saw files

[jlandis]

   Hello,
  I have an interest in learning to sharpen my own handsaws. Looking into the prospect has lead me to believe a good supply of files on hand is better than purchasing one file at a time as they wear out.
     Anyone who is framiliar with file manufacturing knows ( I'll try to gentle here) the decline in quality.
Can anyone recommend a file manufactured today that would be of acceptable quality?
And could sombody reveal a place to purchase files by the box ( @ by the box prices and not, by the file prices)?

                                                       Thanks for your time,

                                                                      Jim

[Adam Cherubini]

First, know that there's a big difference between sharpening a saw and filing new teeth on a saw  I do both.  Cutting new teeth is what really wears a file.  So sometimes, you may hear guys like me complaining about this file manufacturer or that.  Depending on what sort of filing you are doing (let's presume routine maintenance) you may do fine with any (including Nicholson) manufacturer. 

I use Grobet files and buy them by the case from b2bprofessionaltools.com.  In any given case, some files will last for half a saw and some will last for 3 saws. 

My advice is to skip the case and buy 3 needle files from Joel at toolsforworkingwood.com.  They are expensive, but they are great files.  You may never use 12 of them, so the case is overkill.  And it's good to support our ww vendors.  Needle files are especially good for finely toothed saws.

Adam

[MikeWenzloff]

Jim,

First determine the sizes of files you need for the saws you have. The Grobet needle files are fine for saws above 16 ppi but are too small for saws at lower ppi than that.

I agree with Adam. If you are not jointing teeth completely off and starting afresh, skip picking up a dozen of any given size. At 2-3 bucks a file, depending on the size, having what you need for now and the foreseeable future is cheap enough. Having files for the rest of your life may not be cost effective. But I am sure that we who sell files would sell whole boxes if ya really wanted.

Take care, Mike