Hand Files and Their Handles??

Gallery, Projects and General > How do I??

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mattinker:
Hi,

the tang of a file is deliberately left unhardened to be able be pushed onto a wooden handle without snapping. If more force is required, take the file and the file/handle, handle down and hit it against a bench or something like that. I've never heard of heating the tang red hot before, obviously works! I would drill it out to a convenient size!

Regards, Matthew

vtsteam:

--- Quote from: Stilldrillin on April 27, 2013, 03:39:23 AM ---VT. That's quite an impressive padlock! (I think)...... :bugeye:

David D

--- End quote ---

David that is just one example. He's done amazing things with locks. all different, a hundred different locks. And they are big. 9" some are. Some trick locks take 5 secret operations to open. He has made globe shaped locks and heart shaped locks. With heart shaped tubes in the key body.

He doesn't own a mill or a lathe. It's all hand work, forming with the forge, chipping with the chisel and filing. He loves new files like we love a finely made lathe. He can make files.

He barely makes a living. Maybe 2 collectors in the world buy his work. He sells them for far less than they are worth in my opinion. Takes odd jobs to make ends meet -- last I saw he was puttying a stack of windows for someone. He's a true artisan.

Pete W.:
Hi there, all,

First of all, a big thank you to all of you who have responded to my initial post.

:mmr: :clap: :mmr: :clap: :mmr: :clap:

I'm very grateful for all your constructive posts and for your gentle deliveries - part of me feared that I would be heaped with scorn and derision for having such a gap in my skill-set. Still, if you don't ask .......

Secondly, I too am very impressed by the picture Vtsteam posted. Skill with hand tools takes many forms and can reach amazing levels. My late father was a woodworker, he trained as a cabinet maker. When he was planing a piece of wood, he used to check it with the square and with his critical eye every so often but I'm convinced his chest and arm muscles knew when it was flat and square!
I regret not paying more attention when he tried to pass on some of his skills to me!! :doh:

Thanks again.

micktoon:
Glad you found out the info you needed Pete :thumbup: I would like to see more photos of V.T's friends locks , very interesting , they must take some hours to make, its sickening that often people with such skill can not make much money, yet there seems to be people all around getting paid high wages who seem to be able to do very little :palm: , its a funny old world .
Cheers Mick.

vtsteam:
Here's some not very good photos of a few of Kevin's locks. I haven't seen any pix that do them justice. The small chiseled in details, the finish, it just doesn't come through, plus the photos are small. The one I show above does the best job of conveying what they are like, the detail and the finish, etc.

http://www.antique-padlocks.com/pc_moreau.htm

I think he's got some better photos himself. I'll try to get some up on the Gallery section after I see him again.

Thanks for asking!

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