Official Luthiers Forum!

Just received an original z-file in 300 grit and below is how the edge looks - the diamonds are not contained to the groove, but have kinda gooped out onto the edge that I thought was supposed to be safed. This is only on one side of the file.

Is this normal? If not, am I worrying too much about things that don't matter? Just want to make sure I get 85 bucks worth of tool...

I don’t think it’s a big deal but I can go look at mine when I go to the shop tomorrow.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

That's how they come if you want them safed you have to do it yourself.

I don't like the Z files and use the older diamond files and I always safe mine as soon as I get them on the belt sander. I recall Dave safing the Z file and he said he liked it but I never see him using it.

Quality wise they are top shelf so don't worry about that and they are guaranteed for life too, your life. We tried all the alternatives and the biggest difference is the quality of the diamonds and how they are fused to the file. The cheaper ones did not stand up at all for us and we went back to StewMac.

Remember we use a motorized attachment for our files so they get put through hell in our shop. The StewMac files have all stood up very well.

Here's one of mine and it looks the same. I like em, probably do 90% of my fret work with them. This one has done about a hundred fret jobs. When they get a bit gunked up (mostly residue from the red markers I use) I just clean them off with Naphtha.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Looks great Steve.

Recently I sent back a dozen or so nut file for warranty replacement and I got out the diamond crowning files but upon inspection most of them were still decent tools. StewMac is making some very good files for sure.

Awesome - thanks guys!