Description
This square Norton HF43 file has four facets which are ~1/2×3″ of area. One has been shaped to have a 6.5’Ø down the 3″ length, another a 25’Ø down the 3″ length, a third was flattened against my grade-B surface plate holding some diamond mesh sandpaper, and the facet where you can still barely read the Norton factory inking was left as Norton (or whomever) made it.
I recently shaped 3x Norton Hard Arkansas stones, this file and two HB24s. The file has the best shape, but the best strata I will actually say is the modern white Norton one, even though the black vintage Norton is clearly the densest of the trio.
For my purposes of filing-as-pre-finisher, I’m not after winning the strata contest, I want any ole hard Arkansas that’s the best SHAPE.
What shape that is which is best for filing, I don’t know, life will tell. You want size, but you want light, too. 15x15x100mm sounds ideal, but the Norton 3/8″ x 1″ x 4″ and 2 x 4 x 3/4″ Arkansas stones, which you can still find around, might be even better.
