Michael Stuart 9 Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 So my mom just gave me the bread knife that we used all the years I was growing up, and I think it may have belonged to her grandmother originally. But it's got tiny rectangular teeth that are maybe 1/32 or a bit less wide and about twice as deep as they are wide. The issue is, most of the teeth in the middle (most used) part of the blade are now worn completely away from so many decades of cutting homemade bread! So my question is, is there such a thing as a commercially available file this small, ideally with 2 safe sides/edges, or is there some other tool I could buy or modify to cut in new teeth to restore this knife to working condition? The grooves between teeth are a lot narrower than the cutting disc on my angle grinder, maybe closer to dremel cutoff wheel thickness, not that I'd necessarily trust myself to do this with a power tool. Link to post Share on other sites
Chris Christenberry 363 Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 There are diamond files available at jewelers suppliers that are flat and more narrow than a Dremel cutoff wheel. You might check with someone like Rio Grande Jewelry in Albuquerque, NM. Chris www.chrischristenberry.com WHEW!!! If I could only know now what I "thought" I knew back then.................... Link to post Share on other sites
Charles dP 601 Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 3 hours ago, Michael Stuart said: most of the teeth in the middle (most used) part of the blade are now worn completely away from so many decades of cutting homemade bread This wouldn’t be discworld dwarf-bread we are talking about here, would it? 2 "The way we win matters" (Ender Wiggins) Orson Scott Card Nos, qui libertate donati sumus, nes cimus quid constet. Link to post Share on other sites
Gerhard Gerber 482 Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 The Spyderco SharpMaker works on serrated edges, not sure about yours if I understand the description correctly. Link to post Share on other sites
Ron Benson 100 Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 There are lots of choices on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=jewelers+files&crid=23O7Y7P7WTBO2&sprefix=jewelers+fi%2Caps%2C143&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_11 I have a set of wood rasps that have several shapes that might work for you. I'm thinking that there should be something similar in files. Link to post Share on other sites
steven smith 109 Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 Look up "file cutting" for some info on making your own files, it's very easy and you only need one special tool which is just a chisel. There's not much information about file cutting unfortunately, I get my file blanks straight, flat, and clean of oxides then chisel in the teeth and harden with no temper (unless it's a super delicate file, smaller than regular needle files) with a fully hard file you should be able to file tempered steel to some extent, I haven't noticed any teeth breaking on my files despite them being thinner, sharper, and harder than other files I've used. Link to post Share on other sites
Ron Benson 100 Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 I just saw this in an email from Lee Valley Tools: https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/files-and-rasps/files/110473-set-of-6-bahco-saw-sharpening-files-and-roll?utm_source=Web-Sale-Events-and-Special-Buys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PM0711---First-Day-Free-Shipping If you can measure the number of teeth per inch, one of these might work. Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Stuart 9 Posted December 23, 2019 Author Share Posted December 23, 2019 Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I've found a file with a very narrow/flat diamond cross section that I think will do the trick if I angle it in alternating directions. I'm going to give it a try tomorrow, and will try to post some pictures if it works. Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Stuart 9 Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 Done, the thin diamond-section file did the trick! Here's a picture of starting the teeth that shows clearly how worn down they were, another of the tip end in progress to show the file, and one of the cool hammer-and-anvil logo on the knife. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Gerhard Gerber 482 Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 Well, knock me over with a feather, never seen an edge like that. Clearly the SharpMaker wouldn't have worked Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 3,879 Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 Classic 1930s bread knife! Good save, Michael. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Stuart 9 Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 Thanks Alan, I would have guessed it was from around the 30s, but good to have you confirm it. Funny thing is lately I've been finding myself drawn to woodworking planes and sewing machines of that same era, go figure! Link to post Share on other sites
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