Best Fret Crowning files? Considering buying a few new crowning files. Thanks for suggestions. Also possibly used for SS

[Nick Sorenson]

My crowning files (standard toothed grooved files) are about worn out. I'd like to get some new ones and am considering diamond.

Any suggestions on files (doesn't necessarily have to be diamond).

Are there any that work well for stainless?

And while I'm at it, what do you like to round the fret ends?

[Russell Vance]

Stewmac diamond files, standard straight two edge (fat /skinny frets) - OK for stainless but will wear out a bit faster.  We have the 300 and 150 grit set and use them daily - their higher initial cost is well and truly offset by their speed and longevity - I estimate around 50 full recrowns before they become marginal.   Use them in conjunction with commercial pillar files to do the fret end rounding - Stew mac has nice little pillar files which also last well. 

The files are cleaned with lacquer thinner regularly to get the crud out of the grain and respond well and the ends of the files are rounded and smoothed in-house to minimize damage when the file overshoots on the back stroke and comes in contact with the neck edge (doesn't happen much but it happens).

If I wasn't doing a lot of fret work I would still use these files because of their ease of use.

Rusty.

[Hesh Breakstone]

I like these diamond files from Stew-Mac best and use mine (2 of them) very nearly every day...

Just like anything tools or tool related personal preference can play a big part in why we like what we like.  I also have these:

For me though the smaller, two grit file is my favorite and likely because I have grown very comfortable with my files in that they work very well for me and I know how to get the results that I need from these tools.

In all cases though diamond is the way to go having worn out two non-diamond files pretty fast my current selection of diamond files have done likely hundreds of fret dresses and recrowns and are still performing very well.

The two grit Stew-Mac files benefit from having the edges that may contact the fretboard reduced and further "safed" to prevent marring and to permit me to crown very low frets.  Most material is removed with the 150 grit and then I smooth things out a bit and go for the final crown with the 300 grit side.  My one complaint is that since the file part pulls out of the handle to be reversed there is a mathematical possibility every time one changes grit that they will inadvertently attempt to place the file side of the file into the handle where the steel ball holds things together.  Sure, looking at what one is doing could prevent this but for me once I get going it all becomes rather mechanical and I rarely take my eyes off what I am working on to look at the tool.

The longer, straight Stew-Mac files I have had an issue with and I believe it to be an isolated issue since others in my shop have the same file and theirs does not have this problem.  The curvature of the cutting surface produces very shallow crowns not unlike what a school bus roof looks like.  Rocking the file helps but does not eliminate the problem and as such I have to follow-up with a three corner file to kill the rather sharp edge left where the crown ends and the rest of the fret begins.  I never complained to Stew-Mac or attempted to return this file so it's on me in so much as what I know of Stew-Mac is that they are a real class outfit and we are lucky to have them.

My real point here though is two fold.  First as Rusty said diamond is the way to go and I also like how a diamond file wears as well, slowly while retaining usefulness for a very long time.  Second since there are various styles available what is going to fit your hands well and what you will learn to understand the nuances of will likely be a personal thing as it is for me.  Any of the diamond files from Stew-Mac are great in my view just choose the style that has the most value for you.  Two grits in one file is useful but the down side is a less massive file that may not be to the liking of others.  The offset files are on my list to try but having others in my shop that do use them I see that they are pretty heavy and as Rusty said the end benefits from being safed too.

My routine is to use the 150 grit side first, smooth and finish the crown with the 300 grit side and I also do fret ends with a small Stew-Mac file made for doing the ends but it's not the newer, concave one that they now offer for ends.  My final step is to touch up the ends with a three corner file and this is a more recent tool and activity for me having read here the Frank likes the three corner files I thought that I should learn to use these files too. 

[Alexander Allgood]

I have used a 3 corner or triangle file since the beginning. In my experience it is by far the most accurate and traditional. not to mention way cheaper. do yourself a favor and make a nice handle for it out of attractive hard wood and i bet it will be one of your favorite tools in the shop. 

[Patrick Nelson]

+ 1 Just be sure to grind the edges safe first.  I've used my current one for over two hundred fret dressings and it's still going strong.  It only cost a few bucks and a few minutes with a bench grinder.