Where To Find American Made Files

There are several sources for superior quality American made files.

eBay under these categories:
  Collectibles / Tools, Hardware & Locks / Tools / several subcategories
  Home & Garden / Tools / Hand Tools / Files
  Home & Garden / Tools / Hand Tools / Other
  Business & Industrial / Manufacturing & Metalworking / Metalworking Tooling
When buying on eBay it is important to look at every possible listing regardless of how vague the description or how poor the pictures. Poor pictures and title can mean a bargain for you, but read the description. When in doubt about whether they are USA-made files, message the seller.

Flea markets are the cheapest source for USA files. Here they go for $1 each, maybe $2, regardless of size. Last summer I got an 18" mill bastard along with several other large files and the seller was surprised anyone was buying them. Try finding an 18" file anywhere.

Digging for Metal: How To Find Used and Vintage Tools at Flea Markets

Independent hardware stores with old stock

Internet forums with classified sections; there are many of these dealing with guns, edge tools, woodworking, machinists, and old machinery.

Craigslist, estate sales, auctions; anyplace there's a toolbox there are probably files.

Comparisons of American-made files versus other files:

Paul Sellers - Nicholson Files and Home Depot Blow It Again

Woodnet Forums - Test of Taper Saw Files

Tools for Working Wood  - We Discontinue Nicholson Patternmaker's Rasps Because of Quality Issues 

VintageSaws.com

Practical Machinist - Mexican made Nicholson files I tested

eBay listing discussing file quality

Liveright Brothers Gold Medal Files and Rasps

Liveright Brothers operated in the early 20th century in Philadelphia, PA. Their brands were Gold Medal and Gold Medal Electric files and rasps. The owners were Arthur K. Liveright (1877-1951) and Benjamin K. Liveright (1879-1911). Benjamin's death certificate states "Occupation: Manufacture Of Files." Their letterhead and advertisements included the statement, "Not in the Trust," this being a consortium of file manufacturers (trusts were later outlawed). Since Disston, also in Philadelphia, adopted Gold Medal as a brand, it seems likely that they bought Liveright's business.

Liveright documents on eBay

Liveright advertisement 1913

Liveright advertisement 1911

Lutz File Handles, Still Made in USA

Maine Wood Concepts makes 4 styles of file handles and 2 file cards, sold under the Lutz File & Tool Co. name. The picture shows the deluxe Lutz #11 file handle, US Patent 2676811.

"Lutz® Wood File Handles and File Cleaners are Made in the USA to exacting tolerances from Quality New England hardwoods. These Wood File Handles use only quality materials and finishes to deliver a quality appearance, comfort and durability. Lifetime replacement guarantee against defects in material and workmanship. Lutz, Since 1904. Made in USA."

Lutz Products at Maine Wood Concepts

Lutz File & Tool began in 1904 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and once made files. There is still a Lutz Tool Co. in Cincinnati. It appears that the file handle business was sold to Maine Wood Concepts.

Lutz #11 file handle (not in production)

If you are looking for an adjustable file handle similar to the Lutz #11 (discontinued), try these:

General Tools 318-890 43666 File And Tool Handle
http://www.generaltools.com/890--Adjustable-Filetool-Handle_p_544.html

Woodcraft Universal File Handle, Item #144947
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2000280/730/universal-file-handle.aspx

Heller Brothers Co. and Heller Tool Co.

Heller began in 1836 in Newark, New Jersey, became a partnership, Heller & Brothers, in 1865, and in 1899 incorporated as Heller Brothers Company.

In 1917 Heller bought:

    Johnson & Brothers File Co., Newark, New Jersey

    Rex File Co., Newcomerstown, Ohio

    Vixen Tool Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In the following 12 years Heller bought:

    Masterwrench Corp., Turlock, California

    Triple A File Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Continental File Co., Anderson, Indiana

    Filecraft, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio

In 1928 Heller Brothers of Ohio was incorporated.

In 1943 Heller bought Stokes Brothers Mfg. Co., Freehold, New Jersey.

In 1944, Heller bought American Swiss File & Tool Co., Elizabeth, NJ and Murcott & Campbell Co., Brooklyn, NY.

Heller Brothers of Ohio was at 641 Heller Drive, Newcomerstown, Ohio, and eventually all production shifted to Ohio. The Heller family sold the company to Simonds in 1955 and the name changed to Heller Tool Co. Simonds began producing all its files in the Ohio plant in 1960, and closed it in 2006. Heller had strong employee loyalty in Newcomerstown, and many residents retain a strong attachment to the company.

Google Books - Paul Elias Heller biography

Google Maps 2012 - Heller Drive, Newcomerstown

Newcomerstown News - Heller Plant Scale Model

Newcomerstown News - Heller Bros. Open House at Museum

Heller Brothers 1929 tools catalog scan

The Newark plant at 849 Mount Prospect Ave. (corner of Verona Ave.) is still standing and can be seen on Google Maps.  Google Maps

Heller Brothers building, Newark

Heller Brothers file box

Heller Tool Co. file box

Heller Nucut file box

Heller Brothers themed quilt

Rex File Co., Rex File & Saw Co.

Photo by Gary S.

Rex File & Saw Co. began under another name. It was incorporated in early 1906 as Jamestown File Works, of Jamestown, NY, making Rex brand files. David D. Lewis, its president, had been in the hardware business in Pittsburgh, PA. Their factory proved too small, and rather than enlarge it, they relocated later in 1906 to Newcomerstown, Ohio, and re-incorporated with twice the capital, $100,000. The plant opened about August 1, 1906. David D. Lewis remained president, and other officers changed to M. Yingling, Will A. Beers, and S.B. Mulvane. Rex adopted a second brand name, Black King. In January, 1907, the company announced a plant expansion.

Rex File & Saw Co. advertisement 1912

The United Mine Workers Journal, Vol 28, 1917

Despite its being brick construction, the Rex file works was completely destroyed by fire on April 11, 1917. Elias Heller of Heller Brothers bought the Rex site, rebuilt the file factory, and rehired the workers. Initially the new plant was called Rex File Co., with Alfred Heller as General Manger. A 1943 Coshocton (Ohio) Tribune article says, "In 1928 the Rex File Co., the Vixen Tool Co. and the Heller Tool Co. at Newcomerstown were consolidated into the Heller Brothers Co. of Ohio." It's possible that Heller continued to sell files with the Rex brand after that date, as on these boxes. 

Rex File Co. Black King label

Rex File Co. box

Safety Engineering Vol. XXXIII, 1917

Carson-Newton Co. and A. Newton Files

Carson-Newton Co. made files, rasps, rifflers, reamers, hack and band saw blades, and butcher steel. Carson-Newton's logo was an alligator. I have 4 locations for them:

Carson-Newton Co. Swiss pattern files 

25 Hackett St., Newark, New Jersey (in 1918)
21-23 Prospect St., Newark, NJ (in 1920, 1935)
61-71 Mill St., Belleville, NJ (in 1946)
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts (1966)

I recently found a partial box of A. Newton files. It seems likely that this company predated Carson-Newton, but I have been unable to find proof.

Here is a scanned Carson-Newton 1935 catalog, 1923 price list, and 1934 price list.

Carson-Newton Co. Belleville NJ

A. Newton taper saw files box

How Files Were Made By Hand and Machine

Some of an 1840s article on how files were made by hand in Sheffield, England. The same methods were used in the USA.  

"These tools, simple and unimportant as they may seem... to those who never enter an artisan's workshop, are among the most note-worthy articles made of steel. They are the working-tools by which every other kind of working-tool is in some degree fashioned. Whether a man is making a watch or a steam-engine, a knife or a plough, a pin or a coach, he would be brought to a stand if he had not files at his command. It may be a file with a hundred serrations to an inch, or with six or eight; it may have straight cuts like most files, or angular holes like a rasp; it may be two inches long, or a yard long; it may be round, or half-round, or triangular, or square, or flat; blunt or pointed, straight or curved; but a file of some sort or other will be found in almost every workshop."
Making Files in Sheffield, Early 1840s

For an excellent guide to file making, please see this site:
Ian W. Wright - Files and Filemaking

One man's family heritage of file cutting, in the context of Sheffield's industrial history:
A Filecutter's Hammer from the Hawley Collection

File cutter's premises, Netherthorpe, Sheffield, 1905

YouTube - The making of Liogier hand-stitched wood rasps
YouTube - cutting rasps by hand at Auriou Toolworks in France
YouTube - Filecutting

Early US file cutting machines:
WK Fine Tools - 1905 Making of Fine Toolmakers Files Machinery
WK Fine Tools - Making Files at Disston 1921

Several descriptions of file cutting machines:
Google Books - Machinery's Encyclopedia

Heller Brothers machine