Name: Nordic Edge Carbide File Guide
Brand: Nordic Edge
Price: 168.0 USD
Availability: InStock

$168.00

Looking for a faster way to get perfectly even bevels when grinding your blades?

This file guide will enable you to precision-file both sides of the blade dead-even, using files or your grinder. The benefits are blade bevels starting perfectly even, and stick tang shoulders being dead square and even for perfect bolster fit.

The Carbide File Guide is solid stainless steel, and will not rust when dunked in water during grinding as you keep the blade cool. Metal dust will not stick to this non-magnetic steel.

The face is protected by two carbide strips, which only diamond or other exceptionally hard tools will scratch. These are 78 HRC and very hard but: ceramic belts can and will damage carbide. This tool is for use with hand tools, or normal aluminum oxide belts if using a grinder. The carbides are 3.9mm thick and can be replaced if required.

The carbide strips are recessed slightly down into the stainless steel for added protection. This way the strips will not be knocked off, or be under pressure when clamping a blade in the file guide. This also ensures there is less pressure on the carbide strip when clamping in a blade as they back onto a shoulder of steel.

Features & Specs:

3.9 mm thick carbides screwed on, HRC 78
Carbides are adjustable sideways to open or close the gap if your blade is not 100% parallel with the jaws.
Non-magnetic, steel dust will not stick to it
Stainless, will not rust
All screws are recessed into the body for easy access on flat platen
Accepts up to 2.75" wide blades, up to 1.18" thick blades and guards
Guide pins are hardened steel for sturdy construction and less chance of jamming
Long pins for taking thick guard stock or even squaring up handle blocks and other materials
Polished face for really smooth, flat carbide surfaces
Screw holes with flat bottom so the carbide strips can be adjusted sideways, should your blade not be 100% parallel sided

Designed and prototyped in Australia by Bjorn of Nordic Edge:

As a hobby knife maker, I struggled with getting a really good blade-to-guard fit up. Like so many other makers I tried one of the file guides that were available at the time, but got frustrated with how the carbides popped off when really cranking down on it.

The idea itself was good, I just thought we could come up with a better version. After a lot of work and prototyping, we came up with the Nordic Edge file guide.

This is the first file guide in the world with screw-on carbides that cannot come off. We made it using stainless steel that will not rust, as well as being non-magnetic so steel dust won't stick to it as you grind. We think this is a good version of a file guide and you can now grind matching plunge lines, as well as get those really crisp blade to guard fit-ups with less hassle.

* knife blank in photos is not included

All Nordic Edge products ship from the HouseMade shop fast & FREE, anywhere in the USA + Puerto Rico

Your order will ship USPS Priority within 3 business days. Shipping turnaround may extend to 4-5 business days during peak/holiday weeks.

spoil yourself

Save over $20 when you bundle the bevel jig & file guide together.

This power couple designed and prototyped by Bjorn of Nordic edge is the new standard in achieving consistent, repeatable results.

Get both and save →

$199.00

Perfect bevels every time.

This pro tool will give you nothing but consistent, repeatable results. Easily adjust & lock in your angle, and knock out perfectly matching bevels and plunge lines.

This bevel jig is designed for use with a file guide, so there is no stopper bolt supporting the blade spine. If you're using this without a file guide, clamp the blade securely to the bevel jig with 2 G-clamps or similar. It is 150mm wide with two slots for the Carbide Faced File Guide (not included).

Features & Specs:

Solid stainless steel construction
Non-magnetic, steel dust will not stick to it
Low-friction plastic bottom liner for smooth operation
Stainless steel blade clamp for holding the tang to the jig
Angle is freely adjustable by hand using two thumb nuts

Suggested Process:

Clamp the profiled blade to be ground blade in the File Guide (not included, this assumes you already own one)
Insert the file guide in the slot in the bevel jig
(taking care so the bolts stick in or out depending on what side of the grinder you are using. On a Shopmaster 2 x 48" for instance, the bolts have to stick in towards you when using the left side of the belt as on this side there is no room for them sticking out into the grinder)
Clamp the profiled blade to the bevel jig, using the included clamp, tighten the 2 bolts using the included Allen key. The bolts are to be on inside, towards you and placed on the tang side of the blade.
Adjust the blade in the file guide if necessary; cutting edge sticking 5mm above the top of the jig.
Make sure the blade is the first point to touch the belt from tip to file guide.
The blade tip has to either stick out past the bevel jig on the side or above the jig if grinding a very short blade, in order to not grind into the bevel jig itself.
Adjust the angle of the bevel jig by moving the two knurled thumb nuts until you have the required angle. This will require some trial and error based on your grinder setup and the thickness of the blade.
Start with an aggressive angle to break the corner and go towards the scribed center-line on the blade, or to the outer line of scribing two lines and grinding pre-heat treat
Adjust the angle of the bevel jig to progressively bring the grind line towards the spine, this is often faster than starting with a flat angle and having to chase the bevels side to side until they match. If starting with a low grind (bevel jig leaning forward towards the belt) and getting this even, you can adjust the angle back to bring the grind lines slowly down the blade.
After having ground one side of the blade, loosen the bolts of the bracket and turn the file guide around. Do not touch the file guide bolts, you want the blade in the exact same position within the file guide, just flipped around in the bevel jig.
Adjust the angle back up to a more aggressive forward-leaning angle to again break the corner and when you are comfortable with getting even grind lines, start adjusting the angle back up to lower the grind lines towards the spine.