Violin Forum/Message Board

Joseph Leahy · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 3:45 pm Post subject: nut or needle files

Is anyone using the nut files (see Item #87-970 at https://www.violins.ca/tools/tools_files.html or are you using a needle file for forming the string slots? If so, which one?
My go to needle file is damaged so need to buy something new.
Thanks.
Joe

Dave Chandler · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 4:34 pm Post subject: needle files

A few years ago I bought a very fine (small) needle file at the VSA Conference from the International Luthiers booth, and it is a godsend for doing nut string slots (and bridge too). If I use the finest end it makes a slot smaller than the width of an e string, and up toward the middle, nice makes slot for g string. Its nice to know you won't have rough edges inside the groves. Its about 4" long and only 1-2mm at the blunt end. I don't see it here, but it would probably be like the smallest they show here, in an extremely fine cut.
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

Joseph Leahy · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: needle files

Thanks Dave
I'll pick up something similar to yours.
Joe

Mat Roop · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 8:33 pm Post subject:

Hi joseph... I have not found anyone in the general marketplace that carries a good file small enough. My original was a "mouse tail" file ... that's smaller than a rat tail, that I had purchased from Heinl... last I checked they did not carry them, but that was a few years ago.
I would measure the thickest string diam that you will be fitting and then pick one from Lemuels list in the section Grobet swiss precision needle files ... round ones.
The cost is not cheap, but they last a long time... mine is now over 10 yrs old.
Cheers, Mat

wm_crash · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 9:25 pm Post subject:

Howdy,

This is the narrowest round file I've come across is at 1.6 mm:

http://www.ottofrei.com/Files-Round-Parallel-4X1-16-Inch-1.6MM.html

Other than that, a feather file normally used to sharpen japanese saws would leave an even narrower groove. Just run a search for "japanese feather file" and a ton of them will show up. Suffice to say that there is a diamond version to these files but they don't leave as clean of a groove as the cut files.

Not sure if the teardrop profile has any merit, but it may:

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

cheers,
Cosmin

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

the needle file is that the same as a mouse tail?

Dave Chandler · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 5:47 pm Post subject:

Pretty sure this is the one i'm using (and it works great for me) ....

https://www.internationalviolin.com/ProductDetail/t47_swiss-needle-file-round-4-cut-0
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

L P Reedy · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 5:50 pm Post subject:

A mouse tail is one type of needle file. I have a pretty small one from IVC (same one Dave linked to), but I now use a home made nut file. I found a piece of 1 inch by .035 inch (0.9 mm) band saw blade about six inches long. I rounded about an inch and a half of one edge at one end, then filed "teeth" on it. I used a triangular file to cut negative rake grooves, not very deep. It cuts fast enough and leaves a very smooth finish on both nuts and bridges. I've had to sharpen it once, after I used it on a bone guitar nut. I use a very small knife file for the e string grooves.

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

thanks.

byacey · Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 12:16 pm Post subject:

Something of a late reply, but you might want to consider these:

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Double-edge_Nut_Files.html

They cut a perfectly round bottom slot. Also check out some sellers on Ebay, there are some good prices here for quality products.
_________________
Bill

Joseph Leahy · Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 1:46 pm Post subject:

byacey · Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 9:18 pm Post subject:

If you do guitar work too, you'll be most interested in these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Electric-Light-Gauge-Hiroshima-Files-Uo-Chikyu-Nut-Files-6-piece-Set-/111647534355

They are excellent quality; I bought a set for bass guitar and they work great.
_________________
Bill

Joseph Leahy · Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 12:36 pm Post subject:

John Masters · Junior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2013 Posts: 23

Years ago Howard Core sold "mousetail files." He does not usually drop discontinued items, and it is worth a look.

They were not very expensive. I recall they were pretty sharp at the tip, and I am sure they were much smaller than a mm there. But they are brittle, so one must be carefull about breaking them

I need to order more for myself.

Carl Becker gave me a nice hint for a conventional triangular file. Just hone the tip to make a triple "knife edge." it is very nice for setting precisely on a divider mark. Carl had a lot of GOOD ideas, of course.