The best blessing I've ever had , is the mentoring , teaching , working with and for men like this man close to my grandfathers age if he was alive . The amount and sorts of knowledge gained from this man and the very few left , are a Godsend and irreplaceable fountain of skills and knowledge . Value them , learn from them , and work with them any chance you can muster the time to do so . You cannot put a price on knowledge of skills not much written the same in books any longer like these men possess . Priceless !
There are still many uses for files, I have drawers full and put them to good use regularly. The fact that Sheffield out lived its utility as a manufacturing center dosn't mean the end of the products.
Yes there is a handful of makers of decent quality files left but there used to be hundreds. None apparently in Sheffield. I wouldnt say anything other than the bog standard types are readily available.
I love this old bloke. And I've spent quite some time in Sheffield too. Despite having many of the modern tools he describes, I still use all the hand tools he mentioned, and a lot more besides. As an old man myself, I highly respect the craftmanship and ingenuity that went into theses crafts/tools. I use them as often as I can and teach the skills to my grandsons, who complain that it "takes soooo long pop...". Thanks for this video, we are dying out, and very few want to learn the art and crafts now. It's a pity.
Wonderful that you teach your grandkids. I am learning these skills in my adulthood and have found such generosity of knowledge from the older generation. I love it! Keep sharing!
I can’t fathom why people would rather become dependent boobs than learn the most basic and useful knowledge and skills. I guess it takes away from their Twitter or Facebook time. To me, this man’s knowledge is more valuable than gold.
Interesting interview, but I"d love to have seen more of the original tools and to learn about that massive square file next to him. Files are still made however, but as someone who uses a lot of files it's not as easy as going down to the hardware store and getting good ones anymore, have to order them and they are not cheap. Hand made files are still made, they are expensive. The massive file cutting industry is no more however.
Thank you for sharing this, those are nice shoes. Sadly, I grew up wearing leather soled shoes and while they are proper footwear I don't know how many times I slipped and fell from wet and slick leather soles on said shoes. I wear the man made soled shoes and boots and no longer have that problem but am NOT happy with what passes for a hand file these days! Thanks.
I love this video. It's not accurate, but it would be if the internet didn't make it possible to get any manner of specialty tools that craftsman might need. There are lots of people learning handcrafts of all kinds. Many people have been learning that handmade objects are inherently more valuable and enjoyable than mass produced items.
In the sense that the market is no longer there, he is accurate. At one time all of those files were massed produced because there was a large market. Sure, there are small manufacturers that are reproducing tools based off of old tools but they're much more expensive than the originals. Or if there are cheaper alternatives they're usually made in China or India where there is very little quality control which means you could get a file that lasts for years or only months depending on the quality of the heat treat. I think about the thousands upon thousands of Disston panel saws that were produced over the years. If you look hard enough, you can usually find them at estate sales for five or ten bucks because every man from the "Greatest Generation" used hands saws. Yet to buy something new, that can be sharpened and is the same quality or a little better, you would have to spend at least $200. Even adjusting for inflation, I guarantee the old Disston's didn't cost that much.
the file making hand industry may be dead but the memory and its craft survives still carried on by individuals, blacksmiths most of these days, like me. today I finished my file cutting work"bench" tomorrow I will cut a file for japanese saws. thank you very much for providing all the valuable examples. I do wish I knew about the chisels bevel angles and cutting angle but I'll figure it out.
I have many files, new old and use them often, along side my machine tools, as do jewelers /craftsman/woodworkers use rasps i have new rasps, i have also set my saws with a saw set and sharpened them with needle files that you can buy everyware?
Here in Taiwan, you can go into any hardware store and choose from a variety of files, so I'd guess that here, at least, they are still being used. It's not hard to find a feather file, either, for sharpening a saw. I bought one for about NT$200 (US$6) and very quickly earned the money back by not buying new saw blades.
yeah i think he probably means files in industry.. the quantity of files and types of files made is much less now than it was 60 years ago. hardwear stores once had a file section with 100s of types of files and a machine shop supply store might have many times that. for example in 1950 there was maybe 50 producers of steel chequering files but today there is only one producer in the world based in italy
I did my apprenticeship with the CEGB and one of our projects was to file a perfect cube from a lump of mild steel. I still have and use all my Nicholson files.
"Fewer" specialty files is not the same as "none" and any desired file can be produced today. Files are indispensable but not for high volume production processes (in most cases). Machinists, fitters, gunsmiths, farriers and weldors among millions of others use files daily. They remove an impressive amount of metal with excellent control and effortless portability. Saw files are also still widely produced. Watches today are mechanical jewelry and while horology is a niche hobby it's far from dead.
Liogier & Auriou are proud crafstmen pursuing the tradition. I discovered the beauty of Rasps & Files because of them. They are disregarded by the Wood Working furniture community imho. For me... it's so, so direct to the relation with the Material!
Hyper Hektor Yelp. In the old days, it took a LOT of skill to do what they did. And muscle. But, things change. Nothing against the tradesmen of today, who are skilled craftsmen, but they would be lost if forced to do things the old way. It takes years to learn the trade today, back then it took decades. : )
Andrew Vida In the US they are mainly used for deburring. In years past, they were used as precision instruments. Few people today can make an accurate cut with a file. Today they are thrown into a drower. In the past, they were treated like delicate and precision instruments.
Seems one might consider bringing back the old ways, breaking away from most all of modernity whilst seeking a time when men were real men and craftsmanship, being self-sufficient and like were a source of pride as well as livelihood.
Files are still used, just not in manufacturing. They are used by machinists and in repair shop[s and by craftsmen all over the world. But there are fewer and fewer of these small shops every year. Why? For the same reasons that there are no buggy whip factories or wagon wheel makers. Very low demand. Most of these archaic items are special order replacements for antiques.
Can anybody teach how to make a very straight flat file that has fine double cut teeth i think the quenching process warps it anywat to fix that problem
I would like to see a return of show makers, if it wasn't for those elves we would still have them, hum humbug I say to the 21 century, it wasn't a sham back then.
This is sad really. Files are still used, but not on an industrial capacity. I use files every so often, but I have never worn out a file, so why replace it? Without the need to replace a spent file, there is little need to them on a large scale. This is why we now have garage files from China and the premium tools of the past are long longer viable as a business.
![[[OFFICIAL MV]] เอิ้นขวัญให้อ้าย- อ๊ะอาย สกุณาพร | ค่ายเพลงเป็นหนึ่ง](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/83x6L3X3qh0/mqdefault.jpg)
I'd love to spend a few weeks with this guy and listen to him
The best blessing I've ever had , is the mentoring , teaching , working with and for men like this man close to my grandfathers age if he was alive . The amount and sorts of knowledge gained from this man and the very few left , are a Godsend and irreplaceable fountain of skills and knowledge . Value them , learn from them , and work with them any chance you can muster the time to do so . You cannot put a price on knowledge of skills not much written the same in books any longer like these men possess . Priceless !
There are still many uses for files, I have drawers full and put them to good use regularly. The fact that Sheffield out lived its utility as a manufacturing center dosn't mean the end of the products.
I just about use files for different types of processes and sharpening things that other things can't so there's that
Files are used less. Bit still obviously used in many trades. The files are no longer had made due to mechanisation.
All the files mentioned are readily available. the standard tooth handsaw is available on Amazon.
Yes there is a handful of makers of decent quality files left but there used to be hundreds. None apparently in Sheffield. I wouldnt say anything other than the bog standard types are readily available.
I love this old bloke. And I've spent quite some time in Sheffield too. Despite having many of the modern tools he describes, I still use all the hand tools he mentioned, and a lot more besides. As an old man myself, I highly respect the craftmanship and ingenuity that went into theses crafts/tools. I use them as often as I can and teach the skills to my grandsons, who complain that it "takes soooo long pop...". Thanks for this video, we are dying out, and very few want to learn the art and crafts now. It's a pity.
Wonderful that you teach your grandkids. I am learning these skills in my adulthood and have found such generosity of knowledge from the older generation. I love it! Keep sharing!
I can’t fathom why people would rather become dependent boobs than learn the most basic and useful knowledge and skills. I guess it takes away from their Twitter or Facebook time.
To me, this man’s knowledge is more valuable than gold.
i agree but there few people around that would know the old trades
I would have loved to have met Ken and listened to hours of great stories about the old trades and their equipment.
The David Attenborough steel. Fabulous
Its fascinating to see how things where done with files only in the past but files are still around today they just dont get used as often
Interesting interview, but I"d love to have seen more of the original tools and to learn about that massive square file next to him.
Files are still made however, but as someone who uses a lot of files it's not as easy as going down to the hardware store and getting good ones anymore, have to order them and they are not cheap. Hand made files are still made, they are expensive. The massive file cutting industry is no more however.
The wisdom of this guy. Id love to see a movie series of this guys life threw his eyes.
Thank you for sharing this, those are nice shoes. Sadly, I grew up wearing leather soled shoes and while they are proper footwear I don't know how many times I slipped and fell from wet and slick leather soles on said shoes. I wear the man made soled shoes and boots and no longer have that problem but am NOT happy with what passes for a hand file these days! Thanks.
on the new types the insides wear out faster than the outsides
I love this video. It's not accurate, but it would be if the internet didn't make it possible to get any manner of specialty tools that craftsman might need. There are lots of people learning handcrafts of all kinds. Many people have been learning that handmade objects are inherently more valuable and enjoyable than mass produced items.
In the sense that the market is no longer there, he is accurate. At one time all of those files were massed produced because there was a large market. Sure, there are small manufacturers that are reproducing tools based off of old tools but they're much more expensive than the originals. Or if there are cheaper alternatives they're usually made in China or India where there is very little quality control which means you could get a file that lasts for years or only months depending on the quality of the heat treat.
I think about the thousands upon thousands of Disston panel saws that were produced over the years. If you look hard enough, you can usually find them at estate sales for five or ten bucks because every man from the "Greatest Generation" used hands saws. Yet to buy something new, that can be sharpened and is the same quality or a little better, you would have to spend at least $200. Even adjusting for inflation, I guarantee the old Disston's didn't cost that much.
the file making hand industry may be dead but the memory and its craft survives still
carried on by individuals, blacksmiths most of these days, like me.
today I finished my file cutting work"bench" tomorrow I will cut a file for japanese saws.
thank you very much for providing all the valuable examples.
I do wish I knew about the chisels bevel angles and cutting angle but I'll figure it out.
Thank you very much sir for being a honest truth speaking gentleman. This upside down world of today needs men like you!
One of the Foundation Tools that help Humanity !
I have many files, new old and use them often, along side my machine tools, as do jewelers /craftsman/woodworkers use rasps i have new rasps, i have also set my saws with a saw set and sharpened them with needle files that you can buy everyware?
Sad innit. :( I love Ken's videos, I wish they filmed more with him!
I've recently been buying any file I see at car boot sales that was made in the UK. I've got some really nice ones. Got a new one today, Stubs.
Here in Taiwan, you can go into any hardware store and choose from a variety of files, so I'd guess that here, at least, they are still being used. It's not hard to find a feather file, either, for sharpening a saw. I bought one for about NT$200 (US$6) and very quickly earned the money back by not buying new saw blades.
yeah i think he probably means files in industry.. the quantity of files and types of files made is much less now than it was 60 years ago. hardwear stores once had a file section with 100s of types of files and a machine shop supply store might have many times that. for example in 1950 there was maybe 50 producers of steel chequering files but today there is only one producer in the world based in italy
Those Masters... They are our Memory.
I did my apprenticeship with the CEGB and one of our projects was to file a perfect cube from a lump of mild steel. I still have and use all my Nicholson files.
I can tell you as saw filer in a cedar shingle mill that I routinely uses files, none hand made of course. Shingle mills are a dying trade as well.
Zombie Apocalypse will bring use for files back.
Gun making gear cutting simple yet precise metal parts?
You are the TIME GUESSER!
"Fewer" specialty files is not the same as "none" and any desired file can be produced today. Files are indispensable but not for high volume production processes (in most cases).
Machinists, fitters, gunsmiths, farriers and weldors among millions of others use files daily. They remove an impressive amount of metal with excellent control and effortless portability. Saw files are also still widely produced. Watches today are mechanical jewelry and while horology is a niche hobby it's far from dead.
Liogier & Auriou are proud crafstmen pursuing the tradition. I discovered the beauty of Rasps & Files because of them. They are disregarded by the Wood Working furniture community imho. For me... it's so, so direct to the relation with the Material!
Auriou rasps are peerless, but at around £120 a piece its not surprising that most woodworkers don't own any.
Not used anymore? Perhaps in jolly England, but here in the states there are all manner of people using them.
i think you forgot that he means , not used in mass production used by the industry.
Hyper Hektor Yelp. In the old days, it took a LOT of skill to do what they did. And muscle. But, things change. Nothing against the tradesmen of today, who are skilled craftsmen, but they would be lost if forced to do things the old way. It takes years to learn the trade today, back then it took decades. : )
Andrew Vida In the US they are mainly used for deburring. In years past, they were used as precision instruments. Few people today can make an accurate cut with a file. Today they are thrown into a drower. In the past, they were treated like delicate and precision instruments.
do show some of ur tools' use on the table in the next videos... all the best.
Seems one might consider bringing back the old ways, breaking away from most all of modernity whilst seeking a time when men were real men and craftsmanship, being self-sufficient and like were a source of pride as well as livelihood.
self sufficiency was far from the source of pride. people had pride in community and eachother
I use files still to sharpen my saw teeth and chain saw teeth
The Why Files brought me here.
How strange it must be to grow up, as this man did, with a thriving industry and now see that it is totally gone.
Files are still used, just not in manufacturing. They are used by machinists and in repair shop[s and by craftsmen all over the world. But there are fewer and fewer of these small shops every year. Why? For the same reasons that there are no buggy whip factories or wagon wheel makers. Very low demand. Most of these archaic items are special order replacements for antiques.
Can anybody teach how to make a very straight flat file that has fine double cut teeth i think the quenching process warps it anywat to fix that problem
Chainsaws still use files to sharpen
Look up Nicholson and vallorbe SWISS files
I am so sorry, I wrote my previous comment without knowing that Mr. Hawley is deceased. What a loss.
When the cell phone is brought into frame... seems so out of place in there. Shiny. No patina. Not made of iron, wood, or leather.
I would like to see a return of show makers, if it wasn't for those elves we would still have them, hum humbug I say to the 21 century, it wasn't a sham back then.
This is sad really. Files are still used, but not on an industrial capacity. I use files every so often, but I have never worn out a file, so why replace it? Without the need to replace a spent file, there is little need to them on a large scale. This is why we now have garage files from China and the premium tools of the past are long longer viable as a business.
I can’t wait to be able to dress like this
.... Time was you could tell a man's age by how far below his chin the waistband of his trousers lies '
A digital clock with hands still has gears inside.
Just barely ... and they are made of plastic!
@@Offshoreorganbuilder sorry, I meant watches.
Which no one will be using anymore because they use their cellphones to know what time it is.
@@FernandoLichtschein I use a pocket-watch (c 1920s) and have done for years.
If the roses are wet, there is a residual odor
What's he talking about I see handsaws in the stores all the time
Right. Modern saws have impulse hardened teeth. They stay sharp longer but can't be resharpened. The whole saw is a consumable.
None too bright are you superpossum
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