VIXEN rasp, Pat. DEC 12 05??

[steven c newman]

Amongst the various Rust Hunt "Treasures " today, was a BIG, rasp. Cutting length was at least 14" long, and looked like it had lost a bit, too. On the tang, there was a "VIXEN" on one side, and a "Pat. DEC 12 05" on the other. 1-1/4" wide. edges weren't "safed" but could cut as well. The "teeth" on this big guy? ((((((((((( or something to that effect. Not sure IF this is for wood work, or for giving a horse a manicureIMAG0097.jpg and some of the other "treasures" of today. A few bits for that 10" brace. a couple of chisels, one needed a new handle. That thing that looks like a block plane? Iron has a #1248 or 1249 kind of hard to read the last number. A 1" expansion bit will need a little bit of clean up. Total for today? Around $15 or so.... IMAG0096.jpg Not sure about that angled tool, either, but it at least was free. IMAG0100.jpg the handle less chisel is 1-1/2" wide! Handled one is 3/4" wide. Larger bit is marked 16 so it should be 1". The 1" expansion bit is marked as a "CLARK" , and the wee one is about a 5/16"

Not that bad a day? Anyone hear tell of that rasp by Vixen??

[Bill Houghton]

Vixen files are designed for non-ferrous materials. Aluminum is the material mentioned first in most descriptions of their use. Some people like them for wood as a kind of mid-point between rasp and file; I didn't find that the one I owned worked all that well for me.

Are you sure the angled tool is a woodworking tool? Looks like an automotive brake adjuster to me.

[steven c newman]

Yep, a brake spoon. One stop today was an old Garage, Hundreds of sockets, ratchets, pliers, and just a few wood tools. Not sure why he had a brace and bit, though.

[Bill Houghton]

Not sure about the bit, but braces were commonly used in many of the mechanical trades early in the 20th century. The current understanding of them as a wood tool only grew up at some later point.

[george wilson]

That large curved tooth file is for filing lead in body work. Not very good for wood as it will build up a chatter quickly. If you use it, make each stroke at a different angle to avoid the chattering. I don't get the patent date as these have been around longer than I have. That must mean 1905.

Nicholson,on the other hand,made a curved tooth file with offset teeth cut into segments. Called a "Super Shear". Those cut like crazy and I have several. I love them. The off center teeth,with segments didn't chatter. Sharp enough to nearly shave your finger prints. Not cheap at about $40.00 a pop. I found a Simmons of the same design at Travers Tool several years ago. I don't know if they are still available. Travers was a little too expensive for most stuff,so I didn't keep up with them. The new Japanese versions are quite excellent,too. And,smaller than the Nicholsons.

[John Coloccia]

They're great for aluminum and fiberglass too. When I was building my airplane, I don't think a day went by that I didn't use the Vixen file. It chews through aluminum like a coarse rasp chews through wood.