files

[MikeM]

I have a friend who has a machine shop and has a lot of old worn out files on hand. He said I could have all I wanted to make some turning tools from them. Another friend across the drive way has a grind shop and will grind the files flat smooth.
Now the question is can I use these things for turning tools or are they too brittle and will snap? What do ya think??? MikeM

 

[Dario]

Files are not HSS. That said, if you are careful with your grinding (not let it get too hot) they should work fine.

 

[Czarcastic]

Mike,
I've ground a number of old files and rasps into turning tools. I have only used them to make the tools I need to turn miniatures, which does not put a lot of stress on the steel.
Never used them for pens (a couple of spindle gouges and a skew is all I use for my pens).

Don't think I would make one to hollow bowls with, but for pens and other small spindle work, you should be just fine.

 

[Fangar]

Like Dario mentioned, they are likely made of hardened tool steel and not HSS. The main difference will be strength, and also their ability to achieve and hold an edge. Non HSS tools will need to be sharpened much more frequently and will be unable to achieve the same scary sharpness that one can get on an HSS tool.

Fangar

 

[MikeM]

Thks for the good advice guy's. Me thinks I will just get four of different sizes and try them. I want them for just pens as I get near the round part and just before sanding. thanks again. Mikem

 

[Rifleman1776]

Very hard. Wear eye protection when doing anything other than filing with them. Unless tempered, it's a race which gets ground down soonest, your grinding wheel or the files. OTOH, they are a free source of quality steel which can be tamed and used for tools you otherwise might have to buy. A lot of knives are made from old files.