Jared Eason
Elite Cafe Member
Has anyone ever tried to use an old round saw file as a graver. And if so how did it do. I have some files that are worn out and would like to utilize them fore something useful.
old saw file
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Kevin Scott
Elite Cafe Member
Not sure what you mean by "saw file".
I have used many old files as gravers, both for engraving and for my watchmaker lathe.
They are carbon steel, and I just grind them to do what I want. I do not change the hardness. Sometimes I get one that does not work well for engraving. Chips easily is the most common problem. Sometimes one will go dull quickly.
If I made the ones that chip less hard, they would probably work, but since I have so many wornout or clogged up files I don't bother. Just use another one.
The graver on the right is for engraving. The blue band tells me it is 90 degrees wide, and the brown band tells me the face is 52 to 55 degrees. It is a graver I use alot.
To compare, often I find some old USA carbon steel gravers made for engraving chip easily. The swiss ones, not so much. Also have some Lindsay M42 HSS gravers. Don't really find them any better for what I do, except they probably don't need to be sharpened as often.
The gravers on the left are for the watchmaker lathe.
Most people say files need to be annealed and rehardened to slightly less than file hard to use as gravers. I find 95% of the time, you don't.
I have used many old files as gravers, both for engraving and for my watchmaker lathe.
They are carbon steel, and I just grind them to do what I want. I do not change the hardness. Sometimes I get one that does not work well for engraving. Chips easily is the most common problem. Sometimes one will go dull quickly.
If I made the ones that chip less hard, they would probably work, but since I have so many wornout or clogged up files I don't bother. Just use another one.
The graver on the right is for engraving. The blue band tells me it is 90 degrees wide, and the brown band tells me the face is 52 to 55 degrees. It is a graver I use alot.
To compare, often I find some old USA carbon steel gravers made for engraving chip easily. The swiss ones, not so much. Also have some Lindsay M42 HSS gravers. Don't really find them any better for what I do, except they probably don't need to be sharpened as often.
The gravers on the left are for the watchmaker lathe.
Most people say files need to be annealed and rehardened to slightly less than file hard to use as gravers. I find 95% of the time, you don't.
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gravers 90%.jpg
Jared Eason
Elite Cafe Member
Thanks. Saw file , for sharpening chainsaws
I've used old round, square, flat, and triangular files for gravers, scribes and chisels, like Kevin says, no rehardening needed. These files were from a big box out of someone's basement, originally bought in the '50s and were probably M or D series steel, too beat-up or rusted for me to use as files. Also made stamps from some, both grinding without annealing for simple shapes and annealing, reworking and re-hardening (dark straw tempering color) for complex ones. Old school knifemakers used old file stock for blades, think the older files were better for this too. Believe files after the 60s were made differently, with more heavily alloyed steels and were more complicated to reuse for that reason.
Any plain high-carbon steel with good heat (re)treatment will cut, though really advanced alloys and carbides may cut longer with the same edge design. Keeping some old files or standard O1 and W1 around for quick or prototyping new tools is a good thing.
Any plain high-carbon steel with good heat (re)treatment will cut, though really advanced alloys and carbides may cut longer with the same edge design. Keeping some old files or standard O1 and W1 around for quick or prototyping new tools is a good thing.
Jared, Years ago I made my engraving chisels out of industrial hacksaw blades 1/8 in.thick. I would buy the blanks from Lindsay or GRS and grind you own, its a waste of time fussing with files. J.J.
Gravers are made from proper material and heat treated for doing what we need them to do. As JJ said, your time is better spent buying graver blanks rather than fiddling around with old files. Been there done that myself.
Jared,
Simple answer.......you can make them out of anything you want as long as it is harder than what you are engraving.
Many of the questions you ask could be answered by making said object to see if it works.
Knowledge is gained by reading.....experience is gained by doing.
Simple answer.......you can make them out of anything you want as long as it is harder than what you are engraving.
Many of the questions you ask could be answered by making said object to see if it works.
Knowledge is gained by reading.....experience is gained by doing.
Jared Eason
Elite Cafe Member
I have some HSS and I am planning to get dome c-max gravers soon. And I agree I said that to myself after I pressed post button. That I should have just tried it myself first. With new baby I guess I just figured it be easier to just ask and save what lil time I do have for other practices. Thanks guys. Sorry for taking y'all for granted .
i have a few such file/gravers. but- as sam said, you're far ahead of the game just buying the correct gravers for what you are planning to do. for one thing, store-bought gravers come in many graded sizes and configurations. not so easy to make a graded set from old files.jm2cw
Jared Eason
Elite Cafe Member
I just had these old files and was just trying to think of some use for them . Also I asked instead of trying it myself is I had figured its something that some of these old engravers had insight on. Thanks a bunch.
The most overlooked and very powerful feature on this forum is the SITE SEARCH link at the top. I use it frequently.
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