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Nut Files


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Hi Greg,

I was wondering if you have a recommendation on nut slot files. I see Stewmac has sets and individuals, and I've seen Grizzly nut files. These sets range from about $75 to $95 for 6 to 8 files, and around $15 each for individual files in other sizes. I just wondered what you use and if you have any recommendations of cheaper options that are still high precision?

I'm taking the plunge and I'm going to try my hand at doing some nut work...something I have avoided for years. I do most of my own maintenance and setups but never tried cutting nut slot depth before. I decided it's time to start.

Thanks!

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These are the ones Greg recommended in his fret dressing course: UO-CHIKYU nut files. They can be purchased from JAPARTS.

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Thanks Dave. Very helpful. I also like that unlike StewMac and Grizzly - these guys were smart enough to assemble sets of files that correspond exactly to the typical string sizes in common string sets. I requested a quote and delivery timing.

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1 hour ago, BluzCruz said:

Thanks Dave. Very helpful. I also like that unlike StewMac and Grizzly - these guys were smart enough to assemble sets of files that correspond exactly to the typical string sizes in common string sets. I requested a quote and delivery timing.

@BluzCruz - Happy to hear you found what you needed. I have always found JAPARTS great to work with.

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Japarts, for sure.

The few hand tools that they do have are superior to anything on the market today.

-Greg V.

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  • 3 months later...

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I appreciate the recommendations, but I have to report back on these. 

I bought the JAPARTS and made 5 nuts with them. I found it very time consuming, and as I was working, destroyed a couple nuts because going from one file to the next, the cutting edges were so much different. Some sharp, some dull, including on the first nut when the files were all brand new. Overall, I thought it took what seemed like a really long time to cut the nut slots, but I was new to it so I wasn't sure. I kept thinking...how do the shops make any money on this, even at $80-$100?

I decided to try a set of Stew-Mac files....wow...night and day difference. Much sharper and more consistent edges from file to file. They were cheaper and SO much better. I'm actually considering asking for my money back on the JAPARTs...I either got a bad set or they kinda suck. I'm going to assume I got some duds. But for $85, that shouldn't happen. 

What I did prefer on the JAPARTS files was:

1) They are sized to exactly match the string sizes in a set of strings

2) the file end corners are rounded to help prevent scratching anything.

But all things considered, the Stewmac files were WAY better than the JAPARTS and cost less.  I would recommend them over the JAPARTS in a heartbeat, now having used both.   

Just offering that up for anyone else who might be starting out and trying to figure out which nut files to buy....I'd go the stewmac route.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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  • 1 month later...

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Het hey,

If you find yourself sawing away for a longer period of time, I would recommend not leaving your bone stock that high prior to cutting and spacing your slots. Maybe you did get a dud set; I've never run into that issue. But what I do know is that after hundreds of nuts, my Japarts files are still ready to roar. As for other makers (distributers), I got tired of buying new sets every couple of years. I got my set about 4-5 years ago and have not been needing files for myself since. To each their own with respect.

-Greg Voros

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