Ah, yes.....the old Vixen File

[islandpiper]

Here is a handy tool, too.  This one came from an auto body supply place.   Blades come in convex and flat.   The flat ones have teeth on both sides.   Pretty aggressive and leaves a SMOOOOOOTH cut.   






Pretty hard to "dig in" with this like sometimes happens with a big tooth rasp. 

Piper

[mullet]

   I bought the file at a Flea Market, new it was for Bondo, but never saw the handle it was mounted to. Thanks

[Pat B]

I've got one I found years ago, mounted it to a wood block but never used it.   

[DanaM]

I have a bunch of them I bought a big tool box of files, rasps and such for $1- at a garage sale.
Haven't tried them yet but will, the best find in the box was 2 old nicolson rasps, not #49's but I believe their even
better

[islandpiper]

The danger, of course, in buying a BOX OF OLD FILES is that they are dull or have been banging into each other and are not going to cut too well.   

A remedy for some of that is to:
1.  wash them in HOT soapy water with a good brush
2.  Soak  them over night in kitchen strength white vinegar
3.   Wash them again in HOT water
4.   Dry them with a hair dryer
5.  Oil them with WD-40 and wipe off all excess

The acid will erode the surface slightly and "seem to " make all the points and edges sharper. 

Or, pay $20 for a file sharpening kit and do the same thing. 

Piper

[shamus]

Very interesting.

thanks for sharing.

[Sidewinder]

I used one like that my brother got me at an estate sale when I first got stated last year building bows. You are correct it does leave a smooth surface. I may go back and revisit  its use on my next bow.  Danny

[Kegan]

I fatehr has one like that- been using it for years. His is flat on one side, ounded on the other. Great tool- I use it alot.

[DanaM]

The danger, of course, in buying a BOX OF OLD FILES is that they are dull or have been banging into each other and are not going to cut too well.   

A remedy for some of that is to:
1.  wash them in HOT soapy water with a good brush
2.  Soak  them over night in kitchen strength white vinegar
3.   Wash them again in HOT water
4.   Dry them with a hair dryer
5.  Oil them with WD-40 and wipe off all excess

The acid will erode the surface slightly and "seem to " make all the points and edges sharper. 

Or make knives out of em

Or, pay $20 for a file sharpening kit and do the same thing. 

Piper

[El Destructo]

Hey ....I have blades for one of them!!! Didn't have an Idea what they were for.....Dana gave a couple....they seem very aggressive....now that I know what they are....I may just make a Handle for one and try it out!!!