Nut file help - dont have the right size

SunDevil

I just picked up my first acoustic in about 7 years and I need to lower the nut 

I’m going with 12-16-24-32-42-53 and I have a set of 10-13-17-26-36-46 nut files, so close enough with the exception of the 6th string

So, how to do the 6th string? Single files are stupid money ..Emery paper around the 46? ..wiggle the 46 around?

Cheers

Baz

Maynehead

Wrap some sandpaper around the 46?

bloomer

I looked into nut files recently and just couldn't justify it for the amount I'd use them. I saw these recommended as way to do it on the cheap but haven't tried yet:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Langley-Nozzle-cleaner-set-welding/dp/B00GAXB3XE/ref=asc_df_B00GAXB3XE/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=344066719117&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15977875667061166961&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006812&hvtargid=pla-699115094611&psc=1

Some people who'd used them said they worked well so might be worth a shot considering how cheap they are.

prowla

bloomer said:

I looked into nut files recently and just couldn't justify it for the amount I'd use them. I saw these recommended as way to do it on the cheap but haven't tried yet:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Langley-Nozzle-cleaner-set-welding/dp/B00GAXB3XE/ref=asc_df_B00GAXB3XE/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=344066719117&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15977875667061166961&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006812&hvtargid=pla-699115094611&psc=1

Some people who'd used them said they worked well so might be worth a shot considering how cheap they are.

They're not very stable to hold and they are a bit flexible, so it's difficult to be sure you've got the angle right.

SunDevil

Thanks gents - managed to find a single Hisco file which is the right size, so problem solved

Sarge

Seems like you're sorted, but I'll yabber on regardless...
I take a piece of the string, in your case the '53 and use that as the file, if you have enough string left to fit into a junior hacksaw replacing the blade and pinch& wrap around the fixing mounts, all the better. 
It's not the perfect solution but with care and the correct angle you can get good results. 

thegummy

When I was researching this I didn't find any solution I'd be happy with other than the proper expensive files. Especially given how difficult it is to do even with the right equipment; how precise you have to be.

Turned out it was just a job that I felt required a lot more experience than I could ever get. Did 2 basses that worked well then tried it on a guitar and fucked it so just sold them.

Sassafras

FWIW, I think those gas jet cleaner things are useless.
Great for cleaning gas nozzles, crap for cutting nut slots.

mbe

Sassafras said:

FWIW, I think those gas jet cleaner things are useless.
Great for cleaning gas nozzles, crap for cutting nut slots.

Yeah, useless for cutting but they do help to put a smooth radius on the bottom of the slot.

ESBlonde

mbe said:

Sassafras said:

FWIW, I think those gas jet cleaner things are useless.
Great for cleaning gas nozzles, crap for cutting nut slots.

Yeah, useless for cutting but they do help to put a smooth radius on the bottom of the slot.

This /|\

You wouldn't cut a new blank with them, but tweaks and minor sorting of sticking strings are their forte. Cheap and easy to carry in the guitar case, just in er..case.

ICBM

A set of standard needle files will usually have a round-edged flat file which is ideal for low E string slots, and the whole set will be a lot cheaper than one proper nut file.

mart

Maynehead said:

Wrap some sandpaper around the 46?

I can’t remember where I read it, but somewhere suggested just using an old wound string - without any sandpaper or anything. If you pull it back and forward through the slot it works surprisingly well. Definitely the cheapest solution!

Maynehead

mart said:

Maynehead said:

Wrap some sandpaper around the 46?

I can’t remember where I read it, but somewhere suggested just using an old wound string - without any sandpaper or anything. If you pull it back and forward through the slot it works surprisingly well. Definitely the cheapest solution!

The problem with using anything flexible (including the welding nozzle cleaners) is that they're too flexible!

You want the nut slot to be straight and angled slightly upwards towards the fretboard end. Wiggling something that's bending all over the place around the slot isn't going to do it any favours.

I have used those things myself, which is why I advice against it on anything other than a cheap expendable guitar.

mbe

Maynehead said:

mart said:

Maynehead said:

Wrap some sandpaper around the 46?

I can’t remember where I read it, but somewhere suggested just using an old wound string - without any sandpaper or anything. If you pull it back and forward through the slot it works surprisingly well. Definitely the cheapest solution!

The problem with using anything flexible (including the welding nozzle cleaners) is that they're too flexible!

You want the nut slot to be straight and angled slightly upwards towards the fretboard end. Wiggling something that's bending all over the place around the slot isn't going to do it any favours.

I have used those things myself, which is why I advice against it on anything other than a cheap expendable guitar.

The best way to use them is to put a 90 degree bend 6mm from the end and pull taught when to-ing and fro-ing. 

mart

mbe said:

Maynehead said:

mart said:

Maynehead said:

Wrap some sandpaper around the 46?

I can’t remember where I read it, but somewhere suggested just using an old wound string - without any sandpaper or anything. If you pull it back and forward through the slot it works surprisingly well. Definitely the cheapest solution!

The problem with using anything flexible (including the welding nozzle cleaners) is that they're too flexible!

You want the nut slot to be straight and angled slightly upwards towards the fretboard end. Wiggling something that's bending all over the place around the slot isn't going to do it any favours.

I have used those things myself, which is why I advice against it on anything other than a cheap expendable guitar.

The best way to use them is to put a 90 degree bend 6mm from the end and pull taught when to-ing and fro-ing. 

Yes, I did it like this - just keeping the string taut.
An alternative is to superglue the string to an ice lolly stick.

Maynehead

mart said:

mbe said:

Maynehead said:

mart said:

Maynehead said:

Wrap some sandpaper around the 46?

I can’t remember where I read it, but somewhere suggested just using an old wound string - without any sandpaper or anything. If you pull it back and forward through the slot it works surprisingly well. Definitely the cheapest solution!

The problem with using anything flexible (including the welding nozzle cleaners) is that they're too flexible!

You want the nut slot to be straight and angled slightly upwards towards the fretboard end. Wiggling something that's bending all over the place around the slot isn't going to do it any favours.

I have used those things myself, which is why I advice against it on anything other than a cheap expendable guitar.

The best way to use them is to put a 90 degree bend 6mm from the end and pull taught when to-ing and fro-ing. 

Yes, I did it like this - just keeping the string taut.
An alternative is to superglue the string to an ice lolly stick.

The requirement is to deepen the nut slots, not smooth them out to prevent catching. Whilst I can believe the wound string method might achieve the latter, it will not be effective for the former.

mart

Maynehead said:

The requirement is to deepen the nut slots, not smooth them out to prevent catching. Whilst I can believe the wound string method might achieve the latter, it will not be effective for the former.

Well, I’ve successfully deepened nut slots using that method, so forgive me if I’m not entirely convinced by your assertion.

Maynehead

mart said:

Maynehead said:

The requirement is to deepen the nut slots, not smooth them out to prevent catching. Whilst I can believe the wound string method might achieve the latter, it will not be effective for the former.

Well, I’ve successfully deepened nut slots using that method, so forgive me if I’m not entirely convinced by your assertion.

Well, I couldn’t see how wires with a circular cross-section wound around a steel core could have any kind of effective cutting power, and if they did, then surely we would see nuts being worn out after multiple string changes due to the wound strings being dragged through the slots when tuning up; but this is not the case in my experience.

However, having never actually tried it myself, I had no grounds to refute your claim. So I set about conducting a little experiment. I took a spare 10 gauge low E string and a spare nut, and went about rubbing the string against the top of the nut (between 2 existing nut slots). After 3 minutes of continuous back and forth, applying pressure to the top of the string, I managed to make a light mark on top of the nut. It was just a mark, with no real depth, and no nut material was deposited on the string or around the test area.

So now I can say with some degree of confidence that using a wound string is a very inefficient way to deepen a nut slot, and would take you a very long time compared to any of the other methods mentioned, including those useless welding nozzle cleaners.

thegummy

mart said:

Maynehead said:

The requirement is to deepen the nut slots, not smooth them out to prevent catching. Whilst I can believe the wound string method might achieve the latter, it will not be effective for the former.

Well, I’ve successfully deepened nut slots using that method, so forgive me if I’m not entirely convinced by your assertion.

How long did it take?

(to the nearest week)

mart

Maynehead said:

mart said:

Maynehead said:

The requirement is to deepen the nut slots, not smooth them out to prevent catching. Whilst I can believe the wound string method might achieve the latter, it will not be effective for the former.

Well, I’ve successfully deepened nut slots using that method, so forgive me if I’m not entirely convinced by your assertion.

Well, I couldn’t see how wires with a circular cross-section wound around a steel core could have any kind of effective cutting power, and if they did, then surely we would see nuts being worn out after multiple string changes due to the wound strings being dragged through the slots when tuning up; but this is not the case in my experience.

However, having never actually tried it myself, I had no grounds to refute your claim. So I set about conducting a little experiment. I took a spare 10 gauge low E string and a spare nut, and went about rubbing the string against the top of the nut (between 2 existing nut slots). After 3 minutes of continuous back and forth, applying pressure to the top of the string, I managed to make a light mark on top of the nut. It was just a mark, with no real depth, and no nut material was deposited on the string or around the test area.

So now I can say with some degree of confidence that using a wound string is a very inefficient way to deepen a nut slot, and would take you a very long time compared to any of the other methods mentioned, including those useless welding nozzle cleaners.

Ok, I guess my nuts must be softer than yours.

Lewy

Maynehead said:

mart said:

Maynehead said:

The requirement is to deepen the nut slots, not smooth them out to prevent catching. Whilst I can believe the wound string method might achieve the latter, it will not be effective for the former.

Well, I’ve successfully deepened nut slots using that method, so forgive me if I’m not entirely convinced by your assertion.

Well, I couldn’t see how wires with a circular cross-section wound around a steel core could have any kind of effective cutting power, and if they did, then surely we would see nuts being worn out after multiple string changes due to the wound strings being dragged through the slots when tuning up; but this is not the case in my experience.

However, having never actually tried it myself, I had no grounds to refute your claim. So I set about conducting a little experiment. I took a spare 10 gauge low E string and a spare nut, and went about rubbing the string against the top of the nut (between 2 existing nut slots). After 3 minutes of continuous back and forth, applying pressure to the top of the string, I managed to make a light mark on top of the nut. It was just a mark, with no real depth, and no nut material was deposited on the string or around the test area.

So now I can say with some degree of confidence that using a wound string is a very inefficient way to deepen a nut slot, and would take you a very long time compared to any of the other methods mentioned, including those useless welding nozzle cleaners.

I'm not sure what a 10 gauge low E string is when it's at home, or a 10 gauge wound string either (do they exist on any instrument?), but I can say that I've managed to widen and deepen nut slots using the "floss" method a few times, when it's just been a case of slightly altering an existing slot. Not sure anyone is suggesting it's the way to start a new nut from scratch. It may not be the most efficient but it took a lot less time than going to a hardware store and buying something more efficient or waiting for something to be delivered.....