Originally Posted by
Noah Wagener
have you tested any files from Sears? I really do not know how to use a file or judge one but i found the Craftsman black oxide files much nicer than that variety pack of Nicholsons they sell at Home Depot but that is not saying much as in my hands the Nicholsons just kind of slid over everything leaving an odd scratch here and there.
I don't want to ask more work of George, but I'd also love someone's opinion of these - I believe they're Indian made - I've got one mill files from there, but haven't really put much use to it, nor payed attention when I had, although I remember it leaving a nice finish draw filing on brass. I had, however, grabbed a few of the taper files for sharpening saws when I saw they were on sale (which often is a bad sign at Sears - whenever I see something on sale it tends to mean they're no longer going to carry them, or they're switching to a new manufacturer, like they did with the Bessey-style clamps a while back) and they were certainly better than new Mexican Nicholsons, (although that's not saying much) Out of the box, they aren't feeling that much different than my Grobets from Lee Valley or Tools For Working Wood, but I haven't really put that much work into any of those files, having use d them just for a saw or two, and only on touch-ups. I'm know just enough to know when a file is terrible, but not much more - I guess I need to pay more attention to it.
I did the same as some others and grabbed some American-made Nicholsons when I found some on the backs of the racks. I got a larger 12 inch or so file, and was pretty pleased when I was actually able to put it to some work rehabbing a drawknife - couldn't file the hardest part of the edge, it obviously just skimmed across, but was able to work quite a bit of the backing steel, which just destroyed an import file.
" Be willing to make mistakes in your basements, garages, apartments and palaces. I have made many. Your first attempts may be poor. They will not be futile. " - M.S. Bickford, Mouldings In Practice