Best file for Axe Sharpening?

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Bearzilla911

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Nov 3, 2018
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31
Hello,

I'm just wondering what the best metal files for axe sharpening are. Coarse for nicked blades and fine for getting a nice sharp edge before polishing. I have had a few generic files that seemed like they started aggressive but didn't seem to cut well after several uses, even when cleaned with a file brush. I usually do the final polish with the Spyderco medium, fine, and ultra fine triangular rods, and then strop. I don't really like using pucks even though I have had okay results with them.

Thanks in advance!
 
anyhow a brand new one, i am a big fan of garage sales and so on for buying stuff, but i do not exagerate and buy my files new, so far you can get some unused ones on a flea market too but not allways...
 
Get some old American made worn (not worn out though) files and sharpen them yourself with an acid etch. You can also send them to USA companies that will sharpen old files for you. The older quality files can be sharpened as good as when they were new.

I sure hate this high tech, throw away world we live in today !
 
Stella Bianca are the best files I've found being made new today but they're hard to get your hands on, even for me, and I'm the only person in North America I've seen selling 'em so far. That said, Pferd, F. Dick, and Grobet are generally excellent, and I've recently been using Simonds even though their current production is made in Honduras. They're definitely good and hard and hold their edges well.
 
What are the thoughts on the current Brazilian made Nicholson offerings?

Trying to a solid buying online but they are about all I can find locally.
 
The Nicholsons I've seen in recent years have been pretty abysmal, with malformed blunted teeth right out of the box. That may not go for all of their offerings, but that's what I've seen in the big box stores.
 
The Nicholsons available now are pure garbage. It’s pretty shocking.

Vallorbe makes excellent file, but they are not cheap.
 
I use Bahco single cut and they work well. I just got a new Pferd double cut medium as I like to draw file (Immler style) and it cuts. I haven't used it much , so I don't know how far it will go. The Pferd sanding disk kit I bought a while back is a good tool. Dog
 
The Old Dog said:
I use Bahco single cut and they work well. I just got a new Pferd double cut medium as I like to draw file (Immler style) and it cuts. I haven't used it much , so I don't know how far it will go. The Pferd sanding disk kit I bought a while back is a good tool. Dog
Click to expand...
It seems some of the Pferd are now made in China. Probably not a good thing but I don't have first hand knowledge.

I do own a couple of Pferds that are of good quality.
 
Before you even think of a file you need to have a vise for a loose head or a way to clamp your hafted axe to your bench.

For shaping the bevels I've found that a large, 12"-14", second cut double cut file works best. Don't forget to buy a handle for it. I prefer those with a diamond pattern like Simonds Multi-Kut files, a pattern they acquired when they bought out Heller. I've also found these branded by Lenox and Sandvik.

And you probably already know this but a file is next to useless without a file card to clean it.

Sanvik-Simonds.jpg
 
I prefer 10" or 12" mill bastard files. The 10" is my "go to" file for sharpening crosscut saws as well.
I'm always on the lookout for files at yard, or estate sales! They are almost always better than currently available new stock!
 
I've had very good luck with the current Nicholson files.
They are made in Mexico now and I have not experienced a single one of the issues reported with the Brazilian made Nicholson files.
They are the same files offered under the Corona brand.
 
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