I have had some luck in finding more information on files for use in small die filers. First of all, I have discovered that no US manufacturer makes them anymore. Andy Lofquist (he of MLA) recommends McMaster-Carr as a source for files, including a 1/4" square 00 file 8" long. McMaster no longer carries this file. I bought one before they stopped, and it was made by Nicholson. Nicholson still show parallel machine files in their catalog, but today I found out that on their price list they show all parallel files as discontinued. Simonds is the other US file manufacturer and they stopped making these years ago. I could only find 2 other companies anywhere who still actually manufacture these files. One is Swiss (or was told to me to be Swiss) and is said to be phasing out. The other is a plant in India owned by Warrensville File and Knife, a Norcross, Georgia company. They still make parallel machine files. They do not sell to the public, but another Georgia company (at the same address) does. They do not have a Web presence. Here is the source:
Tooling Enterprises
1780 Corporate Drive Norcross, GA 30093-2936 770-564-1385They sent me a fax today which shows a picture of a small die filer which didn't come through legibly at all, but whose specifications exactly match those of my little Keller Model 256:
Stroke: 1-1/2" Srokes/min.: 350/450 Min. file size: 1/8" (without adaptor) Max. file size: 1/2x1/2" Table size: 10x10" Table tilt: 8 degrees in 4 directions
Here is their product line and pricing (in USD, August 2004): Cut Diamond Parallel Machine Files for Die Filer 00 PRICE 120G PRICE
------------------------------------------------------------------ Round 8" x 3/16" 70206 9.17 89250 38.50 Round 8" x 1/4" 70209 9.58 89251 40.25 Round 8" x 3/8" 70211 10.00 89252 42.00
------------------------------------------------------------------ Half Round 8" x 1/4" x 1/8" 70204 16.67 52086 70.00 Half Round 8" x 3/8" x 3/16" 70202 17.50 89249 73.50
------------------------------------------------------------------ Equalling 8" x 3/8" x 3/16" 70200 11.67 89248 49.90
------------------------------------------------------------------ Pillar 8" x 3/8" x 3/16" 70224 12.50 89256 51.67 Pillar 8" x 1/2" x 1/4" 70225 15.00 89257 55.00
------------------------------------------------------------------ Crochet 8" x 3/8" x 3/16" 70160 12.50 89247 52.50
------------------------------------------------------------------ Square 8" x 1/4" 70212 10.42 89246 43.75 Square 8" x 3/8" 70213 10.83 89245 45.50
------------------------------------------------------------------ Three Square 8" x 3/16" 70215 11.67 89244 49.00 Three Square 8" x 1/4" 70216 12.08 89243 50.75 Three Square 8" x 3/8" 70217 12.50 89242 52.50
------------------------------------------------------------------ Knife 8" x 1/2" x 1/8" 70218 15.00 40017 55.00