File Handles

I've been using my metal files more lately than I have in a long time.  I recently acquired a small hatchet that I wanted to reshape for carving, and I decided to reshape and sharpen my full sized axe as well.  Flat files are great tools for this sort of work, and they're a lot easier and safer to use with wooden handles covering up those tangs.

I decided to make a batch of handles in a very simple manner that I've seen in numerous articles and videos online.  I started by rounding up all of my files and digging through my hardwood scraps to find a little block that matched the size of each file.

I drilled holes into the ends of the blocks to receive the tangs.  These holes are about the diameter of the tang at the halfway point.

I hold each block up to its matching file and mark the approximate depth that the tang will reach.  All the tang holes have been drilled a bit extra deep.

I then drill a very small hole in to intersect the tang hole from the side of the block, below the depth that the tang will eventually reach.  This is to allow steam and smoke to escape when I fit the handles.

To fit the tang to the handle, I heat the tang until it just starts to turn a dull red.

While its still hot, I insert it into the hole I drilled into the end of the block.

After I get all the blocks mounted to the files, I give them overnight to cool down.

 I start out shaping them on the belt sander.  The longer I do woodworking, the more I hate sanding.  I ended up getting frustrated with how slow the shaping was going and turning to a knife to whittle the rough shape of the handles in.  What good timing, considering I recently made a whittling knife!  These are red oak, too, so they whittle very easily as red oak splits very easily as long as the grain is straight.

After roughing in the shape with my homemade knife, I smooth them up a bit with a rasp and file, then go back to the belt sander to final shape and smooth them out.

Here are the finished handles.  I put some mutton tallow on them in lieu of a finish.  Typically people would use boiled linseed oil for this, and I have often done that myself.  But I think the linseed oil has a slightly unpleasant smell and slippery feel than lingers with the handle for a long time, especially if you really soak it good with the oil.  I prefer the smell and feel of the mutton tallow, personally.  Plus the completely old school nature of it really appeals to my inner Luddite.  If you're interested, you can get it from Lee Valley.

This was an easy project, but very satisfying.  These files are so much more likely to get used now that they have nice comfortable handles on them.  Get out there and make some for your files!