nut files

[canyongargon]

I have successfully used the tip cleaners on nuts that are already well cut but need to come down a few thousandths, but it can take time and be quite frustrating, especially working with the thinner strings where the tip cleaners bend. There's really no replacement for a proper set of gauged, round-edged files if you want to do the job fast and right.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by canyongargon

There's really no replacement for a proper set of gauged, round-edged files if you want to do the job fast and right.

Here's the "thing". Instrument makers have been using "replacements" for hundreds of years prior to the late 1980's when gauged nut files were first manufactured and commercially available. They managed to "get-by" without them and produce "usable" instruments even though they weren't using the "right" tools.

Don't get me wrong: gauged nut files are a good invention and are good to have, particularly if one does a lot of nut filing work. Their invention became the replacement for needle files and knives that were in use. Even more recently, gauged-kerf saws have been "invented" for the purpose of cutting nut slots: they are even faster cutting than nut files. For a lot of nut work, for me any way, they have replaced gauged nut files. There may come a time when people say, "There's really no replacement for a proper set of gauged saws if you want to do the job fast and right".

My point is that there is nothing "magic" about a set of gauged nut files. Their use does not automatically produce good results: it's just as easy to do a poor job with nut files as it is with a saw or needle files. A perfectly suitable set of needle files for nut work can be had for $10 and one can do just as good a job with those as more expensive gauged nut files.

One of the things that I've repeatedly run into during my 30+ years of guitar making and repairing is my mistaken attitude that there is only one "right" tool or method for a task. It is incredibly self-limiting to pigeon-hole oneself into doing something a certain way because "that's the way it's done". In the case of nut slotting, there are a number of methods and tools that can each produce top-notch results. There are also methods and tools that don't. Experience and wisdom teaches one to distinguish between the two. Absolute-type statements are the antithesis of that.

[canyongargon]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

Here's the "thing". Instrument makers have been using "replacements" for hundreds of years prior to the late 1980's when gauged nut files were first manufactured and commercially available. They managed to "get-by" without them and produce "usable" instruments even though they weren't using the "right" tools.

This is a good point; I'm speaking purely from the perspective of one who has been blessed to live in an era where we have such great specialty tools.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by canyongargon

This is a good point; I'm speaking purely from the perspective of one who has been blessed to live in an era where we have such great specialty tools.

I'm speaking from an historical perspective of technology: in every era, new technology is regarded as great specialty tools. For example, when first invented, in its era, the stone wheel was a great specialty tool. The nature of innovation is that technology changes and advances. As it does so, it often leaves older technology behind. One need look no further than Beta video format, CD's and the Sony Walkman.

Gauged nut files are the technological advancement of the late 1900's. Since then, newer technology includes the Plek machine for guitar setup. It hasn't, yet, made gauged nut files obsolete and gauged nut files haven't rendered needle files obsolete. In skilled hands, they are all great tools. Perhaps, someday, people will say, "There's really no replacement for a Plek machine if you want to do the job fast and right." If repeated often enough, the buying public will then start to believe that setups can't adequately be done with "primitive" tools (i.e. hand tools). Then, anyone who wants to be taken seriously will need to spend $15k on a Plek machine, 'cause that's the only way "to do the job fast and right".

It is in that broader context that I commented on your statement, "There's really no replacement for a proper set of gauged, round-edged files if you want to do the job fast and right." In short, there are a number of options, ranging in tooling cost from $10 to $15,000. Regardless of which tool one uses, one still must know how to use the tools to accomplish the desired task: the tools don't know how they are supposed to be used.

[mercy]

I cant afford a Plek and Im not skilled enough to use needle files. Yes a job can be botched even with nut files but there is less chance of that with nut files which I can afford.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

I'm speaking from an historical perspective of technology: in every era, new technology is regarded as great specialty tools. For example, when first invented, in its era, the stone wheel was a great specialty tool. The nature of innovation is that technology changes and advances. As it does so, it often leaves older technology behind. One need look no further than Beta video format, CD's and the Sony Walkman.

Gauged nut files are the technological advancement of the late 1900's. Since then, newer technology includes the Plek machine for guitar setup. It hasn't, yet, made gauged nut files obsolete and gauged nut files haven't rendered needle files obsolete. In skilled hands, they are all great tools. Perhaps, someday, people will say, "There's really no replacement for a Plek machine if you want to do the job fast and right." If repeated often enough, the buying public will then start to believe that setups can't adequately be done with "primitive" tools (i.e. hand tools). Then, anyone who wants to be taken seriously will need to spend $15k on a Plek machine, 'cause that's the only way "to do the job fast and right".

It is in that broader context that I commented on your statement, "There's really no replacement for a proper set of gauged, round-edged files if you want to do the job fast and right." In short, there are a number of options, ranging in tooling cost from $10 to $15,000. Regardless of which tool one uses, one still must know how to use the tools to accomplish the desired task: the tools don't know how they are supposed to be used.

Good point! And I've had guitars set up by Plek machines that needed to be setup properly via antiquated and out-of-date hand tools by antiquated methods (ie: quality hand-craftsmanship). LOL ;-)