Stew-Mac nut files!!!

[nahfuten]

I just got my first set of the basic guaged nut files, and i'm pretty freaking ticked off that $12.95 got me shuch a wimpy file, with paint on metal for a "grip" instead of a handle. the tolerancing better be very tough for these things to cost so much!!!!!!!

am I the only person that things stew-mac is a rip off for tools??

[STRATDELUXER97]

I just got my first set of the basic guaged nut files, and i'm pretty freaking ticked off that $12.95 got me shuch a wimpy file, with paint on metal for a "grip" instead of a handle. the tolerancing better be very tough for these things to cost so much!!!!!!!

am I the only person that things stew-mac is a rip off for tools??

I've done about 6 or more of my own nuts with the same set....I Like the files...They bend easy and feel cheesy,but they work great and makes the job easier and less time consuming...I have the double sided files and also the 1 sided bendy ones...They do work fine and it doesn't take much pressure at all to get your slots cut quick and accurate...You'll see...

[theodie]

Trust me bro, If you are going to buy luthier tools, it is going to cost you some serious jack!!!!

[scooter]

I learned a trick from someone that works quite well and is cheaper. Buy a feeler gauge for ~$3-$4, clamp it in a vise and file teeth into the gauges. You can then use the appropriate number of gauges to file each respective nut slot.

[TheArchitect]

I just got my first set of the basic guaged nut files, and i'm pretty freaking ticked off that $12.95 got me shuch a wimpy file, with paint on metal for a "grip" instead of a handle. the tolerancing better be very tough for these things to cost so much!!!!!!!

am I the only person that things stew-mac is a rip off for tools??

You gotta pay to play. That set of files is still cheaper than taking it to a shop and if taken care of will last a few decades. I've had mine for 5 years now and they are still goods to go

[Lewguitar]

I use the Stew mac files too. They work just fine and, IMO, are not overpriced at all. As for making your own files out of feeler gauges to save money, well...a fella would have to have alot of "free" time on his hands! My time is not "free" and I can think of alot of things I'd rather do in my free time instead of making fret files to save $12.

[rspst14]

Are you using these to cut new nuts from scratch, or are you using them to adjust the slots on a pre-cut nut? I use a $4 set of welding torch tip cleaners from Wypo. They aren't as abrasive as a regular file, so I wouldn't want to use them to cut a nut from scratch. But for widening and/or deepening a slot that's already cut, they work pretty well. $4 got me 22 files, which cover everything from the high E all the way up to heavy gauge low E's.

Ryan

[orbiter]

when I think of the money I saved over the years by making my own nuts w/ those files.. not to mention the money earned doing it for others ... 12 bones doesnt seem like much to me.

anytime you start purchasing the "tools of the trade" .. its going to cost you ... if you can master the tools .. they repay you tenfold (or more) in return. not to mention the warm fuzzy feeling you get froma job well done!

for some cheapo nut files you can glue a small section of a wound guitar string to the edge of a popcicle stick ... this will cut a "guaged" slot w/ minimum $.

I like to rough in my slots w/ the .10 gauged saw ... nice comfy handle ... cuts w/a quickness .. makes short work of the slotting proceedure. love it!

[STRATDELUXER97]

I use the Stew mac files too. They work just fine and, IMO, are not overpriced at all. As for making your own files out of feeler gauges to save money, well...a fella would have to have alot of "free" time on his hands! My time is not "free" and I can think of alot of things I'd rather do in my free time instead of making fret files to save $12.

Amen Lew...The Stew Mac files have worked great for me....If need be I'll just buy more files....

[nahfuten]

I suppose I should have waited to complain after I used em... I guess I was just expecting something else when I opened the box yesterday.

[rspst14]

I will agree that StewMac is sometimes a ripoff when it comes to luthier tools, as many of the tools they sell can be purchased elsewhere for substantially less. A steel level that costs $40 from StewMac can be purchased at most hardware stores for $10. But every tool I've ever bought from them has been top notch, you just need to shop around a bit and get what you can at the hardware store, then get the rest from them.

Ryan

[nahfuten]

$12.00 for a set-good deal.

Its $12/each x 6 = $72/set for 1 guitar + any others that I need for other guages on other guitars

[TheArchitect]

Its $12/each x 6 = $72/set for 1 guitar + any others that I need for other guages on other guitars

You don't need one for every particular gauge. You can get by with as little as 3-4. You just use a rolling technique to get a bit wider then the file is designated. The real trick is to keep filing down the the top of the nut so the slots don't get deeper than the string is thick. When it gets deeper than that it limits what you can do can cause some alignment problems since inevitably the file is not perfectly vertical.

I bought 7 so I could work on 7 strings / baritones if I wanted to. $70 is still cheaper than most shops for a new nut.

[Zerberus]

Nothing to realy add...if you wanna be a tech, there are a few thing you´ve just gotta have....I don´t see many auto buffs complaining that they have over 2k worth of tools lying around, and that´s essentially the same thing in a different setting.

BTW: THeres a reason those files don´t have a handle: If they did, they wouldn´t be as accurate, because people would be able to use the ball of the handle to put their arm into it... essentially turning a diamond file into a razor-saw, going through a nut blank in under 10 seconds. Kind of like using a gun to turn off a light bulb: It works, but there´s a reason it´s not usually done that way