One of our Sponsors has a great selection of Needle files and I own most of the more than a dozen or so sets they sell.

Micro Mark The small Tool Specialists, click on the following URL it should take you straight to the file page!

http://www.micromark.com/SearchResult.aspx?deptIdFilter=0&searchPhrase=n...

while your there buy a file card cleaner they are the best tool to keep your files clean and useful.

Dan

You need a gadget called a file card, which is a brush with thin, stiff wire bristles to clean out the grooves. Real hardware or tool stores probably still have them.

Up to a couple years ago, at least, Sears and some hobby shops stocked decent-qulaity small tools for OK prices. MicroMark advertises here and has some good things. Micro-Tools has decent quality tools.

I find good tools at yard sales and second-hand stores -- lots of older stuff turns up from England, Germany, Switzerland and the USA. I haven't had much luck with the more recent knock-offs that look like tools but don't function very well.

Thanks guys.  I had looked at the Micro Mark selection, but wanted a second opinion.  I see they have coarse, fine, and diamond files.  I think I'll try the fine, since I have a set of what I think are coarse that I seldom use.  The one file I metioned previously to be noticeably better is also finer than any of my other files.  Perhaps it came from Micro Mark?

  Mike,

 I was a machinist and tool maker for a long time and I used these Gorbet files.  They are not cheap but will last

a long time if taken care of. Sometimes you can rub some chalk on the file and that will help keep it clean. Also I have

used the point on a #11 exacto blade to clean out real stubborn clogs in files. 

http://store.b2bprofessionaltools.com/files-swiss-needle-and-rifflers.html

  Art

Thanks "Art" for some reason I couldn't find my bookmark for the Gorbet Files so now I have re-bookmarked it.

Dan