Making a dovetail file?

[Treebeard]

I have about wore out my two dovetail files from Brownells. I believe I have heard that some take a regular three sided file and remove teeth on two sides. My question is how best to do this?

[Dennis Glazener]

A belt sander worked for me but watch the tips of you fingers

[PPatch]

I just did one this morning and used a bench grinder. Does a quick job but watch out that you don't overheat the file and like Dennis said - watch those fingers and wear eye protection by all means.

dave

[Tim Crosby]

 Why Two sides, don't you need just one safe side?

   Tim C.

[Joe S.]

I found using a belt sander wanted to put a slight radius on the safe side while trying to hold it by hand.I ended up making a jig that held the file true to the table and other file edges.This made for a perfect,flat safe side with nice sharp,crisp edges.You do have to pay extra mind to not over heat the file,take it slow.

[P.W.Berkuta]

I use a belt grinder or bench grinder to get most of the teeth off on one side then I use a coarse stone then a fine diamond plate to finish it off.

[Treebeard]

Thanks for all the input- I am now experimenting with both a grinding stone and belt sander as has been suggested. Tim the Brownells dove tail files come with only one side with teeth so thought I would duplicate that. I may try doing just one side.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

You only need to remove the teeth from one side of a three sided file.  I use my 6" x 48" belt grinder, holding the file vertically pointing the file down from the top end of the grinder.  Otherwise, it's easy to get the file tipped a bit, and it no longer gives a 60 degree corner.

[Treebeard]

I used the belt sander today to smooth just one side of a file. Used it to do a rear sight dovetail.
A lot cheaper than store bought! Thanks for all the input.

[flehto]

I "safe" only one side and do it on a bench grinder which yields a hollow ground surface which stays flat when filing, Enough steel is removed so that the corners are sharp......Fred

[Treebeard]

I will be modifing three sided files from here on out and appreciate the tips. I am lucky that Kansas has a lot of estate sales where I can pick up files as low as 50 cents.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

There is nothing like a brandy new triangular file, one side ground down to expose sharp corners, to cut a dovetail.  Makes for accurate and clean dovetails, with as little effort as possible.  A worn or old file doesn't cut it...sorry about the pun.

[Bob Roller]

Find IF possible a three cornered file with SHARP.not radiused corners.
It will make the job MUCH easier.

Bob Roller

[Treebeard]

The advise about sharp corners abd non rediused corners is well taken. I will be on lookout for quality files to use next I need them. I really liked my Brownells but they only last so long.

[T*O*F]

I really liked my Brownells but they only last so long.

You can send them to Boggs to be resharpened.  Considering what the Brownells ones cost, I would.

[Treebeard]

I really liked my Brownells but they only last so long.

You can send them to Boggs to be resharpened.  Considering what the Brownells ones cost, I would.

I'm not familiar with Boggs. Does he have a website or store with contact info.

[T*O*F]

Use the search function to find threads about them.  Lots of kudos from guys here.

http://boggstool.com/