"Strands" when draw-filing

[Uncle Alvah]

Draw filing a barrel, first time doing it.
The flats are pretty narrow, its a Colrain A profile .36 caliber.
I have noticed that from time to time when cleaning the files, I may have some "fibers" of steel instead of the usual fine dust. They look like little pieces of steel wool.
Am I correct in thinking that they result from not keeping the file directly on the flat, like they are being sheared from one edge or the other?

[Smoketown]

The 'curls' typically happen near the edges of the file where they can escape and not get broken up.

Similar to what happens when turning on a lathe.

Pay attention to the finished surface, card your file often and keep it well chalked. (Though some prefer to oil.   )

Cheers,
Smoketown

[gusd]

I chalk my file when draw filing barrels, keeps file from pinning and scratching.
I chalk for brass also.
Gus

[Jim Kibler]

The "strands" or long curls are a good thing.  This happens when your file and technique are working well.

Jim

[jerrywh]

 I agree with Jim kibler on this.  Chalking your file will only make it harder to cut. It will help stop it from loading up but if your file is loading very much  up you are not filing correctly. When a file loads up a lot just slack off on the pressure or use more of a shearing motion. They will load sometimes regaurdless especially on very soft metal. 

[Daryl]

Taylor's favourite draw filing file, "Jaws" is an Autobody man's "bondo" file. It takes a bit of power to work it, but those sweeping rounded teeth turn make turnings just like from a lathe. Amazing tool.

[wilkie]

I have found that using bacon grease for drilling, tapping, hack sawing, and a small amount on a file will let you clean a file much easier and make it cut better.  Bacon grease will let you do these operations much easier based on several years of experience.

[Ky-Flinter]

.....Bacon grease......

And it makes the "strands" taste like cracklin's.

-Ron

[Acer Saccharum]

Those long stringy filings will burn, just like steel wool will burn. Sweep them up and throw them out before you use your torch in the same area.

[Acer Saccharum]

Mix the stringy filings with bacon fat and you have 'Holiday Gunmaker's Incense', adds a nice homey vapor to the gunshop.

[PPatch]

I have found chalk to be less than ideal here in the humid southland. It is hygroscopic and will attract moisture resulting in, eventually, rust. This is from experience. As we all know rust is the death of any file. After use I spray my files with WD-40 which does a good job of keeping moisture at bay, I have had zero problems in the last several years using the WD-40. I don't use any cutting oil when draw filing. I might try it next time, it won't be bacon grease though, sounds messy, and has loads of salt in it.

Alvah, those curls are fine, keep at it, even pressure and not a lot of pressure, let the tool work for you.

dave

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Daryl has my 'draw file' and "jaws" mixed up.  My draw-filing file is a single cut mill bastard file 20" long and 1 1/2" wide.  It has draw filed well over 300 barrels and shows no sign of being less effective.   I get a nice pile of 'strands' after draw-filing a barrel, on the bench and on the floor.  They are pretty much the same phenomenon as the curls of wood you get when you use a sharp plane on wood.  Those file teeth literally plane off the steel into curls which roll around themselves, creating 'strands'.
The auto body file, sometimes referred to as a "Vixen" file;  I use for removing a lot of metal in a short time.  I use it like a plane, at a raking angle and push it rather than pull or draw it.  The metal that accumulates looks more like lathe chips than turnings.  I haven't yet used the three new files I bought from Bob Roller, but I have a feeling that they too will be quite aggressive.

[Daryl]

LOL - IIRC not so well sometimes - HA!