The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-06-18
HANDMADE FILES.
AN INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF A
DELICATE PROCESS.
worhmen Become So Accurate That They
Could Go ON II They Became Blind-Me-
chanIcs Held It to 10 an Art In Which
Machinery Could Not Compete.

chnnIcs Held It to Bo IN Art In "htcn
Machinery Could Not Compete.
Rasps and files In the hands OF first
class mechanic rise to the dignity OF tools
of tho first order In machine shop. To
.'file SQUARE" IA test of skill which has
caused many braggart to lower his crest,
and an A / viso hand IL q treasure In
shop where finishing Is done on the bench.
To file square means TO flle true; to finish
tho face Of the work without marrtng It
with scratches and rounding surfaces, and
to do this rs q regular everyday thing, IL
an art to be won only through practice
and long experience. Files ruin thousands
OF dollars worth Of work, and files sdd
thousands Of dollars to the value OF manu-
factured product.
In some Of tho machine shops OF Chica'
90 arc gray haired mechanics who have
worn overalls for 40 years and more. They
remember well the time when machine
made files were hold up to ridlcule and
scorn and when all first class, well known
makes Of files were cut by hand. Somo ri
these old fellows still Insist that machine
made files are not and never can be as
good rs tho files which arc cut by hand,
and they carry this prejudice to such an
extent that they declare they cannot DO
good work with the machine cut files.
It would be difficult for them to tell the
difference between the two makes OK files,
for within comparatively few years ma
chimes have been making files that cannot
be approached by the most expert ale out
ters OF Sheffield. Files, and many OF them,
are still cut by hand, and q file cutter 10
probably the most expert user OF a ham,
mer and cold chisel In the industrial world.
Files and fasps are made Of steel which
varies from the "blistered" steel for the
pooror quality Of files to tho best crucible,
or "cast cast" steel, for the higher grades.
The blanks arc prepared for tho file cutter
by forging the "tang," or tapored point
for the handle, and shaping the steel to
the proper form under die or press. The
blanks arc thoroughly annealed or soften
ed, and are perfectly clean and free from
scale when laid on the bench Of the work
man who cuts the teeth.
A file cutter generally works on the
same kind Of "cut" year In and yenr
out. This gives him mechanical porfec-
tion which cannot be secured In any other
way, and 1t Is said that q workman's
hand becomes so accustomed to tho spac-
ing that wero he to become blind he could
cut just rs we'll.
Files aro made of many forms to suit
the great variety Of work which thcy are
called upon to do, but the "cuts" which
give conrseness and fneness to files arc
comparatively few. They arc known a.
trough, ""bastard, "smooth" and dead
smooth" These arc tho common "cuts.
Floats" are single cut files, and double
ont files arc made by crossing tho drst
cut with second cut, thus changing the
parallel, unbroken cutting edges OF the
floats into numerous points.
When face, or ono or moro edges on
hle, Is left uncut, It Is said to be 'safe. !"
No matter what the form Of the nle Is,
whether fat, square, round, half round,
rat tail, three square or knife edged, tho
cutting Is done the same way. A short,
light, steel cold chisel, with q broad,
straight cutting edge, Is used. The ham
mer Is curious looking affair, for 1t Ii
curved somewhat, and tho handle is In
sorted well toward the smaller end. The
hammer weighs from one to SIX pounds.
In striking tho workman gives peculiar
pulling blow which raises the bur" and
gives the particular cut characteristic OF
files, and 1t was this cut that for nearly
200 years prevented inventors from design
Ing machinery which would cut file
equal to tho hand cut article.
Tho workman sits on low bench which
comes out from long wide bench. Before
him Is bis anvil, usually stone block or
q slab of iron. The blanks are held In
place by straps which pass over tho tang
and point, and then form loop or stirrup
under tho anvil. The workman puts his
| foot In the loop, and thus holds the blank
secure while ho Is cutting 1t. He holds the
ehisel between tho finger and thumb OF
the loft hand, and after each cut moves the
blank slightly for tho next cut. He does
this by lifting the chisel over the bur and
then pressing the point Of the tool against
the raised edge just out, at the same time
loosening the strap SO that the blank can
be moved.
In cutting small files or smooth or dead
smooth files tho hammer blows, movement
Of the chisel, looSoning tho straps, moving
the blank, tightening tho strap and strik.
ing the next blow are done so rapidly that
they are nearly simultaneous. Tho float
cut is made first, and then the second cut
Is made. In making the second cut the
workman strikes tho chisel with less force,
thus making shallower cut. II the file Is
to be cut on tho other side, the cut Side Is
laid upon o plate Of lead or pewter to pro-
tect tho cutting edges. II the file Is othcr
than q fat shape, the lead or pewter Is
grooyed or followed out to 1t the shape.
After cutting, tho files are hardened, for
the anncaling makes the steel SO soft that
the first use Of the file would bend the cut
ting edges. Some files are curved before
being tempered. This is done by heating
tho cut files to o dull rod and bending
them to the required curve over wooden
block with q wooden mallet. The files to
be hardened are FIRST covered with o mix
ture of salt and some sort Of carbonaceous
substance. This covering serves twofold
purpose-it prevents the teeth from oxida-
tion and from losing tho carbon In the
steel, and by fuslng indicates the proper
heat for tempering. 1t also serves to pre-
vent cracking when the file is suddcn.y
plunged into the cooling liquid which
gives the file the temper.
Naturally O heated flle suddenly cooled
will warp moro or less according to Its
form. This is prevented by giving the file
O set" In the other direction before 1t Is
tempered, % that the tendency to warp
actually straightsns the 1le. When the
steel has reached the proper heat, the file
Is lifted from the fire by tho tang and sud.
denly immersed in cold water, and before
It has grown cold 1t Is withdrawn and put
In o screw clamp. which keeps 1t from
curying or bending. The tang Is then sof