Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello

I have tried to find hand files that won't affect to corrosion resistance from my local shops. So far I have checked 5 places, but with no results




So that got me thinking that does people even use stainless files anymore? Do you guys own files for stainless or just use the same that is used for carbon steel?

I was taught that you need a seperate set of gloves, brushes, files, and grinding wheels for stainless, carbon, and aluminum and you don't interchange them. As for affecting the corrosion resistance I'll defer that to someone else, as it was explained to me the reason for using seperate tools for each material was to prevent contamination.

A properly hardened file (carbon tool steel) dedicated to stainless will not contaminate your stainless weld. The file should be so much harder than the stainless that virtually no carbon from the file is left on the stainless.

Look at Nicholson files. Old brand, very popular in the pipe trades for quality, hardness, sharpness, and overall reliability. I have a half-round double-cut bastard that's easily 30 years old, and I broke it in half (by accident), and still use it regularly.

Steve S

Don't forget the chalk.

Thanks for replys

Markus,
I have regular carbon files I use for SS and have not had any problems thus far. My grandpa does food grade and has SS files for that. I do not know what brand he used but I did find some and would recommend the PFERD files. They make great products but these are not cheap. These files will outlast all of us if used correctly.
http://www.pferdusa.com/products/201j/index.html
-Jonathan

I just bought a few from McMaster.com for my sanitary tool box...nice so far. They have a bunch of profiles available.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#8248A15

I use a Nicholson file to deburr 304 tubing, and it's been fine. I'm a long way from a seasoned pro, but I haven't had any weirdness that I know of as a result of the file.

Scotchbrite inside and out if you can, acetone, blah blah, you probably know that stuff already.

I bought one for AL, one for LC and one for SS, and a rat tail for LC that I needed to get out of some jam or the other. I keep the AL file in a sleeve on account of aluminum being real sensitive to contamination and I hate seeing junk floating in my aluminum puddle.

Hey thanks guys

I work in a food and pharmaceutical industries so that is reason why I'm after a stainless steel file rather than plain carbon.
Maybe a little overkill, but at least I have tried to prevent contamination

No I just need to order one, kjehkjeh

What about diamond files?