A little about files.

Files.  Wow, what an interesting topic to write about.  You’re probably wondering if I have run out of material to write about already right?  Well if you are like me and you own, maintain and sharpen your own forestry tools (axes, hatchets and saw chains) then you probably know the value of a proper set of files.  Thus I have decided to write a real short post about them and a couple of things that I have learned along the way.

First- files only cut in one direction…sorry folks.  For those of us that have been running the file back and forth for years have been doing twice the work and cutting the life of the file in half.  Remember, files only cut in one direction and that’s forward.  So now when your sharpening or working metal, slide the file away from you and not back and forth.  Perhaps I will write a post about sharpening hatchets and axes but for know I am just writing about the files themselves.  Now once you have properly used that file a few times look at it.  See those metal shavings in between the cutting teeth on the file?  Those metal shavings that you are looking at are causing your file to slide across your work rather than sharpen it.  Do yourself a favor and buy a file card; you can purchase them cheaply at most of your common hardware stores in the file section.  A file card is a small rectangular wire brush that is used to clean the metal shavings from in between the teeth of the file.  You will notice that your file will cut much better after cleaning it with the file card.

Before you sharpen that saw chain or hatchet make sure you have the right file for the job.  Obviously if you are sharpening the cutters on a chain then you are probably going to be using a round file.  But you may not know that size of the chain pitch (distance between the drive links divided by two) determines the size of the file needed.  If you have purchased a new saw the chain pitch and required file size should be stated in the manual.  Similarly, the package that a new chain comes in will tell you the pitch and file size for the chain.  Also, the bar on the saw (under or near the clutch cover) will tell you what pitch, gauge and how many links the chain should have.  If you are going to be sharpening an axe or hatchet then you will need a flat bastard file.  No, it’s not called a “bastard” file because it doesn’t have a dad!  It’s called a bastard file because it’s a middle of the road file; the file is not coarse and it’s not fine- it is in between.  I think you get the point on knowing which file to use though.  I don’t want to get too far into the world of sharpening in this post.

Last, buy American.  Well… buy American, German, Swedish or Swiss!  Avoid buying garbage made elsewhere and your files should last you a lifetime.  That’s it.  Hope I didn’t bore you too bad.  But I believe that if you are cutting firewood for your homestead you will appreciate both having a good file set to sharpen your equipment and knowing how to use them efficiently.  A poorly maintained tool is an inefficient tool.  Again, thanks for reading.

Lumberjack.