buff them with a little wax tomorrow. Despite their poor pedigree, they'll probably last a decade.
307867
The little dark file at the bottom belonged to my grandfather. It's small and thin and takes a fine cut. It was old when I got it 30 years ago but it's a really useful size. I wish I could find a couple more like it but I never see thin files.