Fast cutting files.

[caskwith]

Whhhaaaat, I gotta write a review too?

[pipedreamer]

Uneasy lies the head that only tells his buddies about a great product. The sum of many minds is greater, compared to just one, or a few. You never know who will help you in the future. ::We will wait for Nates' review on the aluminum file also.

[caskwith]

Iwasaki and Magicut files arrived today.

The Iwasaki is a like a razor, I think I could probably cut myself on the edge. Unfortunately it is too aggressive for my stems, it digs in really easy and chips out real bad. Might work better on ebonite but since I rarely use ebonite it won't be much use to me.

The Nicholson magicut however is much more promising, it hogs off material really fast with only a light touch and I think could be used near the button with some care. You do need to vary your strokes often as the pattern of the teeth will leave marks otherwise but I think we are looking good.

I look forward to my Nicholson Aluminium files arriving and doing a comparison.

I'm selling the Iwasaki file, I'd love to keep it just because it is such a beautiful tool and I am sure it works great on the right project but it also cost me a big bunch of money so I really need to re-coup some of that.

[andrew]

Iwasaki is great in the right place, otherwise it's a terror. I love them for rough shaping, but even then you have to be careful.

andrew

[andrew]

I've never used one on acrylic, only ebonite. Duly noted.

andrew

[LatakiaLover]

My current stem roughing file is getting a bit dull (double cut bastard) so I am going to be needing another. In the past I have used Vallorbe or old stock Stubbs but since this is a hive mind of laziness I thought I would ask here. What files do you guys recommend for really fast cutting of stems? I am tried of my elbow hurting.
Doesn't need to cut particularly smoothly, though a rasp is obviously out of the question, as I have plenty of smoothing files and a stem knife for that.
Also bear in mind I may not be able to source exactly what you guys are getting myself so anyone offering to help me out would be greatly appreciated.

If you want fast cutting by hand, securing the stem so that both hands can apply pressure to the file is easily as important than the file.

The catch is that the ANGLE of the work is critical to being able to apply pressure in a powerful-but-controlled way. It's no good if the cut you want to make requires an off balance, arms-only stroke, and human biomechanics is such that the zone for strong, fatigue-free repetitive motion is pretty small.

A tilting/rotating bench vise that's fairly sturdy (don't even think of using a ball-joint Panavise or jeweler's vise) is the key. That and a 12" or 14" coarse double cut file of reasonable quality is the next best thing to a Burr-King knife grinder. And a helluva lot less expensive.

Premal has such a vise in his shop. I meant to get a picture of it last weekend, but forgot. Maybe someone else here has a pic of his, or has one of their own.

[caskwith]

Well I guess I don't need fast cutting by hand in that I use 2 different belt sanders to hog off as much material as possible but I don't think anything beats a good file for finessing the shape, especially behind the button. When I do file though I want to use the most efficient, easiest cutting file possible for that job. Whenever I approach a pipe making step the first thing I do is decide what I want to finished result to look like, then I work out how I can achieve the result I want, to the best of my ability but in the most efficient and least taxing way on my body. Hard filing with a dull file is fine when you do it for fun at weekends, hen you do it everyday for your pay then it's a different story and I don't want to end the day tired by my work or end my life disabled by it.

[LatakiaLover]

Got it.

The best file I know of for finessing the shape of a stem is a pair of them. One is a dead-edge/live flat type called a pillar file, and the other called a crossing file that's gently convex on one side and even more gently convex on the other.

If high quality, even the coarsest ones leave a surprisingly smooth finish since the teeth are so consistent.

Why crossing files work so well is their gentle curvature has a smaller contact patch, which raises the cutting pressure without you feeling it. They are also virtually immune to the dwell time problem for the same reason, plus are the only shape that works properly for the sides of a stem that has any amount of concavity (especially fishtails). An 8" one of those in 0 or 00 plus a matching pillar file for bite zone work is really damn near all you need to go from belt sander to final hand sanding.

I don't know any European sellers, but since all the good ones are made in Europe, finding them shouldn't be difficult.

For any of you U.S. guys who are interested, here's a well-stocked source of the Good Stuff:

http://www.ottofrei.com/Pillar-Hand-Files/

http://www.ottofrei.com/Crossing-Hand-Files/

[caskwith]

Pillar file is my favourite shape for stem shaping, in fact I must have a at least half a dozen in different sizes and cuts, one is a super fine old stubbs that is just dandy for touching up the button, it cuts about as fine as 320 sandpaper.

I have needle crossing files that I use for finessing flares and shank/bowl junctions, never tried a larger one on a stem though, I might just give it a go next time I order tools, thanks for the idea!

[LatakiaLover]

I have needle crossing files that I use for finessing flares and shank/bowl junctions, never tried a larger one on a stem though, I might just give it a go next time I order tools, thanks for the idea!

Definitely try one. They are a revelation. The whole using-a-curved-tool-to-make-straight(ish)-objects is counterintuitive, which is why I guess the shape isn't better known.

[sandahlpipe]

The crossing file looks perfect. Should I get the medium or fine?


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[LatakiaLover]

The crossing file looks perfect. Should I get the medium or fine?

In my experience, fine/smooth crossing files are worth their weight in gold for fine-tuning the profile of bent stems after they are bent, but not much use for anything else. If you want one for the post-hogging through 120 sandpaper phase, a large one in 00 or 0 is the way to go.

[W.Pastuch]

I'm in the process of buying the Iwasaki file Chris didn't like and I will report on it once I get to try it.
I use small Iwasaki superfines for fine shaping briar and I think they are great for that- with the right amount of pressure the leave a very clean and smooth cut. Hopefully the big one will be helpful in the earlier stages of rough shaping.

[caskwith]

Ahhh I knew I recognised the name from here somewhere!

Yeah I bet this would be a beast of a file for rough shaping briar, put the block in a vice and go to town. Of course for me that's a totally unnecessary step given all the power tools to hand. In the words of the holy Clarkson.... POWER!!!

[sandahlpipe]

I think I'd use the crossing file for shaping the shank bowl junction. I have an extra fine iwasaki round file that does a fair job, but it can rip if I'm not careful, and that's a pain to fix.


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[andrew]

I think I'd use the crossing file for shaping the shank bowl junction. I have an extra fine iwasaki round file that does a fair job, but it can rip if I'm not careful, and that's a pain to fix.


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That is true. One slip or pushing against/across the grain and it will rip/tear badly.

andrew

[LatakiaLover]

I think I'd use the crossing file for shaping the shank bowl junction.

You must be thinking of a PIPPIN file for that task, not a crossing. A pippin is a compound curve, airplane wing sort of shape with one rounded, tapering edge and one knife edge. A crossing file has two sharp edges---it's basically a sword.

[andrew]

Those pippin files are expensive. I'd love to have one.

andrew

[sandahlpipe]

I ordered one of each today. The less time I need to spend correcting my mistakes means fewer chances to make a mistake.


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[PremalChheda]

I got a major case of PMTAD with all these files I never knew existed.

So far, I have tried the iwasaki and aluminum file. The Iwasaki is great for hogging out material but it takes some major dexterity and concentration. The aluminum file is so nice for acrylic, ebonite, or wood. I wish they would make more profiles with the same cut. The aluminum file is pretty inexpensive and I think it will become the one all file I use in the future if I can find one that has parallel sides.