Rat tail files

[wolfshadow]

What’s a good source for small diameter quality rat tail files?

[Trad Whitetail]

What size are you looking for?  For smaller stuff like putting a radius at the edge of the shelf I use a chain saw sharpening file. Never noticed much difference between brands since a file will lasts looong time if that is it’s only job.  They come in a few different sizes.

[Flem]

Rat Tail is more aggressive than a chainsaw file.
I would look at woodworking supply merchants, like Lee Valley or Highland Woodworking, etc.....

[Roy from Pa]

https://www.3riversarchery.com/8-inch-nock-groove-file.html

[Crooked Stic]

I get mine at Rural King or Menards. I have a couple of big rat tails prolly 1/2 diameter for ruffing out site windows.
Lately I have been using a fine 1/4 round file for belly string grooves and even the string grooves on curves. Don't need no binding.

[Mad Max]

What is your task you are wanting to do with a rat tail file?
I only have 5/32" and 1/8" chainsaw files for string nocks.
I use a 1/4" round file with sandpaper to smooth out the site window/shelf radius. 

[pditto613]

Binghams  has a good one
https://binghamprojects.com/store/6-round-rasp/

[williwaw]

nicholson  11526N

 is a 1/8" dia bastard (coarser than a chain saw file), with a rat tail tapered end if you are asking about one for string grooves/nocks

[Bowjunkie]

Rat tails aren't the same thing as round files, so I'm not sure if that's really what you want... or what you want it for. I have round files from little needle files up to big 12 or 14" aggressive ones. For bows, I mainly use them on string grooves, and just use a 4" Nicholson, then a smooth chainsaw file to remove file marks from the 4", then wrap 400 grit sandpaper around it. I get most of my files on ebay nowadays, but I'm always looking for good deals on files. Can't have too many, or too big a variety of files.

[Pat B]

Here's a couple of rat tail files I've gotten over the years. The smallest one is about 5 1/2" long and about 3/32" thick with a 1/32" at the tip. I think this one came is a set of small needle files with a round, rat tail, flat and half round files. The other is also about 5 1/4" long with a about 1/8 in diameter with a 1/16" point. I got it from a friend that bought a box of them on that E... site. The chainsaw file is in the pic for comparison. It's about 3/16" in diameter.

[Flem]

Don't you love these threads where we have a good old time talking amongst ourselves and the OP disappears? Guess we will never know what the intended use for the file was. It's like having an ad on C-list where  everybody sends the message, "Is this still available" when they are loaded at 3:00 AM

[Mad Max]

It's been overcast all week

Do you get it

[Crooked Stic]

That middle one looks horny 

[Flem]

 

It's been overcast all week

Do you get it

Must be a regional idiom?

[Mad Max]

Wolfshadow overcast, No shadow

[Flem]

Dangit! That one was hurting my head

[wolfshadow]

Thanks for the tips, Gents. I have chain saw files. Looking for one narrow diameter to put a little “hook” or “trough” on the back of the bow at the bottom of the string grove. I’ll look for a Nicholson.

[Longcruise]

Needle files.

[Phil-D]

A place that sells machine shop supplies may have what you want