Question regarding Swiss #6 cut needle files

[Dennis Glazener]

I screwed up! I ordered some stones from Gesswein to use polishing locks. Saw some half round Swiss needle files and decided to try one. I have 2 sets of Nichols and several sets of some off brand that work pretty good for coarse work. Wanted to see if the Swiss were worth the money. My intention was to order #2 cut but what I received (and what was on the receipt) was #6 cut! What I got is almost slick! You can hardly feel anything when you run your finger across it. What in the world is a #6 cut file used for! I can not imagine filing steel with it, I would think it would clog up in no time and what would you clean it with?
Dennis

[Mark Elliott]

All needle files are for finishing to one degree or another.   I only buy #2 needle files (although I did buy a #4 pillar file once), but finer ones would be for finer finishing that you might normally do with abrasives.   Think of a #4 or a #6 Swiss cut as more of a scraper or burnisher.   I have small stones for finishing, but I guess that a #6 needle file would probably replace my 320 grit stone; just a guess.   You wouldn't have to  worry about wearing out a needle file like a stone.     You know,  I imagine a #6 file might make more sense on silver or gold for jewelry work.  

About cleaning it, I use a piece of sheet brass on end to clean my fine files.  You rub the brass sheet along the teeth, the piece of brass is perpendicular to them, such that the teeth cut grooves in the brass.   That cleans out the areas between the teeth.   That method should work for any fine toothed file, even a #6.

[bama]

Dennis I think that these are for finish filing like Mark said. I have seen some very fine metal finishes done with files, these burnish more that remove metal.

[westbj2]

Think in terms or shaping with the O, or 2 cut and finishing with the #6 cut.  Once you get the experience of using them and seeing what they can do you will be pleased.
You can go right from a careful finishing with a #6 cut to 320 grit paper
Jim

[PPatch]

Think in terms or shaping with the O, or 2 cut and finishing with the #6 cut.  Once you get the experience of using them and seeing what they can do you will be pleased.
You can go right from a careful finishing with a #6 cut to 320 grit paper
Jim

That is your answer Dennis. I use the Gorbet files over the stones these days, for me they just work better and are more handy to use. A #6 is Fine, a #8 is Extra Fine, they almost give a polish, in any case a very smooth finish, I have both but rarely use them as I switch to abrasive papers after a #3 cut.

I recently bought half-round six inch #s 2 and 3 to go with my #O, with those I can file any casting fairly quickly. One of the tricks is to not use too much muscle, let the tool do the work. I only use a bristle brush to clean them and when I put them away I coat them with WD-40.

dave

[jerrywh]

Dennis.
  I use the number 6 cut and even a number 8 cut when engraving. They are great if you have a use for them and are somewhat hard to find. My advise is never use them on gold or pure silver because they will load up and are very hard to get the gold out of.

[Dennis Glazener]

Thanks for the info, guess I will have to give this one a try.
Dennis

[Bob Roller]

Thanks for the info, guess I will have to give this one a try.
Dennis

I use a #8 cut long pillar file to put a final touch to sear screws and tumblers.
A #8 is 233 teeth per inch as made by Baiter in Switzerland. Also have a few
#6.

Bob Roller

[horologist]

As others have mentioned the finer cuts are great for leaving a smooth finish. They are also just the thing when filing thin or delicate parts. My rule is you can't have too many small files.

Troy

Hand Making by galoot horologist, on Flickr

[Bob Roller]

As others have mentioned the finer cuts are great for leaving a smooth finish. They are also just the thing when filing thin or delicate parts. My rule is you can't have too many small files.

Troy

Hand Making by galoot horologist, on Flickr

I like those high quality small files and will buy them where I can. I have purchased a
number of large files and most are NOS* American. I have 4 marked for Aluminum
and they are 15" over all with 11" of cutiing edge.They are half round and I tried the
one I'm keeping on brass and it worked fine.I am asking $32 each and that includes
shipping by USPS to the Lower 48.
My Email is <bobroller@frontier.com>if anyone is interested.

Bob Roller

NOS* New Old Stock

[elkhorne]

PPatch or Mark or anyone else that wants to chime in,
I am getting ready to start polishing my first lock and would like to hear some of our more experienced builders' full procedure from start to finish for polishing a lock. I have purchased several Swiss needle files at Acer's suggestion and also some stones that Mark recommended from Congress Tools but would like to learn a progression of using them. PPatch mentioned that after he uses the needle files, he switches to abrasive paper. I would like to develop a procedure to go through on my lock polish. I have been to several build classes but have never been instructed on a complete polishing procedure step by step. Thanks and I eagerly await words of wisdom from any willing to share them.
Elkhorne

[Mark Elliott]

You go from course to fine.   I use #2 needle files to start my cleanup of a lock.  I then proceed to 120 grit abrasives and then 320 grit.  The abrasives could be emery cloth or stones; which ever can get into the space.  I finish with a 600 grit polish.     Finer needle files as in #4 and #6 would replace the 120 grit and 320 grit abrasives.  

The emery cloth is usually backed.  I use a trapezoidal shaped sanding block and dowels with my emery cloth.

If I have no other need to anneal the frizzen and frizzen spring,  I polish them with a flex shaft grinder and silicon polishing wheels instead of the needle files.

[FlintFan]

You can go right from a careful finishing with a #6 cut to 320 grit paper
Jim

That is exactly how I use them too.  Using progressively finer cut files is a great way to assure everything stays square and sharp.  I only switch to backed sand paper for final polishing, never for more aggressive surface removal.