This site has free downloads of old American file manufacturer catalogs, brochures, instructions, and history, including Canada where possible. The Site Index lists small companies with the large companies that bought them. The information is being updated as needed so please check back. Click on pictures to enlarge them.
Catalogs with files and rasps from the US, Canada, and a few European countries are now in the International Tool Catalog Library on the Internet Archive. The dates are from 1823 to 1972.