Simonds SIM73238000 Flat Bastard File 14" American

The Simonds SIM73238000 is a flat bastard file, American pattern, 14 inches.

At 14 inches this is the largest flat file in the range and the safety point applies here more than anywhere.

A file this size is pushed with real force. The tang is a bare tapered spike, and the classic injury is entirely predictable: the file catches on the work, the operator's weight is already behind it, the hand slides forward, and the spike goes into the palm or the heel of the hand. It is one of the oldest recorded workshop injuries and it happens because files are sold without handles and the handle never gets fitted.

Fit one. It takes a minute.

The second rule that matters at this size: a file is glass hard and brittle. It is not a pry bar, it is not a scraper, and it must not be struck. A file used as a lever snaps, and it snaps suddenly with fragments travelling. The temptation is strongest on a big file, because a 14 inch file looks like a substantial piece of steel. It is a substantial piece of very brittle steel.

Length is what makes a file flat: it bridges the high spots rather than following the hollows.

Bastard is the coarse grade.

Applications include heavy metalwork and fabrication.

Brand

Simonds

SKU

SIM73238000

Category

Hand Tools

Weight

1.27 lbs

Dimensions

14.00 x 1.25 x 0.31

Price

$30.95

Availability

In stock

Rating

4.71 / 5.0