To get my blade ready for the quench, I'm trying to get the last of file gouges off the blade by sanding (I'm still waiting for my grinder).  It's tough going.  I'm starting to wonder about my draw filing technique .  I have a wire brush which I use often, I tap the file on the edge of my bench, I feel like I'm anal about getting rid of the burs, but I'm still getting deep gouges that 80 grit sandpaper has a tough time with. I'm NOT using chalk, but I've gotten varying opinions on that. Am I just working the file too hard???  As to the sanding, I have a jig set up in my vise to support the blade and I'm using various blocks with the paper.... but no go. Or is this just a patience/elbow grease thing?  Anyway... I was just reading that proper draw filing with a mill file should leave a pretty clean surface...

One thing that I picked up on another site was to use Mobile One Synthetic oil. A guy swore by it and it seemed to really increase the cutting I got with my paper and made the paper last longer.

thanks... I will give that a shot.

but do folks think I need to work that hard after draw filing or is it my technique?  Should there be visible 'gouges'???

I have a hard time getting file gouges out as well.  I ended up using some cheap diamond "stones" that I got from Harbor Freight on the last blade I did.  I just worked it at the same angle I did with the file and it worked much better than doing it with sandpaper.  Of course I used sand paper after I got the gouges out with the diamond stones.

Aaron

come on! Doesn't anybody draw file anymore? :-)

Moss,

Take it slow, make lighter file strokes to rid of the more severe ones, or use a finer toothed file. Then use a block of wood or something hard to back your sandpaper. I spray WD-40 on both sandpaper and blade every few minutes, generally I wont have many deep gouges.  

It takes some patience and elbow grease, it doesnt come easy, but its worth it.

Brandon

Thanks Brandon... I'm starting to get it now. I started using oil a couple of days ago that's helping a lot.

And like Brandon said Lighter strokes and finer files make a big difference.
 Robert

All of the above. For each file, you will find a particular angle that makes the smoothest cut as you draw it. After you get to a certain stage, when you are not removing much, but are now trying to smooth, card/clean with each pass. Lin

Good thread. I am having the same trouble. been a while since I did any serious file work.

To the comment about finer files. I remember that the name, bastard, mill, halfcut etc, describe the style of cut the file has. Am I right in remembering that an eight inch mill file will have the same type of cut as a ten inch millfile but being shorter the teeth will be finer.

hey! This thread came back to life!  Well, I've moved on to a grinder now. But I will need to go back to a file for the false edge on my next knife... I need to get more of the finer grade files I guess.  I'm not sure how it works in terms of grades on these things. Hopefully somebody pipes in on this...