Has anyone tried a Carbide faced filing guide?

I had a hardened face one, but was wondering if the bonus of being able to use the caride face with the grinder would be worth the extra $$?


Thanks and God Bless
Mike
 
Well i know it will prolong the life of your file guide and provide real nice crisp plunge lines. As well as when using it on slotted guard work with files as files are extremly hard and may damage a file guide without the carbide. So I would say its probably worth it.

Bill Dirk
 
Here is one I made. The body is made of simple square 5/16" bar steel I bought at either one of the box stores or my home town hardware, I don't remember which. It looked almost like it was chromed but, it wasn't. I heated and bent it too the shape I wanted and they I epoxied carbide strips with J-B Weld 8265-S Cold Weld to the sides of the guide. Here are the specs showing it heat threshold!

J-B Weld 8265-S Cold Weld


Will set in 4-6 hours, and cure in 16-24 hours. J-B Weld is waterproof; petroleum, chemical, and acid resistant when fully cured. Can be drilled, tapped, machined, filed, sanded and painted. J-B Weld is superstrong, nontoxic and temperature resistant up to 600F. Tensile strengt to the side.

click thumbnail for larger view:







You can buy the carbide strips here.
http://www.msdiscount.com/columnar.....php?p=25778&compidcookieset&sessioncookieset

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INLMK3?PMK0NO=1274813

The simple steel is not heat treated. It will flex enough with the bend I have made on it it will work on anything from 1/4'' to 1/8 or less. I got this idea after talking with Ed Caffery so can't take credit for coming up with it! Just making it work.

I was displeased about a file guide I had bought made by another knife maker, who uses this site. It had laid in a drawer for nearly two years. I had only used maybe twice. The next time I used it and tightened it down. While grinding I dipped into my cool down bucket and the guide broke. Like I said it was only used maybe thrice and it broke. The maker said I had tightened it too tight and since I had owned it for two years.................... well lets just say he wouldn't warranty it!

The mild steel of the bar takes just enough temper to from the heat to bend and subsequent water quench that it works extremely well. Curious to see how well it would work I tried to over tighten too see if I could break it. So far it hasn't and the bottom line is I love it.

For the cost you and the satisfaction of making it your self and it works..............priceless
 
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I have one of Uncle Al's. Love it, whether with the grinder or files. The only problem
I have with it is that the opening is only about 1 3/4", which doesn't work with all
blades.
 
Good looking tool there C Craft, thanks for posting pictures, it makes it so much easier on this old mind of mine!
Dan: Thats one of the draw backs i see on Uncle Al's, plus the price!

Thanks and God Bless
Mike
 
Here is a file guide that I have just built out of some 0-1 bar stock. It is 2" between the line-up pins. I intend on hardening it and installing carbide inserts on the face. I am also going to build a larger beefier one for larger bowies and choppers.

Bill Dirk
 

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Mike,

The only drawback I have heard to Uncle Al's carbide faced guides is that if they are over heated when used while grinding, the carbide insert may come loose (epoxy). I have only heard of it happening to a couple and I know for fact that Uncle Al immediately replaced one on the spot no questions asked (it was at a hammer-in at Old Washington). When I asked him about it later before purchasing one, Uncle Al told me he stands behind them 100% and will replace one if there is a defect.
 
the sturgeon general said:
Here is a file guide that I have just built out of some 0-1 bar stock. It is 2" between the line-up pins. I intend on hardening it and installing carbide inserts on the face. I am also going to build a larger beefier one for larger bowies and choppers.

Bill Dirk
Click to expand...

If I could make a suggestion don't harden to full hardness. The idea behind hardening a piece like that is to give a little spring tension. The one I made is made from a simple steel and it only attained the slightest of hardening in the heat to bend and subsequent quench.
Too hard and you get a broken file guide. The one I mentioned I using was tightened down and it was the transition once the blade had a little heat to the water cool down bucket I use that snapped it. The carbide strips work they will allow you to bump the belt without damage to file guide itself!

Real nice guide by the way!
 
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the sturgeon general said:
Here is a file guide that I have just built out of some 0-1 bar stock. It is 2" between the line-up pins. I intend on hardening it and installing carbide inserts on the face. I am also going to build a larger beefier one for larger bowies and choppers.

Bill Dirk
Click to expand...

Hey I recognize that file guide.
Guys, Bill works out of my shop and makes a nice knife. I've been trying to get him to make a run of these guides in small and large sizes for sale. The large one would have carbides JB Welded in place. I've been using a Finnigan guide that has the carbides for several years now with no trouble whatsoever. I have a diamond surface grinder wheel that makes them absolutely matched.
 
Bruce Bump said:
Hey I recognize that file guide.
Guys, Bill works out of my shop and makes a nice knife. I've been trying to get him to make a run of these guides in small and large sizes for sale. The large one would have carbides JB Welded in place. I've been using a Finnigan guide that has the carbides for several years now with no trouble whatsoever. I have a diamond surface grinder wheel that makes them absolutely matched.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for the compliment Bruce, it means alot. So gentlemen, if you are interested go ahead and sound off.

Respectfully
Bill Dirk
 
hey - I would like to get a file guide with carbide faces (large - I make knives and swords, so I will need the bigger model, I think). Please.
kevin
 
It sounds like there is some interest in these file guides. This may not be the place to do business and we may get our hands slapped so please email Bill Dirk or send him a Private Message. He will be making them at my shop so you can email me if you like and we'll start an official list.
 
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