>>Ok, I'll buy some newer files. Maybe I'm not so good at woodworking (in
>>fact, I'm an hobbyist, though passionate).
>>
>It's a sad fact that files, like everything else in this life, do not last
>forever. I go through a periodic binge of buying new files when I get
>depressed.
>
>An interesting sidelight. I was once at a local welding supply place that
>has a really extensive selection of Nicholson files. I pulled one out of
>the box, and immediately got yelled at by the shop clerk not to touch the
>file with my bare fingers because the acidic finger oil would compromise
>the cutting surface. Not entirely implausible, and at the very least I have
>taken to avoiding much such contact on the scalpel blades I use for
>voicing.
>
>owen
 
Nicholson made a very good booklet on files and their use called
"Filosophy". Perhaps that can still be had from Nicholson or from your
jobber. Really good files were and are justifiably very expensive; they are
the product of many many years of individual experience, virtually a work
of art and should be trated as such. Unfortunately, they are getting rare
as the companies are bought up by the biggies or simply die of old age. I
know nothing of the US market now. Here, the best available are Grobet and
Glardon, both parts of the Usines Metallurgiques Vallorbe, originally a
cooperative of tool and file makers in the center of the Swiss watch and
tool making area.  Apart from that, Dick from Esslingen, now majority owned
by above and made there are not bad. Good files and rasps are available
from Guenther Dick (no relation) in Metten, mostly from Grobet, but some
hand made as well and very expensive.  Of course, there are inexpensive
files and junks files. Amazingly good stuff could sometimes be found from
India or China. The Portuguese "Collar Brand" was very good until they got
bought up by Sandvik, now they are both more expensive and no good.  It is
true, files don't last forever, but I've been using mine for decades, some
of them. When properly used, they last  long time. Whne you have one for a
particular job and works wonderfully, just don't use it for anything else
and always wrap it in paper when finished. Never put files together!
Always wrap them or stick them in racks individually. Except for the very
coarsest or worn-out, do not use a file card to clean, use a piece of
endgrain hard wood crosswise along the cut.  Scrapers can be filed; they
should be sharpened by draw-filing them with a mill file. For most uses,
this should suffice and is definitely "sharper" than honed. Servicable brad
points and spade bits are made to be filed as well.
 
regards, Bill
 
William Jurgenson
Keyboard Instrument Maker