Are Pythons now extinct?

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

I did try to find more info about the patent, Michael, but without success.

 

Anyway, in the name of science I sacrificed a perfectly functional Python no.2.

If anyone can explain the physics behind the spring in the handle, I’d be fascinated to hear it.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Very gallant of you, Sir !

MichaelG.

.

Let me have first-stab at the Physics

Inserting the File-tang in the normal way will expand and distort the spring to some extent, and will embed it into the wood … at the same time, the spring will grip tightly onto the corners of the tang.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

With such a short spring I would have thought wobble was likely as you are only gripping a short length of the tang

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

B & H 1968

Drawing of Python handle arrangment

 

Paul

 

 

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Nice find, Paul 

… just a little late to save Bill’s specimen

MichaelG.

[Bill Phinn]

On Bill Phinn Said:

Dave, I can’t actually picture what the manufacturers meant when they said the Pythons have a “hidden spring inside the handle”. I’d always assumed it meant the ferrule has some sort of internal spring-steel prongs that embed themselves in the wood around the hole. I suppose there’s only one way to find out and that’s to chuck a Python in a fire and see what’s left behind after an hour or two; a reckless act, perhaps, given we now know the Python is an endangered species.

 

Bill, can you update us on what turns up when your order arrives, i.e. real no.3 Pythons or substitutes? Thanks.

Yes, The No.3s in the parcel are genuine Python brand.
Just had a look at the link again, they may now also be out of stock.
The other “normal” handles in the order were not Python, which is only to be expected, as no such claim was made.
Delivery was prompt, just the minimum postage price would make them quite expensive, if you only ordered a couple of file handles
Bill

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Can’t say I recall ever having much trouble with my standard wooden file handles coming off in use or giving other trouble. They are older ones bought at a garage sale but seem to be as new. Not sure if today’s equivalents are as good?

In the days of yore, at work we always had cast aluminium file handles with distinctive grip recesses in them but haven’t seen any for years. My own disappeared when a visiting relative was keen on recycling aluminium “scrap” for cigarette money. I still haven’t forgiven her.

[billyjojimbobParticipant @billyjojimbob]

Just bought these on ebay, bargain!!!  🙂

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/365877813730?_skw=Mehr+Python+handle&itmmeta=01K831KTZZQC00P0STGTQ89F4H&hash=item55300461e2:g:i4oAAeSwBUJo0WxV&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1ecZZPrz8bLSlUqz3JfhFWva96cjPAtyld8HdlcQpwBTcLgNSDkYPu8ReAbxJlyKnTYRPJzMUqM%2FLgfsZrVrrvuImidAMmqoM5gmEcSVNavsfF8PNO6CxjAOxp7I0P5MFtA7Y2VA1HLGlrOslg9x21Um02RQoqiUTBf4J38X%2BM2CBd7C%2BDyB3M6wZswwO0oHdBG2u9WeGN%2BLYCiN7AR0hP6OdJlT9V4xYmkRJpSxr9UPcHUOFozfyUBj76VbDegYB73S%2B7I%2F19MlTvTP4GVnoFgLp3VbJG58NuYiIW2IKdfow%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6Kwz-HAZg

[Neil AParticipant @neila]

Probably not really relevant to this post, but I have always used Vallorbe “Crocodile” file handles, not cheap but reusable. They are a blue plastic handle with a hardened threaded steel insert that screws onto the file tang. They come in different sizes. Similar principle to the Python handle.

Neil

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

I just use a piece of whatever wood or tube, plastic or metal happens to be available. Anything which will prevent me from being stabbed.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Neil, Ive got a couple of the ones with threads inside only mine are red and b****y good they are too. Never been able to find anymore mine came from an auto jumble .

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Jason

The main length of the tang is still a tight fit in the handle so no wobble.

All the spring does is grip the front end of the tang tightly enough to prevent pull-out in normal use. If you try to re-use a handle on a file with a tang smaller than the one that came out the file will indeed wobble around because the original tang will have mage the drilling in the handle too large to support the smaller replacement.

Even if you swop nominally identical files with same size tangs the replacement goes in touch deeper so the wood has a firm grip. Not much further maybe order of 1/16″ – 1mm (ish) by my recollection.

Common practice with plain wooden handles was to burn the file in by heating the tang whilst forcing it into the handle so there resulting hole exactly matched the tang. Effective. I’ve fixed loose handles that were simply driven onto a tang by burning in. Simply driving a tang into a wooden handle gives enough support to prevent wobble but can be inadequate against pull out. Hence the Python spring.

Clive

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