Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: wolfshadow on May 12, 2021, 07:05:11 PM
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What’s a good source for small diameter quality rat tail files?
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What size are you looking for? For smaller stuff like putting a radius at the edge of the shelf I use a chain saw sharpening file. Never noticed much difference between brands since a file will lasts looong time if that is it’s only job. They come in a few different sizes.
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Rat Tail is more aggressive than a chainsaw file.
I would look at woodworking supply merchants, like Lee Valley or Highland Woodworking, etc.....
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https://www.3riversarchery.com/8-inch-nock-groove-file.html
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I get mine at Rural King or Menards. I have a couple of big rat tails prolly 1/2 diameter for ruffing out site windows.
Lately I have been using a fine 1/4 round file for belly string grooves and even the string grooves on curves. Don't need no binding.
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What is your task you are wanting to do with a rat tail file?
I only have 5/32" and 1/8" chainsaw files for string nocks.
I use a 1/4" round file with sandpaper to smooth out the site window/shelf radius. :thumbsup:
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Binghams has a good one
https://binghamprojects.com/store/6-round-rasp/
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nicholson 11526N
is a 1/8" dia bastard (coarser than a chain saw file), with a rat tail tapered end if you are asking about one for string grooves/nocks
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Rat tails aren't the same thing as round files, so I'm not sure if that's really what you want... or what you want it for. I have round files from little needle files up to big 12 or 14" aggressive ones. For bows, I mainly use them on string grooves, and just use a 4" Nicholson, then a smooth chainsaw file to remove file marks from the 4", then wrap 400 grit sandpaper around it. I get most of my files on ebay nowadays, but I'm always looking for good deals on files. Can't have too many, or too big a variety of files.
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Here's a couple of rat tail files I've gotten over the years. The smallest one is about 5 1/2" long and about 3/32" thick with a 1/32" at the tip. I think this one came is a set of small needle files with a round, rat tail, flat and half round files. The other is also about 5 1/4" long with a about 1/8 in diameter with a 1/16" point. I got it from a friend that bought a box of them on that E... site. The chainsaw file is in the pic for comparison. It's about 3/16" in diameter.
(https://i.imgur.com/T80Imfx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nldthSU.jpg)
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Don't you love these threads where we have a good old time talking amongst ourselves and the OP disappears? Guess we will never know what the intended use for the file was. It's like having an ad on C-list where everybody sends the message, "Is this still available" when they are loaded at 3:00 AM
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It's been overcast all week :laughing:
Do you get it :saywhat:
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That middle one looks horny :bigsmyl:
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It's been overcast all week :laughing:
Do you get it :saywhat:
:dunno: Must be a regional idiom?
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Wolfshadow overcast, No shadow :knothead:
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Dangit! That one was hurting my head :knothead:
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Thanks for the tips, Gents. I have chain saw files. Looking for one narrow diameter to put a little “hook” or “trough” on the back of the bow at the bottom of the string grove. I’ll look for a Nicholson.
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Needle files.
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A place that sells machine shop supplies may have what you want