Chisels and Files

[Jim Wag]

Good evening

I have a beat up old smoke pole
Using it to practice and improve my skills

I'm going to do some work to the stock
And want to get the pfeil 6 piece palm set

Also, I am draw filing the barrel
Is there a better file to use

Thank you
Jim in La Luz

 

[billraby]

Go with the full size chisels. Those are used with two hands. Much better control that way.

 

[oldwood]

For draw filing , use standard say 10 " or so , " mill file." The secret to successful filing on metal is to chalk the file so the teeth don't fill up w/metal shavings. Plain old black board chalk is what you use. Also , Files called "safe files " are invaluable. Safe files have one or two edges ground off smooth so they file in one direction at a time. Square files w/one side safed , are valuable , too. Round , "chain saw sharpening" files are good. There are more kinds and sizes of files than we have space to describe here. All I can suggest is , name the task , and we will tell which file , rasp you might need.

 

[LawrenceA]

If starting on a freshly milled barrel then a second cut is where I start.
Depending on how pitted the barrel is will depend where you start.
Bahco 3 cut 12" mill file is supposed to be brilliant but I can't get one here.
I have been known to put tape around the file so it doesn't cut into my fingers.
With the big file keep your hands close to the work otherwise it is real easy to slip or cant. Also angle the file across the work.
You will get a feel for it pretty quick and can then adjust your technique.
Vary your angle and side as well as check regularly for squareness and flatness.
Remember taking your time will mean less chance of error and more chance of recovering from any error.
Oldwood is spot on about chalking the file, it helps heaps, but you also need to keep the teeth free of filings regularly through carding. Then rechalk and go again.

I have just draw filed (struck) a new Rice Barrel.
I used a 10" 360 grit diamond file to start and follow this up with a finer grit diamond stone about 1"X6".
I find the 1" stone really good as it is about barrel width so it is easy to bear straight down on the barrel.
Floated the stones in Hoppes oil to keep everything sliding and cutting
Took a little more time than a file, maybe a bit messier, but it came out beautifully. All flats flat and all edges sharp. No pilling no galling, no gouging.

Can't give much advise on Chisels as I am learning myself. I have noticed, however that most use a normal handle rather than palm. Look at Bill Raby on youtube among others. Also this is what TOTW sells sooo.......
Personally, I have just bought a box of concrete nails and am making heaps of little chisels. Not as flash but cheap and work. This will, I hope, allow me to figure out what sizes and shapes I use so I can then get these shapes in a quality piece.
Made a beaut little 2mm chisel to inlet ramrod pipes. Maybe 10 minutes work to make the chisel and probably as long to do the inlet.

Hope this helps.
Love to see your work as it progresses.

 

[LawrenceA]

On the flipside.
Dos the barrel need to be struck or is this just a lesson?
I have refinished a number of barrels without striking them. Just a quick sand or hit with scothbrite to thin the old finish then degrease then start the refinish

 

[Jim Wag]

Thanks much
I have a new 10" file
And some pink chalk
The barrel I'm working on is a little
Rusted, and needs to be filed and finished
If I pull this off, the barrel will be better
And so will I

Jim in La Luz

 

[Davey Boy]

I use a mill file and a file card to keep it clean. I have never used chalk. Draw filing you can do towards you like a draw knife our pushing away from you. Keep the file at a right angle to the push of pull. Feel the file cutting and work the way it feels right. Pass in one direction and watch for loading on the file teeth. If you get metal packing into the teeth, clean the file with a file card. Don't mess around with a wire brush. File cards will last a lifetime so don't fret the cost.

If you are going into wood butchering and want to do it right, you have to learn to put an edge on. I use to cheapo chisels but I have diamond stones and Japanese water stones out to 6000 grit. When you get a good edge on cheap steel it will fade fast, but it's fast to keep an edge too. Takes practice and watch YouTube videos to learn techniques. When using tools on wood they gotta cut nice. With a sharp chisel your hands control the cut with no force. If you have to crowd the chisel and slip that's a disaster. A proper chisel sharpening job will make the hardest woods yield nicely.

 

[Bob McBride]

Also on draw filing, don’t be tempted to use short strokes on any particularly bad spots on the barrel. Long strokes of about a foot or a bit less or you’ll dig a ditch trying to remove a ding or deep tool marks. As a beginner you’ll have to focus really well to keep the file flat against the barrel flat on the pull. Try not to wobble it or your barrel will have wobbly lines. I just rap the end of the file on my vise to clean off shavings and card it when I have to.

 

[kje54]

Also on draw filing, don’t be tempted to use short strokes on any particularly bad spots on the barrel. Long strokes of about a foot or a bit less or you’ll dig a ditch trying to remove a ding or deep tool marks. As a beginner you’ll have to focus really well to keep the file flat against the barrel flat on the pull. Try not to wobble it or your barrel will have wobbly lines. I just rap the end of the file on my vise to clean off shavings and card it when I have to.

Being relatively new to working with metal (which I would love to hire someone else to do so I wouldn't have to) what exactly do you mean by carding in this instance?

 

[Bob McBride]

Being relatively new to working with metal (which I would love to hire someone else to do so I wouldn't have to) what exactly do you mean by carding in this instance?

Yea, I guess I wasn’t super clear. I just meant cleaning the file with a file card. A sharp rap every 5-10 strokes keeps it pretty clean.

 

[kje54]

Yea, I guess I wasn’t super clear. I just meant cleaning the file with a file card. A sharp rap every 5-10 strokes keeps it pretty clean.

I do the sharp rap thing pretty frequently when I'm filing metal, more frequently when I'm filing wood. Now, If I do an internet search for "file card" what will come up are the small paper filing cards used in libraries and recipe boxes...........

 

[Bob McBride]

Google file cleaning brush. Get the one with the short wires on one side.

 

[kje54]

Google file cleaning brush. Get the one with the short wires on one side.

I think I have one of those somewhere........

 

[Jim Wag]

Go with the full size chisels. Those are used with two hands. Much better control that way.

Thank you Bill

If you were to assemble a
'Beginners set' of chisels
What would you have?

Jim in La Luz

 

[kje54]

Thank you Bill

If you were to assemble a
'Beginners set' of chisels
What would you have?

Jim in La Luz

I just ordered a set of Schaar chisels, not the best on the market but still good.

 

[Davey Boy]

Go to McMaster Carr, part number 433A12 file card

 

[Jim Wag]

Hi all
Here is my effort to clean up an
Italian barrel
There was rust on the bottom flat that presented a challenge
I still have some touch up to do

Overall, I'm happy with the results

Thanks for the advice and recommendations

Jim in La Luz

 

[pooch156]

I have a 7 piece set of Mikisyo and a 4 piece set of Flex Cut Palm Grip carving tools. Both brands hold edges for a long time. I have Japanese Waterstones (King Waterstones) in 800, 1200 & 6000 grit to sharpen them. I use 2000 grit wet/dry emery to polish the inside curve/back of the edge. I can't say that one brand works better than the other. I have no problem at all with the palm grip tools. I think that if I were to buy more chisels I would choose Flex Cut. The Flex Cut that I have are the wide format. Flex Cut offers a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They also come razor, razor sharp!! The quality of the Flex Cut tools is top notch. They also offer mallet type.

 

[Zonie]

Flex Cut even comes with some band aid's in the box with their carving tools.

 

[pooch156]

I do the sharp rap thing pretty frequently when I'm filing metal, more frequently when I'm filing wood. Now, If I do an internet search for "file card" what will come up are the small paper filing cards used in libraries and recipe boxes...........

McMaster-Carr Cat. No. 4332A12