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Thread: Files for stainless

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  1. #1
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    Files for stainless

    Does anyone have a particular brand or type of file they use when working on stainless steel?

    I re-discovered yesterday how hard 416 stainless(hrc 40-42) is. I work with stainless hardware and components for my job, but I don't have to "fit" any of it. I had forgotten how how hard of a metal it is. I ruined a safe edge file on a stainless barrel bushing lug yesterday as it needed approx. 0.005" removed for fitment.
    Likes (1) :
    Frgood (5th August 2020)

    Last edited by BrettID; 3rd August 2020 at 10:28.


  2. #2
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    If by "ruined" you mean dulled, then because HRC 40-42 is not notably hard as far as steels go, that file was simply not hard enough. Solution: get a better quality file. My best files are Gold Medal, Simonds and Grobet.

    Q: What brand of file was this?
    When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. [Lord Kelvin]

  3. #3
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    Thanks Niemi. Yes, dulled. It was a Grobet. Slide rail file. Not the right "cut" but it was the only safe edge file I had. I also forgot the chalk.

  4. #4
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    A Grobet??? I'll be a monkey's uncle! I always considered them to be the epitome of files. Perhaps that bushing was much, much harder than what you posted or that file was a forgery.
    When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. [Lord Kelvin]

  5. #5
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    No, I don't believe it was a forgery as I bought it from Brownells. The hardness listed for the bushing was on the Storm Lake packaging. I may not be as experienced (almost no experience) in the machining of metals as some folks here, so it is only my opinion; But, that steel was verrry hard.

    It took 3+ hours of very careful "stoning". Constantly checking fit and wear pattern with a sharpie. If I showed you a picture of the "tool" I used, the much more experienced folks would cringe I'm sure. It is a diamond coated honing "device" that is flat. But it was difficult to maintain "flatness" even on a little nub of a lug as I trimmed down the lug to fit the slide. The sharpee helped a bunch.

    The bushing is pretty much ordnance spec with just a touch of extra material for fitting. I fretted for a bit trying to accurately measure the lug groove in the slide. I gave up as I just don't have the tools. But considering the measurements on the bushing to make it fit, I'd say there was some liberties taken when the slide had its bushing lug cut.

    I'll spend more time this week researching and picking up some quality files. I did read about PFERD CORINOX files. Supposed to do well on stainless.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by niemi24s View Post
    My best files are Gold Medal, Simonds and Grobet.
    Forget my set of Vallorbe Swiss pattern needle files.
    When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. [Lord Kelvin]
    Likes (1) :
    BrettID (5th August 2020)


  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by niemi24s View Post
    Forget my set of Vallorbe Swiss pattern needle files.

    Thanks for the info!

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