jeffmoss26 wrote:Silverado -
General Tools makes a decent needle file set - but a pippin file is what most locksmiths use for impressioning.
I have and use both a round file and a pippin file, the round #4 cut file is my favorite and is best used with pin tumbler and wafer
tumbler locks, the pippin file is slightly thinner than the round file and is best used on wafer locks, I find my cuts need widening
when I use a pippin file for impressioning pin tumbler locks
One important detail in the number of cut the file you are buying has. The higher the # the smoother the file, which is why I prefer
a #4 cut file, that is likely the smoothest file you will find. This is very different from a needle file as most needle files are fairly coarse
which will make seeing your marks more difficult
Grobet is recognized as the premier file maker, my Dad used to proudly carry his 8" #4 cut round file, he was fond of telling
me that you are really paying most of that money for just the first 2 inches of the file, as the rest of it is too large around
to use for impressioning. Even the 6" #4 round file I favor is likely worthless after it is dropped, you can only use about the
first 2 inches of it for impressioning as well. I used to buy a Grobet 4" #4 file for impressioning, it worked well, but I used
to keep them inside a discarded Bic pen and I have lost bunches of them for some reason--If you prefer a small file, the 4"
is the way to go and it's small enough that I would recommend it for anyone who has a tendency to drop things.