What steel should be used to make files?

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Applies to hot-rolled steel of special profiles intended for the manufacture of files, rasps, chisels and cross-cuts.

Replacement data is published in UGS 4-84

Stage 1: determination of steel grade

Having selected used tools (needles, files, rasps, braids, etc.), first of all you should determine what grade of steel they are made of. To keep your search as limited as possible, you should know what types of steel a particular tool is made from. Thus, files can be made of both tool carbon steel (U10, U11, U12, U13) and alloy steel (ShKh6, ShKh9, ShKh15). You can learn more about this from the list of tools below. The files presented in the KovkaPRO assortment are made of high-alloy steel with a hardness of 64-66HRC

Products made of tool and alloy steel:

Files - U10, U11, U12, U13, ШХ6, ШХ9, ШХ15 Needles - U10, U11, U12 Rasps - U7, U7A Scrapers - U10, U12 Chisels, chisels - U7, U8 Taps - U10, U11, U12, P9, 9ХС , Р18 Drills for wood - 9ХС Metal drills -Р9, Р18 Reamers - Р9, Р18, 9ХС Mills - Р9, Р18 Chisels, screwdrivers - У7А, У8А, 7ХФ, 8ХФ Punches - У8, У8А Punch holes - У7А, 7ХФ, 8ХФ Sewing needles - U7A, U8A Hacksaw saws - U8GA Bow saw blades - U8GA, U10 Hacksaw blades - U8, U8A, U9, U9A, U10, U10A, U11, U12 Metal shears - U12A Hammers and sledgehammers - U7, U8 Axes - U7 Scythes, sickles – U7, U8 Forks, teeth (peckers) – U7, U8 rake Blacksmith tools – U7, U8

✅ Soviet files, steel grade – tractor-agro.ru

About 50 years ago I bought several identical files; within two or three years they wore out and were discarded. And one was accidentally lying around and was found two years ago.

So now it seems to have no wear, it has worked for more than a dozen new ones. And it’s still usable to this day. Does metal get stronger over time?

Does metal get stronger over time? Something new. Probably not. Although I have a couple of files that were made in the USSR. So their work surfaces are like new. But the files that I bought recently shrunk after a short use. And once upon a time at work they even turned keys out of files. The keys were so strong.

Despite the fact that most production processes are carried out through automated systems and electrical appliances, some types of work still require human hands and efficient tools.

A metal file is a cutting device made of very hard steel for processing products made from the corresponding material.

Depending on the type of work being performed and the structure of the material, metal files of different types and shapes may be needed, and the craftsman needs to be able to choose the right tool.

General characteristics of a homemade knife

Knowing what kind of steel files are made from, it becomes clear why they are used to make knives. The material used is high-carbon steel of such grades as U10A, Kh12M, ShKh15.

Due to its high carbon content, this material can be hardened to 64-66 Rockwell units. This provides it with sufficient hardness . That is why at home they make a knife from a file.

A high-quality homemade knife can be made from:

• A thick drill for metal. It should be taken into account that the hardened part is only working. The shank is raw.
• Engine piston connecting rod.
• Socket wrench.
• Springs.
• File.

When making fincas on a professional basis, all these things are pre-forged. It is especially convenient to forge a file that has a suitable shape for this. During the forging process, the metal acquires the desired properties and becomes more elastic.

The thickness of the file is such that it requires removal of a layer of metal in order to properly form the bevel. During forging, the metal is not removed, it takes on a different shape. In order to forge a workpiece it will take much less time than when making it on a machine.

Stage 1: determination of steel grade

Having selected used tools (needles, files, rasps, braids, etc.), first of all you should determine what grade of steel they are made of. To keep your search as limited as possible, you should know what types of steel a particular tool is made from.

Thus, files can be made of both tool carbon steel (U10, U11, U12, U13) and alloy steel (ShKh6, ShKh9, ShKh15). You can learn more about this from the list of tools below.

The files presented in the KovkaPRO assortment are made of high-alloy steel with a hardness of 64-66HRC

Technology and manufacturing stages

At the first stage, the selection of material is carried out. The better it is, the better the quality of the blade. The blade must meet the following requirements :

• be adapted to a specific job;
• withstand shock loads;
• The sharpness of the blade must be maintained for a long time;
• not to be subject to corrosion.

To make a good homemade dagger, you first need to make a design for it. It is better to choose a simple form. Pay attention to the junction of the blade and the handle. There is no need for complications here. It is better to move along a smooth radius.

The DIY process at home consists of several stages. Their order is as follows:

• annealing of the workpiece;
• blade formation;
• hardening;
• vacation;
• making a handle.

Annealing of the original workpiece

The main problem is the high hardness of the file. If you sand iron on iron, it will take a long time . To reduce hardness, the workpiece is subjected to heat treatment in the form of annealing. Its essence is to heat the steel to a temperature of 650-700 degrees, hold it for several hours, followed by slow cooling.

To anneal at home, you can use a stove, fireplace or fireplace. The workpiece is placed along with the fuel and is heated during its combustion. Then everything cools down together. After this procedure, the material is ready for further processing. Without annealing, the workpiece cannot be worked with a metalwork tool.

Blade making process

Depending on the scope of application, the cross-sectional shape of the blade is selected . It can be of several varieties:

• Straight wedge in the form of an isosceles triangle. It withstands uniform impacts well and has stable cutting resistance.
• Concave slopes. The sharp cutting edge does not withstand heavy forces and side impacts. As the cutting depth increases, the resistance increases.
• Convex lens - designed for heavy duty work.

After cooling the workpiece, it begins to be processed. It consists of stages:

• The required contour is cut out with a hacksaw. It is important to form the pattern as best as possible in order to reduce grinding on the emery machine. A shank is cut out at the back. Its size corresponds to the length of the fingers on the hand.
• The workpiece is clamped and the slopes are processed with a file. In order not to disturb the symmetry, a device is made from a metal pipe onto which the file is attached.
• Final finishing is done using sandpaper. For convenience, it wraps around a wooden block.

Hardening the finished blade

The dimensions of the finished blade are checked with a caliper. In order for the blade to regain its former hardness, you need to know how to properly harden a knife. To do this, it is heated to a temperature of 900 degrees and quickly cooled in liquid.

Stage 2: determination of carbon content in steel

How can you determine specifically whether, for example, a file is made of carbon or alloy steel? To do this, you should resort to a simple old method. Craftsmen noticed that small metal shavings obtained when processing metal with an abrasive wheel, when heated, produce a sheaf of sparks, which have their own characteristic features for each metal. The “straws” that make up a sheaf of sparks, each brand has its own special ones: long, short, continuous, intermittent, heaped and sparse, smooth or thickened; from each of them small bright stars can be separated, sometimes very abundantly; The brightness of the glow of the sheaf of sparks is taken into account, as well as color shades - from light yellow to dark red.

The higher the carbon content in the steel, the more bright stars there are in the sheaf of sparks. If the steel contains a little carbon, for example about 0.12%, then the sparks coming out from under the abrasive disk will fan out in the form of slightly curved lines of yellow-straw color, with thickenings in the middle and at the end (1, see Fig. on page 105). Steel containing 0.5% carbon and having an average hardness produces approximately the same sparks, but a small number of stars separate from the place of average thickening (2). Copious sparks with stars (3) are released from the high-carbon tool steel. Chromium steel has long, orange-red sparks; from them, like thin branches from the main branch, short sparks with stars at the end extend from them at different angles (4). Tungsten steel sparks intermittently, and also has small thickenings at the end (5). Chrome-tungsten high-speed steel produces both short and long sparks of a dark red color with thickenings at the end (6).

What types of notches are there on the file surface?

No answer to the question - how to choose the best file - is possible without knowledge of the types of notches.

Popular types of notches today:

• Drachevaya (10 millimeters - 4-12 teeth, thickness of the layer that is removed as a result of work: from 0.05 to 0.1 mm)

• Personal (10 millimeters - 13-24 teeth, thickness of the layer that is removed as a result of work: from 0.02 to 0.06 mm)

• Velvet (10 millimeters - 24-28 teeth, thickness of the layer that is removed as a result of work: from 0.01 to 0.03 mm)

Stage 3: Tool Test

Now let's get back to the file. Before you start testing it, you must wear safety glasses and place a sheet of black-painted plywood near the sanding wheel. On a black background, the sparkling metal is visible much more clearly, and the eyes have to strain less. If we forcefully run a file over the emery wheel and get abundant sparks of a bright yellow color with many stars separating from them, we can conclude that it is made of high-carbon tool steel (U10-U13). Conversely, a sheaf of orange-red long sparks with branches and stars at the end indicates that the file is made of alloy steel (ШХ6, ШХ9, ШХ15). Of course, in this way only the approximate chemical composition of steel is determined, but for amateur practice this is quite enough. Knowing that the file is made of tool steel of the indicated grades, the heat treatment mode is determined from the table.

The table shows that the U11-U13 steel from which the file is made is annealed at a temperature of 750°C and then gradually cooled in air. Annealing is carried out in a muffle furnace, forge or in the firebox of a conventional furnace. It is convenient to anneal metal objects in an electric school muffle furnace, since the built-in thermometer makes it possible to monitor the heating temperature. But the depth of the muffle furnace is limited. If the file does not fit into it, it is wrapped in several layers of tarpaulin and broken with a strong blow of a hammer.

The broken file is removed from the tarpaulin, annealed in a muffle furnace, and then slowly cooled. The resulting scale often interferes with machining. Therefore, wearing glasses and mittens, they knock it down with a hammer and a chisel.

Annealed and processed tool steel becomes quite soft: it can be easily filed, sawn and forged. With minimal hardness, it has maximum plasticity and viscosity. This makes it possible to make from it gravers for engraving, embossing, chisels, cutters, punches, and other tools for the artistic processing of metal.

Having made the desired tool from a file, it is hardened by heating according to the table to 780°C, followed by cooling in water. After hardening, the steel becomes brittle, so it is tempered: heated to 180°C and cooled in water or machine oil. When tempering, the heating temperature of the metal is controlled by the so-called tarnish colors, which correspond to a certain heating temperature.

Source

How to choose a tool?

In order not to make a mistake with your choice, you need to take into account a number of factors:

1. The steel from which the working part is made. There are devices with diamond coating. With their help you can grind hard alloys and alloy steels.
2. Length, width. They are selected depending on what workpieces need to be processed.
3. The size of the teeth is selected depending on the type of processing required. A model with large teeth is suitable for rough work that does not require precision.
4. The form must be chosen depending on the type of parts and operations performed.

Metalworking specialists recommend buying products from Russian companies. It costs less than imported ones, but is superior in quality.

Required tools and materials

The process of making a knife involves many difficulties, including the selection of materials. For manufacturing, you need to select a file more than 3 cm wide; it is advisable to look for a Soviet-made tool. The cross-section of the file surface should be flat or diamond-shaped; if the latter is found, this will be the best option, since the shape of the steel is stronger and will withstand loads.

The manufacturing process will require the following tools and items:

• Rivets made of brass alloy.
• Etching is performed with ferric chloride.
• Magnet for checking the degree of hardening.
• To process surfaces you will need sandpaper.

Processing is carried out with a grinder or grinder. You also need to decide on the material of the handle of the future knife. A file knife can have a metal or wooden handle, its weight and purpose depend on this. Before manufacturing, it is worth preparing a sketch of the future product; usually it is drawn on paper.

The process of making a knife from a file

Numbering of notches and types of work

Based on the size of the teeth, the notches are divided into 5 classes:

In addition to class, the geometry of the file teeth must comply with GOST 1465-80 clause 2.1, which requires that the notch be applied at an angle of 65 degrees relative to the steel beam. This paragraph also stipulates the features of the manufacturing technology of a particular type of file. Thus, round files must be produced by notching or threading, while other file shapes are produced by notching only.

Firing the workpiece

The files are made from U10 steel, which is enriched with carbon; a file made from this steel is fragile and can easily crack under load. In order for the metal to be hard and not crumble when struck, it must be hardened. Usually the procedure is carried out in a special oven, the temperature of which reaches 700 °C.

To harden a knife made from a file, which you made yourself, you can use a regular gas stove.

The combustion temperature on the stove is not high, reaching no more than 300 degrees. To achieve the required heat, you need to use a kind of screen. In the absence of a special thermometer, you can use ordinary table salt, its melting point is equal to the hardening of knife steel.

Hardening of the file is necessary only in the cutting part. Checking for uniform hardening occurs visually; after reaching the temperature, the knife should be uniformly reddish in color. The product must be kept at maximum temperatures for at least 4 hours. Cooling is done smoothly; if you cool the part right away, it will simply crack. Cooling of the part occurs through a gradual decrease in temperature; heating decreases every hour by a quarter of its initial intensity.

File material

On the territory of the Russian Federation, metal files are made from the following groups of tool steel:

1. Unalloyed grades of improved steel with a carbon content from 1 to 1.3% (YUA-U13A).
2. Steel grades with chromium content ШХ15 or 13Х.

Similar production of files is also practiced abroad, and the high carbon content (over 1%) makes it possible to achieve high hardness of the cut.

In different countries, the technology for making files may differ in detail, but there are mandatory production steps:

• shaping;
• formation of a notch image;
• heat treatment.

The efficiency of the further operation of the tool depends on the quality of the cut pattern, since disruption of technological processes can lead to rapid wear.

Heat treatment is very important for any steel tool. It is necessary to focus on the distribution of hardness and softness throughout the body of the steel beam. The steel rod should be as hard as possible at the top and smoothly soften towards the center. If the surface is not hard enough, this can lead to rapid wear of the notch teeth, and insufficient softness in the middle of the body of the steel bar can lead to the destruction of the teeth during operation.

Manufacturers have adopted conditional regulations on the hardness of the surface part of a metal file based on the scope of application:

1. Metalworking: from 64 to 66 HRc.
2. Sharpening: from 65 to 67 HRc.
3. Rasps: 53 to 56 HRc.

But in any case, it is possible to check the quality of a metal cutting tool only during its use.

If you have experience using various shapes and types of files in professional and everyday activities, you can share it by leaving a comment under this article.

Classification of tools by shape

The processed parts have different shapes. To effectively work with such products, appropriate types of files are provided. They differ from each other in profile shape (cross section). The following types of files are distinguished:

• flat;
• square;
• trihedral;
• round;
• semicircular;
• special;
• knife-shaped or hacksaw;
• diamond-shaped;
• oval file.

What types of instruments there are are briefly outlined above. What are they for?

Classification of files

There are different types of files. These devices are divided according to several factors:

• type of notches;
• the form of the device for working with workpieces;
• purpose.

Each of the groups presented should be discussed in more detail.

Types of files for metal

Peculiarities

In the understanding of people not involved in metalworking, a device designed for grinding metal workpieces is a tool consisting of a working rectangular part, which is connected to a handle. There are notches on the metal rectangle. They remove part of the metal when transferring forces. However, there are different forms of the working part.

The file cannot be made of soft materials. The steel used for them must be harder than the surfaces being processed.

Types of notches

File notches play a direct role when working with different materials. To apply them to the working surface of the tool, several technological operations are used - turning, milling, notching, drawing, cutting.

Types of file notches:

1. Single - designed for working with soft materials: alloys of non-ferrous metals, wood and plastic.
2. Double - represent additional and main notches. The additional one is adjacent to the main one at an angle. This design allows you to work with hard materials. This is due to the fact that two notches remove a layer of material while crushing the emerging chips.

Tools are classified by tooth size. This indicator depends on how many notches are present on the working part. The fewer there are, the larger the tooth is made. There are 5 tooth size numbers:

1. Numbers 0, 1 - used for rough processing of metal surfaces. The teeth are the largest, allowing you to quickly remove a lot of material in a short period of time. The disadvantage of such devices is low processing accuracy.
2. Sizes 2.3 - used when you need to clear a layer down to 0.06 mm.
3. Sizes 4, 5 - used for finishing parts. A small layer of material is removed, which allows for precise operations and bringing the workpiece to the required dimensions.

It is advisable to have all the numbers in order to gradually process the work surface.

Types of files

According to their intended purpose, the following types of files are distinguished:

1. General purpose hand tools. Used in plumbing work. Double notch. The size of the teeth is selected depending on the required quality of processing.
2. Special purpose devices. They are used in metalworking factories. With their help, defects remaining after processing workpieces by machines are corrected. Withstands long-term active use.
3. Needle files are the most common group, which consists of 11 subgroups of models of different shapes. They have number five notches and are small in size. Needle files are used for precise processing of parts.
4. Rasps are long-length models with large teeth. Used for rough metal processing.

You need to choose a device based on its size, shape, and size of teeth.

File shape

Metal files are classified depending on their shape. The following types of instruments exist:

1. Flat - the classic form of devices for processing metal surfaces.
2. Triangular - they are used to bore grooves, grooves, and holes.
3. Square - used when working with holes of complex shape.
4. Semicircular tools - they are used to bore large diameter holes.
5. Round - used for boring oval round holes of different diameters.
6. Diamond-shaped - process the teeth of parts, gears, and equipment.

File shapes

How to harden a knife from a file

After firing, you can begin to form the future product. The workpiece is secured in a vice, the parts are processed with a grinder and all excess slag and layers of metal are removed. The sharpening machine is used with a coarse-grained abrasive wheel. The degree and shape of sharpening is carried out according to the prepared sketch. On the handle compartment you need to drill one or two holes to attach the handle.

After the tool is hardened from the file, it is necessary to treat the entire surface except the handle. A burner can be a tool for hardening, since the temperature is higher and the knife will harden faster. Uniform tempering of a knife from a file will give strength to the future product. The correct hardening of a knife made from a file can be determined with a magnet; if there is no reaction with the metal, then it is suitable for further use. After the process, the metal needs to be cooled, just put it in a bucket of water.

File knife and drawing for it

There is such a thing as metal stress. With this action, the metal crumbles and crumbles. To avoid adverse consequences, it is necessary to heat the instrument in the oven at the maximum temperature for several hours.

File manufacturing technology

One of the most popular metalworking items for manual processing of various materials are files. They can provide fairly high purity and precise processing of the material at fairly low physical costs.

A file is a multi-edged metal-cutting tool for specific cutting of flat and curved surfaces. In general, it looks like a metal strip with sharp teeth (notches). Typically, a metal file or other model has a tapered shank designed to attach a handle. Some types of this tool do not have shanks.

There are also files in which the flat metal handle is a continuation of the blade.

Depending on their purpose, there are several types of files. These are metalworking and sharpening files (they have so much in common that they are discussed together below), straightening blades, rasps and needle files. Separately, it is necessary to consider “household” (or “amateur”) files. They combine different types of notches on one blade (for example, notches characteristic of both a bench file and a rasp). Diamond needle files, which differ in production technology, but have the same shape as steel files, are also considered separately. Below we will look at the production technology, which is almost the same for most files. And in the next article the types of notches will be discussed.

How to determine the composition of a metal?

Having selected used tools (needles, files, rasps, braids, etc.), first of all you should determine what grade of steel they are made of. To keep your search as limited as possible, you should know what types of steel a particular tool is made from.

Thus, files can be made of both tool carbon steel (U10, U11, U12, U13) and alloy steel (ShKh6, ShKh9, ShKh15). You can learn more about this from the list of tools below.

The files presented in the KovkaPRO assortment are made of high-alloy steel with a hardness of 64-66HRC

Products made of tool and alloy steel:

Files - U10, U11, U12, U13, ШХ6, ШХ9, ШХ15 Needles - U10, U11, U12 Rasps - U7, U7AShabers - U10, U12 Chisels, chisels - U7, U8 Taps - U10, U11, U12, P9, 9ХС, Р18 Wood drills - 9xsewrla for metal -r9, P18 Exverts-P9, P18, 9XS cutters-P9, P18 Zubila, screwdriver-U7A, U8A, 7XF, 8XFPROPERS-U8 Acernerers-U7A, 7XF, 8XFSHEVENENETEN NE7A, U8APILA-U8 Gapolotnita Rules-UN U8GA, U10 Hacksaw blades – U8, U8A, U9, U9A, U10, U10A, U11, U12 Metal shears – U12AMhammers and sledgehammers – U7, U8 Axes – U7 Scythes, sickles – U7, U8 Forks, teeth (peckers) – U7, U8 rakes

Making the handle

Before making a handle for a product, you should decide on the appearance, materials and shape. You can use any material that is at hand. A wooden handle is considered a harmonious option.

File knife handle

The process includes several stages:

• Selection of materials, it is possible to use different types of wood for a unique design.
• It is necessary to make a bolster, the lower part of the knife. The remainder of a file or other metal is used.
• Wooden pieces are placed on top of each other and glued together with epoxy glue.
• To glue the pieces together better and faster, you need to use a press.
• The excess parts are trimmed with a saw, after which they are processed with sandpaper to the required shape.
• When finished, the handle is varnished for greater preservation; it is possible to use stain to darken it.

It is important to understand that all knives, regardless of category, are considered edged weapons. However, a cutting product whose blade length is no more than 90 cm and whose thickness is more than 6 mm can be removed from the category of edged weapons.

Sharpening is done in the usual way on a grinding machine.

The handle can be made of leather, deer antler or other materials. Installation depends on the form; each type requires an individual approach. The leather belt is tightly placed over the handle area, glued with special glue.

What is a file and what is it used for?

A file is a universal tool that is used for processing metal surfaces. The design is a block made of a special grade of steel, on which there are many notches. At the end of the working part there is a shank with which it is connected to a wooden or plastic handle.

• grinding the edges of the workpiece to bring it to the required dimensions;
• cleaning surfaces from rust, decorative coatings, dirt;
• sharpening of cutting parts of equipment, equipment;
• grinding of parts.

The operating principle of the metal grinding device is simple. The master transfers the force to the working part of the tool. The teeth, located on a metal bar, cling to the surface being processed, removing a layer of material from it.

Files are manufactured in accordance with GOST 1465–59. State standards establish a number of steels that can be used to create tools. These include ШХ15, 13Х, У10А, У13А.

Metal file steel grade

Wear-resistant tools and parts, the strength of which is subject to increased demands, require the use of tool steels, which have a number of important differences from structural steels.

Round tool steel blanks

Areas of application of tool steels

Tool steel is an alloy with a carbon content of at least 0.7%. Its structure can be hypoeutectoid, ledeburite or hypereutectoid. Tool steels with different structures are distinguished by the presence of secondary carbides. There are no secondary carbides in alloys with a hypoeutectoid structure. Meanwhile, in each of these structures, carbides are necessarily present: they are formed during eutectoid modifications or are the result of the decomposition of martensite.

Scheme-classification of instrumental materials

In modern industry, tool steels are widely used. They are used to produce:

• working parts of dies operating on the principle of cold and hot deformation;
• high-precision products;
• cutting tool;
• measuring instruments;
• casting molds that operate under pressure.

Depending on the area of ​​application of tool steels, certain requirements are imposed on them. However, there are compliance criteria common to all brands:

• a sufficient level of viscosity (this characteristic is especially relevant for parts subject to shock during operation);
• high strength;
• wear resistance;
• high level of hardness.

Options for using tool steels (using carbon as an example)

Brands of alloys intended for use in cold deformation conditions must, in addition, have a smooth working part, the ability to retain size and shape, and also have different yield and elasticity strengths. And tool steel, suitable for work under conditions of hot deformation, must have high thermal conductivity, resist tempering and be resistant to temperature fluctuations. The grades of steel used for the production of cutting tools must also meet special requirements.

Requirements for tool steels

All carbon tool steels are subject to the following requirements:

• good machinability by metal cutting;
• low sensitivity to overheating;
• low susceptibility to the processes of adhesion and welding to workpieces;
• good grindability;
• susceptibility to calcination;
• hot plasticity;
• ability to resist decarbonization;
• resistance to cracking.

Types of tool steels

All grades of steel for the production of tools are divided into 5 main groups.

As a rule, these are hyper- and hypoeutectoid steels, which contain molybdenum, tungsten and chromium. carbon in such alloyed tool steels corresponds to medium and low values.

File manufacturing technology

In Russia, two groups of tool steels are used for the production of files: unalloyed improved steels with a carbon content of 1 to 1.3% (YUA - U13A) or alloyed chromium steels ШХ15 or 13Х. Similar steels are used by file manufacturers abroad. Carbon content of one percent and above allows the notch to be hardened to high hardness.

The technology for producing files may differ significantly in detail from one production to another, but it always contains the following stages:

1. Shaping processing;
2. Formation of notches on working surfaces;
3. Heat treatment.

The last two operations are especially important. The effectiveness of the file depends on how well the notch is made. When using worn-out equipment and tools, you can get a file that looks “just like a real one,” but in which, say, no more than 30% of the cuts work.

The service life of the file depends on the quality of the heat treatment. The distribution of hardness and viscosity along the depth of the file body is very important here. Hardness should be maximum on the surface and gradually decrease in depth, viscosity - vice versa. Low hardness leads to rapid dulling of the notch teeth, and low viscosity (i.e., high fragility) leads to their rapid destruction during operation.

Most manufacturers regulate the nominal surface hardness of files depending on their purpose as follows:

1. Bench files: 64 to 66 HRc.
2. Sharpening files: 65 to 67 HRc.
3. Rasps: 53 to 56 HRc.

The quality of a file can only be fully checked during its operation. The quality of files (both efficiency and service life) is especially important for industries in which manual filing is part of the technological process. There are still many like this. This is the production of some types of hand tools, forestry, where chain saws are used, which require periodic sharpening of cutting chains, and many others. When using files in production, it is necessary to constantly monitor their efficiency and service life, since experience shows that almost any file manufacturer can have defective files.

The length of a file always refers to the length of its working part (the entire part, not just the cut part), without the shank. The exception is needle files. For them, the total length is always indicated, including the shank (if any).

In metric countries, the following range of sizes (in mm) are used: 100, 125,150, 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400.

Most manufacturers use only part of the denominations from this series.

Proper processing

The initial processing of the knife blade is performed with any available tool. Sharpening a knife from a file can be done on a grinding machine, which will speed up the process and make the blade more uniform across the plane. The initial sharpening does not require ideal parameters, since the etching process occurs after it.

Etching the blade in citric acid

Etching occurs chemically using ferric chloride, which can be purchased at radio components or hardware stores. It is necessary to completely lubricate the product with the solution, or lower it into a flat container with it. The process will give the blade a film formed on the blade, which will provide protection and it is highly not recommended to remove it. At home, you can use citric acid mixed with vinegar for etching.

After all the processes carried out to process and produce a knife from a file, it is necessary to carry out final processing. The blade is carefully sharpened on a grinding machine to give it sharpness. The handle is polished with a solution of wax and turpentine or varnished.

File knife pros and cons

Making a homemade knife may seem impractical given the various choices on the market. The knife is made for uniqueness, studying the production process. The drill part of the drill or any other material can be used as materials. For a hard and high-quality knife, steel is used, which contains carbon.

File knife

There are several disadvantages in manufacturing.

1. A labor-intensive manufacturing process that requires care and compliance with technical condition. It is not recommended to make mistakes, as the workpiece may be damaged or not strong enough.
2. It will not be possible to make a flexible product from the selected material. The structure of the metal is such that when bent it can crumble and damage other surfaces or a person.

The advantages include steel parameters, technology and manufacturing process.

1. The durability of properly hardened material will give you confidence when performing difficult tasks.
2. The available material is a file, which can be found in any household or garage. The complex process can be worth the cost of the finished product.
3. The thickness of the structure is more than 6 millimeters, which does not classify it as a bladed weapon.

A homemade product made from a file will make everyday work unique. Manufacturing, if you follow all the instructions and steps, is not so difficult, and even interesting. Fans of cutting materials should definitely make a knife themselves.

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Greetings to hobbyists, in this instruction we will look at how to make a high-quality, strong, stylish camping knife from a file. The steel of the knife is so strong that the blade can easily cut a glass bottle.

The handle of the knife is lightweight, thanks to which such a knife can not only cut, but also easily chop. The author left part of the notch on the blade so that something could be sharpened or sharpened with a knife if necessary. It looks quite nice, and is not difficult to do if you have the necessary tools. The most important thing when making a knife from a file is to properly harden and temper it. If the topic interests you, let’s take a closer look at how such a knife is made!

Materials and tools used by the author:

List of materials:

— old Soviet file (U13A steel); - brass for bolster; - brass or copper rod for the pin; — two screws for fastening the linings; - epoxy adhesive; — maple or other wood for overlays; — silicate sealant for fireplaces (to make a jamon line); - oil for impregnating wood.

General characteristics of a homemade knife

Knowing what kind of steel files are made from, it becomes clear why they are used to make knives. The material used is high-carbon steel of such grades as U10A, Kh12M, ShKh15. Due to its high carbon content, this material can be hardened to 64-66 Rockwell units. This provides it with sufficient hardness . That is why at home they make a knife from a file. A high-quality homemade knife can be made from:

• A thick drill for metal. It should be taken into account that the hardened part is only working. The shank is raw.
• Engine piston connecting rod.
• Socket wrench.
• Springs.
• File.

When making fincas on a professional basis, all these things are pre-forged. It is especially convenient to forge a file that has a suitable shape for this. During the forging process, the metal acquires the desired properties and becomes more elastic.

The thickness of the file is such that it requires removal of a layer of metal in order to properly form the bevel. During forging, the metal is not removed, it takes on a different shape. In order to forge a workpiece it will take much less time than when making it on a machine.

What steel are files made of?

The material used to make the file can be unalloyed steel grades U10A - U13A, as well as alloy steel grades 13X and ШХ15.

When choosing this tool, the question may often arise - how to choose the best set of metal files that would meet all the requirements. In this article we will look into this issue.

On what basis should you choose files?

In addition to the handle, each file has a special section shape. When the question arises - which file to choose , you need to pay attention to this nuance.

According to the cross-sectional shapes, files are divided into rectangular, triangular, round or other cross-sectional shapes. Each form is used to implement specific construction tasks.

The file also has special notches on its surface that form its teeth. The choice of tool depends on the materials to be processed. Separately, it is worth considering the question of how to choose a file for metal , wood, and plastic. It all depends on the type of notches on the surface.

File notches are divided into single and double (they are also called cross cuts).

Single notch. This type of file is most often used for the cleaning process of products made of light metals, wood products and plastics.

Double notch. Such files help to carry out construction work faster and more efficiently, in a short period of time.

Dot notching (rasps). Files are used in the process of cleaning light metals; they are also used for processing wood, rubber and leather products.

Cross notch. Files help to process products made of cast iron and steel.

Files

Needle files are the smallest files. Designed to perform very precise work. For the production of these tools, steel grades U12 and U12A with a hardness of 54-60 HRC are used. Depending on the cross-sectional shape, needle files are:

• flat (blunt-nosed and pointed-nosed);
• square;
• triangular;
• round and semicircular;
• oval;
• diamond shaped;
• groove and hacksaw.

A DIYer does not need to have every type of file. It is enough to have three main ones - flat, triangular and round. It is also advisable to have a set of needle files and several rasps. With these tools, you can easily cope with any task related to metal grinding.

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Types of files: materials, principle of operation, application

Sanding metal products is not always done with electric tools. Craftsmen often use various types of files for such work. They are much safer than electrical equipment. The worker can choose from a wide variety of tools the one that suits the material being processed. It’s not difficult to cope with this if you know the intricacies of the work, all types of files and their purpose.

What is a file?

This tool is a product consisting of two parts:

1. Steel bar. Notches are applied to its surface using special patterns. They may have several options. The most common types of file notches are rectangular, triangular and round.
2. Wooden or plastic handle. With the help of a clamping ring that prevents it from cracking, it is mounted on a cone-shaped shank. Designed for ease of use of the file. If the handle breaks, it is easy to replace. Beech, birch and pressed paper are used to produce the part. Its length must be one and a half times longer than the file shank.

The tool can have different sizes. Standard lengths are 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 cm. Diameters: 12, 16, 20, 23, 25 and 28 mm.

All types of files belong to cutting tools. They are used to create the desired sizes and shapes in processed products. Files operate by grinding surfaces layer-by-layer.

Materials

To produce this tool, very hard, high-quality tool steel is used:

• Brands ШХ15 or 13Х. This is alloy chromium steel.
• U10A or U13A. These grades are improved unalloyed.

The files are processed by hardening, resulting in a hardness of 54-58 HRC. These grades are used for the production of files intended for working with metal products. For wooden and other materials, tools are taken whose steel is softer.

This notch (also called simple) is found in special files. The purpose of such a tool is to remove a small layer of metal during filing. Special files are used for processing narrow surfaces. They are convenient for sharpening wood saws. These products are designed to work with soft metals, wood and plastics.

Cross Section Products

Double-cut files are general purpose tools. On the surface of these products, in addition to the main section, there is an additional one. The main section is intended for removing particles from the workpiece, and the auxiliary section is for grinding them into chips. Files with double (auxiliary) notches are used when working with hard metals and alloys.

Files for metal. Kinds

GOST 1465-59 are the standards that are relied upon in the production of metalworker’s files. Depending on the size of the notches and their number per 10 mm of surface, the following tools differ:

1. Drachevye. Tools with large notches. There are up to 5-12 of them on a 10 mm file surface. The smaller the number of notches, the larger the teeth. Consequently, more particles are removed when filing the product.
2. Personal. Presented with products with a medium notch. The number of teeth is up to 25 pieces.
3. Velvet. These are the instruments with the finest notches. There are 80 teeth per 10 mm surface.