doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Making files

No, no, no.
Don't do that.

Use acid or electrolysis to clean off the corrosion. Card them, oil them, and use them.

Hal,
They were your Dad's, they aren't junk. I am reminded of screwdrivers that Walter and Fred used every day that were made from files(mostly pilar files). They were twisted( of course while red hot) to keep them from breaking from the torque. I still use files that Walter retired and gave me. Since I wasn't making a living with them, a few extra strokes to finish a cut didn't hurt anything. I'm sure your Dad's files still have useful life left in them; and when not, you can make something.
Mike

Pics of home made files are always welcome. I have some blanks roughed out and my new, finer checkering file should be here next week.

This brings up barrel striking files. Has anyone seen them before?

SKB,
I'm not sure if I know what a barrel striking file is, but if it is the same as a "lauf hobel"( barrel plane). A modern one is a square file ( about 1"square) 6-8" long without a tang , with different "cuts". It is used lengthwise of the barrel to level out milling marks. I could not find one in the US and asked a friend to bring me one from Germany, but he mentioned it to Helmut Kerner and Helmut sent me one his grandfather Emil made. Being old and well used, it is a treasured gift, but doesn't work well on modern steel. Consequently, I approximated one by buying the largest square file I could find( 3/4" square) and cutting both ends off. Properly used, it is one way to avoid rounding off an octagon barrel.
Mike

Mike,
The only ones I have seen a picture of were in a pile of gunsmithing tools at a British auction. It has been several years now but if memory serves they were concave in various radi and had off set handles similar to a goose neck chisel.
Steve

SKB, the one I saw at Purdey's was a block of steel that fit nicely in the hand. The cutting edge was convex (I don't know the radius, but on the order of 1/2") and it was used single handed. I'd guess that the burrs were raised with a chisel.

Amazing what you don't know to ask or forget!

DDA

SKB,
That is interesting, it seems to be a useful idea, also for backing up abrasive when polishing. The one described by Rocketman could also be useful. It's amazing how different people come up with different ways to do a job. I find a Barrett(?)file very useful working around the ribs on doubles and drillings; even more than a Knife file, because it is thinner.( I can't stand in front of a vise for any length of time any more)
Mike

I use these for backing abrasive paper when polishing barrels:

https://www.amazon.com/Profile-Contour-S...NBMVWT4299FR59T

SKB,
They would have made things easier when I was still able to do anything, If I had known about them ( I had to make my own "expedient" if a file wouldn't work).
Mike

I noticed the end of one of my dad's (born 1898) half-round files had been ground into a gouge for barrel inletting. Wonder if that was a common "make do" practice?