Fine files for planes, and other tools?

[Dan Kraakenes]

Does anybody have a favoritt files to break Sharp angles or burrs on planes and other Tools.

So very fine, to not remove to much.

[Tom M King]

The shorter the file in a given category, the finer the cut. For instance, a 4" smooth file has smaller teeth than an 8" smooth file.

https://docs.rs-online.com/4be0/0900766b81058fde.pdf

[Tom Trees]

I've only picked up a very nice flat single cut Swiss file in the chainsaw section for a fiver.
I quite short, very thin and probably far too aggressive straight away for a single draw over a sharp edge,
so would need some dulling beforehand.
It's an Oregon Swiss made 0622 (I've not even used it yet, and it was beside my welding rods over the stove)
That's possibly the best you might find local, should you not just use a quality very fine abrasive like the 3M stuff glued or self stick to a block.
Keep the sides of the plane iron sharp and use it as a scraper for some composite of some sort, but beware if re freshening, (on yer "beater plane")
that very sharp burr near the business end of the plane might wipe out the underside of the cap.

Perhaps a very fine diamond file would be the ticket, or perhaps a flat needle file from a set, just as long as the teeth are matched to the relative size.
This file is about the same size teeth as those, and sized near 3mm x 14.5mm, might prove useful for some tight space.

Once again I'll mention this being very aggressive, so dulling necessary, cast iron being very soft, really not necessary,.
and one would hope by now, this looking for a file business, isn't to wipe out those corners of the cutting edge of the plane iron,
if intending to use the plane as a try plane, panel or smoother.
That would take an age before you could get down to that, as the corners of the cap would poke out from either end, rendering it useless for that.

Tom

[Eric Brown]

I use a small sanding block usually with 80 grit paper. I usually break the edges on the areas that come into hand contact, like the plane edges, top and bottom, and the cutter itself, except of course the actual cutting edge.

[Jimmy Harris]

I find sandpaper glued to a surface easier to use than a file in most cases. Especially because I can create the size and shape of the surface to match whatever I'm trying to do. Plus, I can switch out grits to make a surface highly polished if I want to.

As noted, most of the time, the finer the file, the smaller the file. So files, in my experience, aren't the best tool for removing small amounts of material over a large area.

[Edward Weber]

I would check out Sharpening Supplies
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Search.aspx?k=files
They have all kinds of tools that might fit your needs, like knife files and mini whetstones.
I have a couple of these, which come in handy
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/D...eath-P503.aspx

[David Carroll]

I use an 8-inch mill file, that are available nearly everywhere. A light touch and you're done. It takes nearly as long to do it as it does to explain how to do it.

DC

[Scott Winners]

I honestly use a 12" Nicholson "general purpose mill file" from the home store to get close, and then smooth out my file marks with about 80 grit and move on- for vintage cast iron Bailey planes. The cast iron is pretty soft versus modern files. Chamfering the corner edges of a Bailey iron you will find the demarcation between tempered and not tempered steel pretty easy. I do not like to bleed from sharp edges on my tools, and the skin on my hands is fairly soft; but if I am not dripping blood on my workpieces I figure my tools are chamfered enough. You may go as deep as you like down this rabbit hole.

[Tom Bussey]

I like a 8 inch triangle file. I prefer a single cut over a double cut file for planes. I draw file the sharp edges to remove all the burrs. The triangular file does a nice job on the top curved edges of a plane. For flat work I prefer a 10 to 12 inch single cut file. When buying a flat file be careful not to get one to fine, the teeth clog up to quickly.

I prefer Simons or Nickelson files. And if you wish the file to last pick it up on the return stroke. dragging it back under pressure of any kind shortens the life. Keep the file clean by rubbing it backwards accosted your pants or apron. I fine brass brush, a dollar at harbor freight, does a great job of cleaning a fouled file, that is unless you have let it get really bad. Aluminum is the nastiest to clean if you let it fill up usually in one spot on the file.

[Cameron Wood]

I like a 8 inch triangle file. I prefer a single cut over a double cut file for planes. I draw file the sharp edges to remove all the burrs. The triangular file does a nice job on the top curved edges of a plane. For flat work I prefer a 10 to 12 inch single cut file. When buying a flat file be careful not to get one to fine, the teeth clog up to quickly.

I prefer Simons or Nickelson files. And if you wish the file to last pick it up on the return stroke. dragging it back under pressure of any kind shortens the life. Keep the file clean by rubbing it backwards accosted your pants or apron. I fine brass brush, a dollar at harbor freight, does a great job of cleaning a fouled file, that is unless you have let it get really bad. Aluminum is the nastiest to clean if you let it fill up usually in one spot on the file.

This was dis-proven by the Fireball tool guy in his exhaustive test on Youtube.

I keep an eye out for a good 6" single cut file, which seem rare these days.

[Jim Koepke]

I fine brass brush, a dollar at harbor freight, does a great job of cleaning a fouled file, that is unless you have let it get really bad. Aluminum is the nastiest to clean if you let it fill up usually in one spot on the file.

An old post, Cleaning Between the Teeth of a File @ > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?294696 < shows a quick and easy way to make a simple tool to quickly clean a clogged file.

jtk

[Tony Zaffuto]

This was dis-proven by the Fireball tool guy in his exhaustive test on Youtube.

I keep an eye out for a good 6" single cut file, which seem rare these days.

Been in metals manufacturing for 35 years and Tom Bussey’s comments are correct.

[Edward Weber]

I find it interesting that the OP wanted a "fine" file for gently breaking the edges of planes and other tools and many just say use a generic mill file.
If I ask for 220 grit sand paper, you guys will probably tell me 80 is good enough.
Please explain how a standard mill file is the right tool for the job the OP asked about.

[Eric Brown]

I find it interesting that the OP wanted a "fine" file for gently breaking the edges of planes and other tools and many just say use a generic mill file.
If I ask for 220 grit sand paper, you guys will probably tell me 80 is good enough.
Please explain how a standard mill file is the right tool for the job the OP asked about.

With iron almost any file can do the job. A lot depends on pressure and direction. Like saying you can use an axe to shave with but there are better tools for that task. A fine file will work and so will single or double cut. I think what a lot of use are saying is "use what you have". No need to buy something special for a infrequent task. So yes, 80 or 220 grit might be good enough depending on the task. Of course, that's just my opinion.

[Jim Koepke]

…
And if you wish the file to last pick it up on the return stroke. dragging it back under pressure of any kind shortens the life.

This was dis-proven by the Fireball tool guy in his exhaustive test on Youtube.

Been in metals manufacturing for 35 years and Tom Bussey’s comments are correct.

I've seen and trust the video Cameron mentions > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbykic--SKA

I trust the test and it busts the conventional wisdom of dragging a file backwards over the work.

I still tend to lift my files, rasps and floats on the back stroke anyway.

jtk