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Chisels: pointed vs flat?

Stone Conversations : Archive 6 : Message 00602

From: "George Graham" <georgergraham@zzzzzzzzzzz>
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 20:04:49 -0400
Subject: Chisels: pointed vs flat?


Edie asked,

Quoted text begins.george, what exactly is a "bastard file"?
End of quote.


Edie,
Files have 3 different kinds of cutting teeth. Files with rasp teeth are the
roughest, then bastard, and the finest is the mill teeth. The mill files are
mainly for metal work, and the rasp files for traditionally for wood
working. The bastard kind of over laps into wood and metal , but it is great
for marble work. The cutting teeth of a mill file run diagonally across the
face of the file as one continues cutting edge. If you cut up the continues
cutting edge into a row of teeth you have a bastard file.

Files come in all different shapes, and sizes, so the bigger the bastard
file the more open and bigger the teeth. Files also will get dull when you
work in some hard marble.

I came across a lot of Ferrier files that are use to shape up horses hoof
that are fantastic for alabaster, soapstone and Indiana limestone. One side
had big rasp teeth, and the other was a bastard cut for final smoothing.
They are wide and long enough to comfortably grip and really put the
pressure on the stone. I use them to clean up tooth chisel carving, and just
skip a lot of flat chisel work. I like to go back to a flat chisel for
serious definition of shapes after I've cleaned up the rough area with a
rasp.

The great mystery about the bastard file is where and how did it get its
name? My theory is some blacksmith , long ago, was having a really bad day.
I'd like to here what a blacksmith thinks about it.
I'm trying to open the door to some entertaining speculation here!

George Graham

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