talking about how files have changed: just an observation

S

soundmind

KNIFE MAKER
Left to right: The first I know to be from the 80's. The second would be somewhere between 2000-2010. The third is one I just bought. All 12".


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I'm guessing that what I've heard since I got into knives, that forging Nicholson files into knives, is from when they were made like the first. It's huge and heavy - over 1/4" thick.
 
What is your observation on how files have changed exactly? Nicholson files have for decades been known to be good files. They were the first quality machine made files. But in more recent years they are made in many different countries, and reports of quality have been according.

Good files for knifemaking are those made of clean high carbon steel...(typically either 1095 or W1,although it’s been found that these high quality files have always been OVER 1%Carbon, up to 1.25%)

So common sense comes into it. Look for files made in the USA, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, etc., etc....
Anything else is CHINESIUM JUNK STEEL! And they are almost always case hardened as this steel isn’t able to be through hardened.

So that is how files have changed.

But honestly, it’s much cheaper to just buy 1095 or W1 steel. A good Bastard file is going to run you $10-$15 PER file. In essence, a person will be spending even more than I do do for CPM steels! That is unless you are finding the files used.
 
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One Armed said:
What is your observation on how files have changed exactly?

When I first got into knives I read "you could use file to make knives." Since I got into the forums I've read everything you just said. I wasn't asking for all that again.

I found an "old file" and saw a significant difference in the size and weight of anything I've seen new. I thought the comparison was interesting in light of what I've been learning.

I think the topic came up again just before you joined back on the forums. There was conflict in it - and didn't I intend to post something controversial again...just an observation - something fresh to me. That's what I meant.
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I didn’t find anything controversial about your thread....and I certainly wasn’t replying in that way. Was simply giving my take on what I know to be facts about files.

I’m sorry none of what I said was what you were looking for. I can delete it all if you’d like to?
 
I think both of ya'll have made pretty much the same points, perhaps worded a tad differently. The whole idea of using old files was to pick them up for nothing, or at most $1 each. Picking up the old wood rasps, files etc from 30 yrs and more ago... Wait, 30 yrs ago was only 1990! I've always felt old freebie files were good for forging and making knives. While it's perhaps best to have a known steel, many times a "decent' knife is all that's required. AND forging can use up a LOT of steel so it's good to have "freebie" or at least cheap steel to practice on, and if the forged blade turns out pretty good, it can be made into a decent knife. A win-win situation.
 
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