Testing a Kobalt Mill File

[Jim Neeley]

My recommendation for file dumpster-diving is to seek out one of the few-remaining old-time hardware stores or an old-time store that grew into an industrial supplier and check their file inventory, looking for old and dusty ones in the bottom of the pile or the back of the hanging hook. Files aren't a big seller any more.

I did that and was able to find eight or ten old Nicholsons (various cuts and sizes) from back when they were made in the USA and bought them all. They were in the back, covered with dust and grease, obviously ignored by buyers for the clean ones in the front of the hook or pile. Yes, their stockers didn't believe in rotating stock, much to my benefit.

One even more elderly gent than I working there saw me come up with my assortment, smiled at me and said "good choice!"

It worked for me; it might work for you.

Jim in Alaska

[Darren Brewster]

Has anyone tried the Stanley files? My closest big box home centre sells them exclusively. They look quite nice, but that clearly doesn't mean much.

[David Weaver]

If the stanley files don't say "made in USA" or "made in switzerland" or "Made in portugal" or some other euro or american country, you can bet they won't be good.

I've seen a lot of branded stuff by stanley lately that was really overpriced, especially in the home gadget area of stuff. My mother got a spotlight shaped flashlight over the winter for $40, stanley branded. It's 120 lumens or something. I took a flashlight that I got in a gift pack at home depot to their house, two at 300 lumens for $15, and took my dad to get a pair to find the generic home depot branded ("defiant" - funny how close that is to one of stanley's old home brand names) cree lantern of 375 lumens or something to be $15. So my mother paid almost 3 times as much for a third-world-made light that is 1/3rd as strong because it said stanley on it.

I don't trust that they provide value in many places.

[Joe Tilson]

We had one of the finest shop teachers around at our HS. Mr. Carl Barnes was a fine gentleman, who took his time to explain how tools worked, and why they worked. He then taught us the skills of using tools. A lot of the mechanical electric tools in the shop were made by him. The one I remember most is a free standing spindle sander he and students put together after school one week.

After Mr. Barnes retired, the teacher became Bubba Smith, assistant football coach. Well, you know how it went from there.

I knew they were thinking about closing the shop class down. Then one day my wife and I were going through the Wednesday flea market in Pickens, SC, and I saw some potato mashers on a table which looked just like the ones we used in our shop class. I got to checking them out and found the very one I used in that class. It was ten dollars well spent. We knew then they had closed the shop classes down and sold off the tools at auction. This included the Nicholson files. Mr. Barnes would have no other.

[george wilson]

You got it,James. But AT LEAST,they used to carry Nicholsons. Nicholsons themselves were reducing quality for years. First,the tangs stopped being tapered both ways. No biggie. Then,the files got thinner. I swear,their last USA mill files seemed a bit narrower,too. But,at least they still had good teeth and cut well.

[Bryan Jung]

Hi everyone, been lurking here and learning a lot; thank you all for sharing.
Because I'm new into woodworking I have noting new to share, but after reading this threat went to ebay looking for some NOS files and found the prices a little bit higher than what I was willing to pay.
With some research I found that Bahco files are considered good ones and order this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A3BUJ4ZPESQSK2
10 files for $16 shipped , the only problem: delivery take a month.
Hope this may be helpful to some one, and thanks again guys

[george wilson]

Bahcos have been recommended here for some time. My purpose was to try to find a LOCAL file of decent quality that you could just go buy. Not wait a month and pay shipping.

[Jamie Buxton]

What does NOS mean in this context?

[David Weaver]

Older files that were never sold.

[Harry Hagan]

The Kobalt is going back to Lowe's. I don't know how they can charge as much for a Chinese file as I have paid for American files of the sane type. Hopefully,home owners are sharpening their lawn mowers with a bench grinder,and not this file.

George,

Thanks for the write-up and thanks for taking the file back.

When we accept inferior workmanship—we get more of the same. Don’t spend your hard-earned dollars on something that should be sold at Toys “R” Us.

[george wilson]

I see I typed "sane" when I meant "same",but maybe sane is still the correct word!

[Jonathan McCullough]

NOS = New, Old Stock

[george wilson]

I did go to Home Depot some time ago,and cleaned out the remaining USA Nicholsons.

[Gary Herrmann]

Yeah George, I did the same at the HD and Lowes near me. It's probably been close to two years since I saw any made in USA Nicholsons in either store.

[Noah Wagener]

have you tested any files from Sears? I really do not know how to use a file or judge one but i found the Craftsman black oxide files much nicer than that variety pack of Nicholsons they sell at Home Depot but that is not saying much as in my hands the Nicholsons just kind of slid over everything leaving an odd scratch here and there.