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Thread: Mexican made Nicholson files I tested are soft.

  1. #31
    I've had luck going to good old fashioned hardware stores, sometimes when another good old store goes out of business one owner has the sense to buy their whole stock. I've found some really nice, fine cut pillar files made in USA for a few dollars. Sometimes other stuff as well. Mostly you have to be willing to go look and spend a chunk of money and buy them all if/when you see them.
    Trevor Walsh
    TWDesignShop

  2. #32
    As a coincidence, I was in HD today after seeing this post and the Nicholson's were made in Brazil and Mexico, and I was able to see the country of origin on the back when I looked. Nothing made in the USA as far as I could tell. Any testing on the Brazil made files.

  3. #33
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    I got a Woodcraft flier today. They now have larger versions of those Japanese files mentioned a few posts above. They have segmented curved teeth ALMOST like the old Nicholsons,which had the curved teeth off center. I have several of those old Nicholson "super shear" files,and they are really great for shearing off wood,or metal. I wish the Japanese ones were the same,but probably by alternating stroke patterns you could avoid the bumpy tooth patterns you get with the curved,on center lead vixen files. They are $39.99 each at Woodcraft,which is similar to what the Nicholsons sold for.

  4. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    I got a Woodcraft flier today. They now have larger versions of those Japanese files mentioned a few posts above. They have segmented curved teeth ALMOST like the old Nicholsons,which had the curved teeth off center. I have several of those old Nicholson "super shear" files,and they are really great for shearing off wood,or metal. I wish the Japanese ones were the same,but probably by alternating stroke patterns you could avoid the bumpy tooth patterns you get with the curved,on center lead vixen files. They are $39.99 each at Woodcraft,which is similar to what the Nicholsons sold for.
    The Iwasakis give a very smooth finish. I have some really coarse ones I don't use much (far too aggressive for most of my work). PM your address. I'll send you the coarse ones to try out if you'd like. I wouldn't attack metal with them, but I find them much smoother than the vixen files

  5. #35
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    O.K.,my address is in your PM. I appreciate the generous offer. If you want more of that bias tape,let me know. Thank you. I can find something nice to send you,otherwise.

  6. #36
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    I have also noticed how fast those triangle files dull. They don't last very long even in fully annealed metal. I went through a pile of them making floats.

    Unfortunately, the vast majority of people buying files at hardware stores will never notice the difference, so management is unlikely to improve things.

  7. #37
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    The news travels fast these days.

    I just got back from my local store. I went through the line with all the last of the USA made Nicholson's I needed. They had only one or two of each file in the back of the stacks that was USA stamped. Lot's of made in Brazil and Mexico stock.

    The clerk said " You must be a friend of George Wilson" I said " Yes, I am"

    Thanks George.






    OK, the clerk didn't really say that.

  8. #38
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    OK, the clerk didn't really say that.
    Shucks, this was giving my ribs a good tickle until I read the last line.

    Still a good story.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  9. #39
    George, I have files I love and that I am realizing are irreplaceable. Can you tell us your experience sharpening files? I've heard of a company in California and that it can be done at home with vinegar. What's the story?

    Adam

  10. #40
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    The only way I have done it is by electro stripping,in a solution of hydrochloric acid,with a little sulphuric added(seemed to work better.) There are kits you can get to sharpen files. The blacksmiths tried one. It came with a PVC pipe sealed at the bottom,to suspend the file in.

    I don't think smooth files could be resharpened more than once. The teeth lose height from being eaten away. Plus,I have seen some files commercially resharpened,and the edges of the files were wavy from being eaten away.

    Some claim you can sharpen files by sand blasting,but I don't put a lot of stock in that,unless they were coarse cut files. You hold the file by the tang,and blast the teeth "from behind". I'd be careful about this process,too. Seems like an easy way to waste the teeth quickly.

  11. #41
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    I called Apex Tool Group to ask about on-shore/off-shore production for Nicholson files. The lady confirmed the N meant off-shore production. In looking through the Apex website, every file I checked had both the five-digit item number and the same item number with the N suffix. http://www.cooperhandtools.com/brand...iles/index.cfm

    Guess it's buyer beware.

    Tom

  12. #42
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    Score!

    From my local Lowe's, I about cleaned them out! Note the USA tag.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #43
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    I re visited our Home Depot. No more USA ones. I ALREADY cleared out their last 11 USA files. Our Lowes only sells those Kobalt files now. Hecho en Chine.(China en Espanol?)

    I picked up a few Portuguese knife files recently at a tool event. It seems o.k.. I haven't thought to hardness test it,and I should.

  14. #44
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    Since I became aware I've been checking different places I go and most files I see are China or Mexico. Some of the Nicholson's also said Brazil but the USA's were mixed here and there and a lot of the new files stocked in front were Mexico or China.

  15. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Cherubini View Post
    George, I have files I love and that I am realizing are irreplaceable. Can you tell us your experience sharpening files? I've heard of a company in California and that it can be done at home with vinegar. What's the story?

    Adam
    Adam, I've sharpened rasps and files in white vinegar. My initial impression was that it works, but that the new sharp teeth don't hold up very long. I experienced chipping of the teeth after one or two uses (probably 2 hours worth of work) in walnut and cherry. So, it does work for short time but it is not a long term substitute for a professional sharpening or new files.
    Your endgrain is like your bellybutton. Yes, I know you have it. No, I don't want to see it.

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