nut slotting file???

bluemax

Hey i saw this small handheld file set on enut tuning website can you buy this from some tool store? he says its a welders tool but i cannot find it anywhere.

Bob-Dubery

Hi Bluemax,

With you in the USA and most of us in SA there's little use in recommending you to a local store here. You should be able to get a set of proper nut files, designed for the job, from Stewmac or Elderlies. I believe that Ibanez offer a very good set, but I'm not sure where to get them.

Rather get the real deal than a welder's tool that will more or less do the job.

Bob-Dubery

chris77

Stupid question alert... Wouldn't old wound strings also work to smooth out the slots? They're abbrasive and can be cut to length to fit a handheld jigsaw, those with the wingnut to pull the blade taut. Might be a problem for the high E and B, but otherwise it should work (?)

makepeace

I did that when i was slotting my brass nut and saddle on my classical. works well for the 6th,5th and 4th and even 3rd if you use a wound G.

another cheapie quickfix thing i've used is take a used hacksaw blade and flatten the teeth with a hammer and then neaten it up with a bit of sandpaper.

?

bluemax

zohn wrote
bluemax wrote Hey i saw this small handheld file set on enut tuning website can you buy this from some tool store? he says its a welders tool but i cannot find it anywhere.

? darn - now the secret is out....
I have two sets of those oxy-acetylene tip cleaners and have been using it on guitars for a long time. They are indeed great for working and polishing existing string slots to an accurate dimension matching string diameters. They also provide for a perfect round seat in the slot so that the string travels smoothly when tuning. They are not abrasive enough to cut a new slot though - for that a nut file is best.
I found one at Builders warehouse, and the other at a welding consumables shop.
And they are cheap...

oh my gosh!! thank you, geez man if you dont know the correct name to look these up its almost impossible to find, i looked at all kinds of welding sites and nothing but i have found them now and they ARE CHEAP. YES!!! thank you man.