All Internet sites advise us not to use a sawing motion with the hand file. However, if you view the bevel as a hill, some sites say that you should drawfile diagonally up bevel (uphill) and other sites advise to draw your file down bevel (downhill). Very confusing. The sites advise that 10 strokes are all that are needed. I've used 100s of strokes and have the shiniest bevel in town but the edge is as dull as when I started. Please impart some words of wisdom -- Thank You, M
On Jun 16, 10:41?am, Windswept@home (Murriel) wrote:
You need to draw file *into* the cutting edge so as not to create a burr on the business side. It sounds like you haven't any experience with draw filing. I would strongly suggest you first practice on a piece of scrap metal, or at least an inexpensive set of cheapo shears. A good way to check your progress is to apply a black magic marker to the surface you're filing and practice until you can cover the entire surface with one continuous stroke (even professionals use this technique by appling blue or red layout fluid)... a lot of short choppy strokes will produce a rounded and very dull edge... also apply very little pressure or the file teeth will skid, apply just enough pressure for the teeth to cut and no more, too much pressure and the teeth will bite in, causing you to have to remove a lot of extra material to elimate those gauges. You're not looking to remove a lot of metal quickly, in fact a proper sharpening removes as little material as possible. With practice you will be able to not only feel the file cutting properly, you will also hear it sing on key... eventually you won't need to look. And be sure you have a file of the proper type, a 10" flat bastard machinist file is what you want... short files are too narrow and more difficult for a newbie to control... the shorter the file the more difficult it is to maintain flatness. But practicing on a piece of scrap steel is the best way to learn. Don't give up, draw filing is not so easy to master... precision freehand filing is the most difficult metal working function there is, anyone can file with a jig..... squaring up a small steel block to a high degree of precision as to squareness, size, and finish is a test that apprentice metal workers had to pass very early on, before they were permited to use any power equipment. I don't think there are any metal working apprentice progarms in the US anymore.
A file removes no material on the back stroke but suffers wear anyway.
Produce a clean 30 degree bevel on each blade and stone any burr off the flat side. You can make the bevel with file, stone, abrasive belt, or wheel but remove the burr and then with the shear blades closed press them into tight contact and open them once or twice otherwise they may cut into each other and ruin the edge.
Daily Grind Sharpening service, 20 years+ full time and at a profit.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.