Subject: RE: -files-

From: "Harold E. McKinney" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 96 11:46:15 -0500

>Its a particular type of file, a bastard file. So called because it is
>half round
>on one side and flat on the other. "  MAC

In heraldry, the sign of a 'bastard' (in the sense of illegitimacy) was a
diagonal line in the upper corner box on the shield.  It is my
understanding that this bold, diagonal line is what gives the 'bastard'
file its name.
G Dixon

Maybe.  I think the appellation is of more recent origin and is one of the lovely endearing terms with which workmen have attached to the tools of their trade over the years.  There are quite a few others.  I'll do some research, and perhaps others will join in.  Should be fun.  Thanks,
Mac, Tool Historian

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From: Page Thomas <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 15:38:31 -0600 (CST)

The term 'Bastard file' was first used (recorded use) in 1677 by Joseph 
Moxon in his _Mechanical Exercises_ under the heading Smithing, no. 1. Of
filing in general:

"The several sorts of files ... are the square, the flat, the three 
square, the half round, the round, the thin file, etc. ... and you must 
have them of several cuts because the Rough Tooth'd file cuts faster than 
the BASTARD Tooth'd file, the BASTARD tooth'd file faster than the Fine 
tooth'd file the fine tooth'd file faster than the smooth tooth'd file.
The Rough or Course tooth'd file (which if it is large is called a 
Rubber) is to take off the uneveness of your work which the hammer made 
in the Forging; the BASTARD Tooth'd file is to take out of your work 
the deep cuts or file-strokes the rough file makes; the Fine file to take 
out the file-strokes of the BASTARD file & the Smooth file to take out 
the file-strokes of the Fine file."

In 1884 in a book of Clocks:  Bastard cut ... a file between rough and 
smooth.  

Dear old Webster give one definition of Bastard as "abnormal or irregular 
shape or size; of unusual make or proportion and 

BASTARD file as: medium file, neither coarse or fine.

Random-House gives the definition as: a file of the commercial grade of 
coarseness between coarse and second-cut. 

Page A. Thomas
[email-masked]