Making files – cottage industry

[Alan CharlestonParticipant @alancharleston78882]

Hi,

Came across this on YouTube.

No wonder some files were called bastards.

Regards,

Alan C.

 

[JAParticipant @ja]

Some of my ancestors were file makers, not in rural Germany but Birmingham.

JA

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Some of the clock and watchmakers in Lanashire made their own files

Roy

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

Manufacturing piecework of all kinds used to keep rural economies going – even in my lifetime it used to be a commonplace to visit friends in certain areas of the south-west and sit round chatting whilst they stitched or trimmed boxfuls of glove or shoe parts..

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Very cool. Clickspring also has a few videos where he makes his own files.

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

I want one of them machines so I can make left handed files. I’m sure there would be a market for them

[JAParticipant @ja]

There was nothing romantic about the work (200 years ago). It was piecework, done at home (two room back to back facing on to a squalid courtyard) with all the family involved (no schooling) and one step from of the workhouse.

JA

[peak4Participant @peak4]

This is a long version of a lecture I missed.
Lots of Sheffield houses had workshops down the garden, some of which were occupied by file makers.

The Ken Hawley Trust Youtube channel houses all manner of short and long films etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYjD-rrqODU&list=PLts_7BPKz3suBdrmmn_mjmuoqaFVNSiwq

Bill

[john fletcher 1Participant @johnfletcher1]

In 1940’s my family were friends with a family of Little Mesters in Sheffield, they made files. Blanks were collected and 10 people each having a large blocks of wood and a long leather strap. You put the blank on the top of the block, secured it using your foot in the leather strap loop and using a hammer and small chisel cut the file. The noise was most unpleasant. Once complete they were taken for heat treatment, they lived on the job as above. The real trams were working those days 1/2 p each way for us boys.  Ted

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

At the Avoncroft museum which is also the home of the Bromsgrove MES one the exhibits is a series of nailmaker’s benches.

I have considered making my own files for a filing machine as they are no longer made commercially.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Warrensfile .com

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Thanks https://warrensvillefile.com/

 

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