Tools Made From Old Files

[dowdstools]

I recently acquired a large group of old tools. In my initial "go through" I ran across these two neat pieces - a split nut screwdriver that fits in a brace, and a small pocket screwdriver. Both tools are made from old, worn out files. You can still see some of the file teeth on them.

[oldtools]

Cool tools, wonder if they were re-tempered to shape them?

[oldtools]

Some of the best cutting tools I have were made from old Files...
Old hollow grind Knife, scraper/deburrer...

[anglesmith]

Oldtools    Files along with all tools steels when reheated lose their hardness long before reaching forging temperature of 1470 -2000 degrees. Both those tools have been forged (hammered) to the shape the maker wanted. They then would have been re hardened and tempered (two steps) to give them a suitably hard and tough working end.
Graeme

[oldtools]

Thank you, that's what I figured the 2 needed to be hammered & reshape,
as they are just drivers, maybe still soft & not heated & tempered. 

My knife & scrapers were ground to reshape, kept the heat low by dunking in water during the hollow grind process, so the edge can cut steel..

[oldgoaly]

Another tool made from a old file is a shrinking slapper, works like a autobody hammer.

[oldtools]

What's the side view look like?  How is a shrinking slapper used? like a spoon?

[oldgoaly]

Well spoons tend to be heavier, they  can be used to hit the metal or back it up like a dolly. This slapper is "S" shaped  the serrations are left on as to grab the little bumps better, they can be ground smooth. This is a finishing tool  not what you use to block / rough out accident damage.  The other slapper are made from misc hot rolled stock, handle angles are different, there are times to properly smooth a part you have to hit from a specific angle toe shrink the metal into it's self. Stretching thins the metal and shrinking thickens.
2nd pic is of 3 commercial spoons (Fairmont porter-ferguson) and a shop made. I tend to put longer handles cause of my short arms or just to lazy to move over....

[oldtools]

Thank you for the reply... Nice set of tools...
looks like you annealed your slapper to shape it, did you harden & temper it? don't want it too brittle like a file, but hard & tough... How?

[oldgoaly]

The old coal forge is what I used,  heat till red,  bend,  usually one end at a time allow to cool slowly,  that seems to do the trick. I don't hammer anymore do to bad shoulders. We don't need hard cause we a working sheet metal, and it is a finishing tool not a roughing tool.