nut files

[Bluej58]

Everyone talks about cutting slots like its some deep canyon when in reality it's a groove about half to 2/3s the thickness of the string, I think the biggest challenge is getting the spacing right and making sure that they are straight.
Once you have the nut shaped to height using the half pencil trick, I start out by scratching lines into the nut with a reversed razor knife and then I check again to make sure the lines are straight and the spacing is right, everyone here knows that you have to adjust for string thickness right?
For this I must admit that I bought a spacing rule that takes a lot of the brain work out, but I'm sure that there is some place on the net if not here that someone has made one that you can copy.
The next thing I do is to cut thin shallow slots for every string, then I go along and open up the 5 upper strings with a B string size file and so on, progressively increasing the slots as needed.
Find a fine hack saw blade a little bigger than your thinnest string and I think you could use the string and Popsicle stick trick with a little course rubbing compound or possibly making nicks in the string to create teeth.
I make the E and B string slots a little deeper and that could be tricky, you have to make sure that the bottoms are round and the slots are not tight on the strings, don't forget to flair out the back of the nut slots a little.
But I know a quality nut can be achieved by using simple tools.
as a matter of fact I might just try it and see.
The biggest challenge imho is in setting up the radius and getting the spacing right.
Another trick is to pitch the saw blade a little when working on the thicker strings, using the side of the blade to widen the slot.
Go slow and look at what your doing through a magnifying glass and it will work. JD
P.S. I don't buy bone nut blanks, I cut them out of an old beef minestrone soup bone on my scroll saw

[popeye]

I think I've made my point.

[KevinB]

Man, Nut File threads are starting to get like Relic threads.

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by KevinB

Man, Nut File threads are starting to get like Relic threads.

Yep...That was the gist of my original post.....

[leebman]

It's not rocket science your only making a slot for a string you know. Pass me my diamond encrusted beaver tooth saw I've a few adjustments to make my e strings buzzing

[Bluej58]

If your E string is buzzing all the beaver tooth saws in the world aren't going to help, you blew your nut

[Soapbarstrat]

Originally Posted by Bluej58

....scratching lines into the nut with a reversed razor knife....

I'd like to know what a "reversed razor knife" is.

For any notch over .030" or so, I prefer gold PSA abrasive fitting tightly around the stock round edge of a feeler gauge. I actually have .032" and .035" stewmac files and prefer to grab the feeler-gauge/sandpaper alternative most of the time instead of the real files.
I've been told that not all feeler-gauges have a round edge, but I've bought 3 different sets in my life and they all happened to have round edges. If you've done your half-pencil type layout and knocked down the nut's top, 220-320 grit DIY "files" are not that painful to get your shallow slots. Once had a pro tell me my sandpaper idea was pitiful cause it would take too long. Knowing better, I then knew not to rely too much on what he said from then on.

[scubadoo]

MAn, this thread was a good read.

To add my 2 cents, i went through the same thing. I was building 2 or 3 guitars and was pretty skint as a result. In the end i bought 6 of the guaged stewmac files. I'm glad i did. I've done all my guitars now and a few for others than earnt me a few quid towards the cost of the files .

Did anyone suggest cutting teeth in feeler guages with a dremmel? peopl have done that in the past.

Do you know anyone with a set who could do the nut for you?

Good luck, i know what it's like when you can't afford to get something that you really can't do without, bandsaw anyone?

[Bluej58]

[quote=Soapbarstrat;1854093]I'd like to know what a "reversed razor knife" is.

What I meant by that was I don't use the sharpened edge but the back side of the blade that comes to a point like a scratch awl, it works great on bone with very little pressure.
I didn't know that some feeler gauges have rounded edges, that's cool.
scubadoo gave me an idea, stack all the gauges in the set or just the ones you want to do and rake them side ways against some ruff sand paper, by keeping them together I think it would give you more control and it would go quicker to boot.

[Soapbarstrat]

I have cut teeth in feeler-gauges, but they're not the kind of steel that holds a sharp edge for long. Prefer the sandpaper, cause it's new fresh cutting grit with each new piece.
You have to consider that when you make a sandpaper covered gauge, you go by the thickness of the sandpaper x 2 (because it's being looped around a round edge). So, that's usually .014" to .018" just for the paper, then add the appropriate feeler gauge size to make your "file". Then you know why I don't like it below .030" or so, 'cause then you're dealing with feeler-gauges that are thinner/weaker and would probably get messed up with the way I press the sandpaper firmly onto them.
I've been meaning to gently round the sharp end of a razor blade and then add sandpaper around it to see what size "file" that would give me.

[popeye]

I own the stewmac file set and I am very happy with it, but now i am curious as to how well the rounded feeler gauge/sandpaper technique will work. I think I will try it on my next set of nuts !!

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by popeye

I own the stewmac file set and I am very happy with it, but now i am curious as to how well the rounded feeler gauge/sandpaper technique will work. I think I will try it on my next set of nuts !!

there is a very specific reason why real nut files have smooth, non-cutting sides - as you'll find out when messing around with grit paper and feeler gauges.

[jefrs]

Given enough time and effort one can make any tool (I was taught by a master toolmaker), after all, somebody made those nut files. Even if they are made on a machine, somebody made the machine. Suppose I were to fashion a nut file by grinding down the sides of a Swiss needle file (done that), there's a lot of wasted ones, the temper is ruined, it takes time, and they're not very good: it is more cost-effective to buy them.

The slitting nut files are industrial micro-saws, they are very good at starting the slots in precisely the right place. Their cutting edge appears to be square with no set, so they cannot cut deeply. They will make a complete slot provided the slot is not too deep, or as I've found, the string may bind or even snap the cusp off the nut.

The V-shaped nut files are a very shallow Vee, the string cannot bind in their slots but the bottom of the slot is precisely the correct diameter to seat the string properly. I initially thought they were too wide for anything but thick acoustic strings but no, I've had no problems with light electric sets, no slipping sideways, no tuning or intonation problems, no binding, no buzzing and wheezing.

I've made a lot of different nut slotting tools over the years but I've found nothing that comes close to the ease of use and the precision of professional nut files.

Now everyone has their own way of doing a job, and their own favourite tools for it. If there are six ways of doing it, someone will find a seventh.

[spankmasterflash]

I bought the Hiroshima files from Warmoth.com for $78 shipped. Hell, I have spent that much on bad overdrive pedals that wind up on a shelf! I have 10 or so guitars and only a few needed attention, but they're nice to have, plus I've started doing some setup work and I'm sure they'll come in handy for nuts & bridge saddles.