Anyone still buying Nicholson files?

[Rolf]

Kind of confusing reading this thread. I live in Norway and most stores have european Bahco , sandvik  or pferd files and they dull fast. All the metal files I buy are nicholson from an store called tools in Norway. They migth not last longer, but they are sharper than the other midd price range brands we have in Norway.

The best files are of coarse the high range swiss files, but they cost an arm and a leg and are mostly fine toothed and made for jewerly work.  I'm favorit for woodworking are the liognier hand made rasps.

Best regards
Rolf

[David R. Pennington]

I buy old files when I find them at flea markets etc..,.Sent a batch out to be reconditioned to the fellow out in California (is it Boggs?) with goood results. I have some old USA made Heller and Dexter files that I have used for years that are still good. Ocasionally find old stock new USA files and pick them up. Bought a whole box of 6" "Black Diamond" fine cut mill files a while back each file wrapped in brown paper still in original green box. I gave a couple away and am using two on the bench and still have some in reserve. I pulled another batch out of my file drawer to send away for reconditioning.

[Curtis]

I just ordered some NOS USA made Nicholson files from this site: http://www.cripedistributing.com/made-in-the-usa.html .  I'll let you know what I think when they get here.

Curtis

[Longshot]

Good lead.
Quality and $$
Thanx

[Curtis]

Got the files in the mail yesterday.  All were stamped USA as advertised.  Tried a couple out and they cut steel like nobody's business.  Besides the Nicholson files I picked a 14" Johnson mill file.  It's a dandy!

Curtis

[WKevinD]

Glad to hear it. I ordered a pile of them, basically went thru the list and ordered anything that said "USA"
Can't wait.

[WKevinD]

My files arrived today. All USA, all clean and sharp. Great prices as well!
Thanks Curtis for the tip.

[Curtis]

Glad to hear someone benefited!  I used a couple of them again today and the cut soooooo nice!

Curtis

[SBachner]

I'm not ready for these (8th item from top...www.thebestthings.com/misctool.htm ); maybe someone else is?

[flehto]

I don't buy many files and haven't for many years, except for the occasional mill file. During my stint as a tool and diemaker {1956-1967}, accumulated many Nicholson and Grobet files and they're still going strong.

Recently bought a 6" mill file that won't grab onto steel , let alone brass ...took it back for a refund and told the store mgr that these files aren't any good and he said he'd look into it. Well, checked 4 mos later and the same dull files are being sold.

The reason for the lousy files might be that not many people file anymore  so the demand is less and to keep costs down, the mfgrs  have not only cheapened the steel and file making process, but have moved operations to foreign countries.  How many people who you know  use files on a regular basis as we do in gunmaking? .....Fred

[Kermit]

I may have this entirely wrong--happened once before--but it would seem to me that a person buying a file wants a file because they want to file something, so a file that files would be a desireable product.

[Elnathan]

I still buy Nicholson files from the local hardware store, because they are cheap and available and i don't have to worrying about ruining them on a piece of inbedded forge-scale or something like that. I've found the Mexican-made ones to be as good or better than the late American-made ones, which is not that high a bar I suspect. The Mexican-made ones are still in 1095, I believe, so the steel is useful as salvage.

A year or two ago I went on a file buying spree on ebay over several months and got a bunch of old new stock Grobet, Simmonds, and a Disston for reasonable prices. Haven't used any of them yet, as I am saving them for something worthwhile.

[Scota4570]

"Besides the Nicholson files I picked a 14" Johnson mill file.  It's a dandy!"

Agreed, I got one too.  IT draw files barrel flats fast and smooth.  It does not pin.