Boudreau Guitars - Luthier's Tips & Tricks #24, Need nut files in a pinch?

[@jackquentin1950]

I just made my first working nut using these things. It took a while but the nut holds great - intonation and stability is great. I did it on my main guitar because I wasn't satisfied with the initial nut that I paid for. Took me about two nuts to get it right where I wanted. It's much, much better than the stock and the one I paid for. Couple of tips: - I paired these with the feeler gauges that I put notches into. This is just for deepening the slots while the tips are for rounding them out and for final filing. You can opt to not use the gauges but it's gonna take a little longer to deepen the slots with just the torch tips. The torch tips work great for the gradual sloping of the nut slots and opening towards the headstock. - I used a triangle file for the initial markings. - a bright lamp really helped. Allowed me to smoothen the slots and round them perfectly. - once the torch tips become clogged, use sandpaper (I used 600 grit) to clean the tips. - A shit ton of patience and willpower. oh and it doesn't hurt to have Dan Erlewine's Repair guide book by your side. Good luck!

[@fishypaw]

The torch tip cleaners method is slow, laborious and awkward due to them bending too easily, but the feeler gauge method works well. I used the edge of a half round half flat file to cut five little grooves into the feeler gauges, and they made great little saws that cut through the nut quickly, and did a nice neat job.

[@javierespana2807]

MAN !! It is really graceful from you to reveal your professional secrets.. Very generous and unselfish .. Thank you

[@Fast2Whls]

Great vid man. Sorry I just saw this years later. Been working guitars for a long time and never thought of the torch tip trick. I've always found that slot width (meaning too wide) is usually never a problem as long as the bottom of the slot is round, not flat. As long as there's enough break angle over the nut to the headstock, the string will sit steady. Hell, I've used a serrated kitchen knife in a pinch before... A cool trick I developed to avoid pinching of strings after filing: once you slot the nut, take a piece of old guitar string (same gauge) and use it as a file to smooth out the burrs in the nut slot. Wound strings of course work better, but in either case just running the string back and forth a few times sort of "polishes" the nut slot.

[@craigpierce7996]

Great suggestion! Thanks for sharing! I have a set of tip cleaners I had forgotten about. I think for the smaller sizes, the tip cleaners work better and are slower. It's SO EASY to go too far with a file.

[@georgemonkey6150]

Watched this last night and went and bought the torch tip cleaners today. I can't believe how few times it took to fix the nut. The G was hanging up horrible, and it's good to go now. Inflation has hit hard though, had to pay almost $11 at the parts store but it was money well spent. Thank you for the heads up!

[@altpath]

You can fold sandpaper, 400 grit, around those feeler gauges or even the correct size guitar string.

[@mind2adaptor]

I do the same with feeler gauges.

[@altpath]

@@mind2adaptor yeah i think I saw that on the stew Mac channel.

[@Zoso981]

Yep! I've been doing that since the 80's.

[@mikerumsey8792]

THANK YOU! This is the most helpful (for me) comment I've ever read on a guitar related video.

[@DavidLaFerney]

Great advice! Orifice cleaners are a little aggravating to use but they do get the job done. Tip - since you are removing so little material you can use rough (40-80 grit) sandpaper to put enough tooth on any piece of metal (including feeler guages) to make it into a nut file. Hacksaw blades are about .020 paring knives are about .030 etc... Even soft steel will work - so common nails for example...

[@thomasgrieve6910]

I tried this with a torch tip cleaner from Lincoln Electric, to file a Graphtec tusq nut slots. DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. However using a V shape piece of 400 grit sandpaper, with the torch tip rods, I did get half decent results, but it's not too pretty.

[@JohnOhkumaThiel]

For the wound string slots, I used the old strings.

[@Doowopsid]

Great idea, I’m assuming you mean the E, A and D strings. What do you use for the others? Thanks

[@mattliebenau1871]

I used the tip cleaners and notched feeler gauges for quite a while. If you don't make nuts from scratch very often they work pretty well.

[@clarkscott8532]

I have used really fine sandpaper wrapped around a business card and then a credit card on a Pre slotted nut that needed material removed. Works for me. I had those cheap files and the sandpaper is better and easier.

[@acousticengineer]

Sensible, practical and affordable. Great advice - many thanks for the upload :)

[@jedfiekel9809]

I use some sharp edged STIHL chainsaw files to start the grooves, and sometimes a very fine toothed coping saw or hobby saw, then finish the grooves with a torch tip cleaner. I also use the torch tip cleaner for cleaning up the notches in tune o matic bridges, AND to round the sharp edges around the string holes on tuning pegs... especially if the guitar is running Ernie Ball Cobalt strings. They're bad about snapping on sharp edges.

[@57stratkat]

ive used the torch cleaners for years and they work fine. you just have to hold onto both ends to keep it straight and prevent it from bending. Cheers!

[@jf3767]

The files that are sold as nut files were (are?) a standard type of file made by file manufacturers. In the UK they're called "joint files". I don't know where the name comes from or what they were used for. Many years ago I used to live close to a file factory where I could get joint files for about £1.50 $2 each. I had a good enough range to do guitars and basses.

[@LeviBulger]

If you start the nut with a hobby saw (the exacto type), the torch tips will work pretty decently after that. They just take FOREVER. They do have one pretty good benefit tho, and I actually still use them from time to time -- that's to do the drop off on the back of the nut. After filing everything 98% of the way, I'll use them to roll the back of the nut slot downward. They also create a really smooth surface, smoother than actual files do. At least on bone/tusq material anyway. While I can't recommend doing a whole nut with them unless desperate, I actually really like how they round out and smoothen everything at the very end of the process.

[@sjeter61]

I used the torch cleaners sucessfully a few times. Watch the first pass though, pull it back towards you instead of towards headstock, a bone nut I did the other day chipped from going forward , bummer great tip though, thanks

[@LeviBulger]

If you start the nut with a hobby saw (the exacto type), the torch tips will work pretty decently after that. They just take FOREVER. They do have one pretty good benefit tho, and I actually still use them from time to time -- that's to do the drop off on the back of the nut. After filing everything 98% of the way, I'll use them to roll the back of the nut slot downward. They also create a really smooth surface, smoother than actual files do. At least on bone/tusq material anyway. While I can't recommend doing a whole nut with them unless desperate, I actually really like how they round out and smoothen everything at the very end of the process.

[@ashscott6068]

For plastic nuts, I just use a piece of guitar string in a junior hacksaw frame. For unwound strings, rusty ones work best. But now I got a brass nut to cut. I'm tempted to try it with a dremel cut-off wheel

[@sauletto1]

Absolutely brilliant idea ! It never crossed my mind to use torch tip cleaners for nut slotting , but it will now. Thanks for this ! :)

[@andrewharmon7929]

The torch-tip cleaners do work! Menards carries them. I used them in conjunction with needle files from Harbor Freight.

[@Case_]

The tip cleaning files are a good tip, but unfortunately they are often way too smooth to do any reasonable filing. But they can still be used for that final rounding of a nut slot that is mostly cut to the correct depth. Or I guess even for the entire filing, but you're going to need *a lot* of patience and time for that.

[@Ken-yg4um]

You just saved me $100 I recently purchased a guitar kit to keep me occupied and the directions from Stew Mac recommend a set of nut files for the pre slotted nut I was furious about making another tool purchase after spending for the kit and other tools needed to complete the build thank you..

[@superbelly427]

Thanks a lot for providing this info. Nut files can get stupidly expensive.

[@cherrypickerguitars]

Amazing! I’ve been repairing guitars since the late 70’s, and I’ve made a business out of it since I semi retired (injury) in 2012 and have NEVER got this tip from a single soul! Good on ya, and thanks a million!

[@The_Fat_Turtle]

I wouldn't want to cut all the nut slots from a bone blank with those files, but they do work great for cleaning up or expanding existing nut slots on a budget. I used to work with a welder, so I always had these little files around in my tool box.

[@tommcree5952]

I'm just as cheap as I am lazy, I notched feeler gauges with my Dremel by stacking cut off wheels and spacers then clamping the gauges in a vise exposing about .025" then adding grooves for about 3/8" of the length of the gauge blade. When slotting I go about .005 or .006 shallow of my target depth then finish with torch files to round out the bottom of the slot to my desired depth, works a treat!

[@JebJulian]

Thank you! The MIG tip cleaner makes so much sense. kicking myself I didn't think of it

[@ultrafloss492]

Wow, thanks very much for sharing this wonderful tip!

[@peternelson4419]

This is exactly what I was looking for, and this is why You Tube channels like your own are so great. Thank you so much! - I'm on my way to Home Depot. $7.00 in Canada.

[@Milehighshred]

Thank you! Off to get the torch tip cleaner stuff now.

[@deansnyder]

Thank you! I am building a guitar for my son and one for myself… I am a woodworker, but do not want to spend bank on tools I will only use once

[@Johnnybananass-_]

they sell these on Ali express and ebay as " guitar nut files" in a pinch they will save yr butt but if you plan on doing it more than once buy some files, your guitar deserves the respect

[@puppycat65481]

I have those torch cleaning files or nut files they call on amazon and the high E slot file isn't sharp enough to cut the nut. you'll be there till next Christmas filing away.

[@DavidLaFerney]

Try "stropping" a cheap knife across the edge on a piece of really rough (40-80 grit) sandpaper. The resulting rough finish will give it enough tooth to do the job. Seriously - just try it.

[@Ben_the_Ignorant]

I wanted to try that kind of idea but I needed to see if someone had experimented and succeeded, thanks. My no-cost solution is to rub an old sharp blade against a file to make the edge rough like a micro-file. It works and I just rescued a Squier. Now a half-dozen guitars on which I put a bone nut are waiting for their turn. The back of the blade is wider so it will deal with the fatter strings.

[@RandySchartiger]

James from Rattlecan Guitar Restorations did this to feelers gauges and seem to work nice for him. I've got so much money wrapped up in nut files and gauges I feel a sick headache coming on lol Good tip with the torch tips cleaners. Now throw them off the bench into the floor! haha love the bloopers! :)

[@BoudreauGuitars]

Randy Schartiger , yeah bloopers are fun to watch, and hopefully it gets people to watch the entire video wink wink

[@roncarter2188]

That's an awesome idea and like you said if you are putting a new nut on a guitar once in a while, it's fine. It's not like you're out on the road every night doing guitar maintenance and setup for Slash or Joe Bonamassa.

[@neocollective5959]

Great tips ! out guitars come with the strings too high at the nut, filing them is usually the first thing I do to greatly improve playability.

[@GilgaFrank]

I just searched for those on Amazon and found a cheap Chinese set but one of the "yuou might likes" was a set of stainless steel files to clean nozzles on 3D printers. Ordered a set, will report on progress if you're interested!

[@ruggie.74]

how did it work?

[@GilgaFrank]

@@ruggie.74 Total and utter waste of money! Just buy nut files, there's no real substitute.

[@ruggie.74]

@@GilgaFrank Thanks! Jeez.... They are $130 Canadian for me... Ugh!!

[@dirtywater5336]

I like the idea of the feeler gauges. I tried the torch cleaners and found the file on them were not nearly abrasive enough to file anyting down on the nut. Plus, the thinner ones just bend and you can't get any kind of pressure on them and they don't stay straight. I didn't find the cleaners to be an effective tool at all and quickly gave up on them. But I'll keep the feeler gauges in my back pocket

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Thanks...I AM in a pinch and this worked well.

[@ReidGraves]

Brilliant; thanks so much for these tips!!

[@aberhan]

Great, thanks for the help. I already have a torch and a tip cleaning set.’Never would have thought it.

[@rustyaxelrod]

For those saying the torch tip cleaners don’t work, I’d point out they are cheaply made and no two sets are exactly the same. Better to buy them in person and check to see if they “grab” on your fingernail before selecting a particular set. Some of them are pretty smooth and have hardly any tooth. I bought a cheap set of fret tools with a rounding file many people like (rounded tip, orange rubber handle) the one I got don’t file squat, the one my buddy got works fine, came from the same seller on Amazon. Just the nature of taking a chance on cheap stuff.

[@seringetydave]

Brilliant, l used an ignition (points file ), just today. It didn’t work that well. Thanks.

[@Johnny-WaIker]

He didn't even bother om how he file a guitar nut using it.

[@Doowopsid]

Wow, brings back memories of my tuning up my ‘71 Dodge in 1971, thanks

[@bobburchett8517]

What an absolutely AWESOME tip. Thank you so much and I loved your AD's. Not a problem and I am Subbing you ASAP!!!!

[@WroughtIronEffects]

Nice! i put a graphtech nut on an epiphone LP and it's doing the nasty sitar sound on 3 strings. I'm gonna give this a try and see if i can get rid of it.

[@fenrir7969]

Hey Ed, how did you get on working with the Graphtech?

[@WroughtIronEffects]

worked pretty well. The guitar needed a fair bit of set-up work. I had neglected it for ages. But giving the back side of the graphtech nut slots some relief with these torch tip cleaners helped get rid of the buzz.

[@sam127001]

watched...learned... enjoyed!

[@massmanute]

It would be great to see a demo of you to use the torch cleaning tips as nut file. How do you handle the fact that they are so flexible?

[@uptownphotography]

Great idea. I don't work on my guitars very often and really don't want to spend $100 or more for a pro set of nut files. You think these would work on metal Tune-O-Matic Saddles also. Just curious if they would hold up and not break, etc. Thanks. Phil NYC / Jersey Shore Area

[@justinc9732]

Been reading about these, seems they work for pre cut nuts and micro adjustments. You need to be careful you don't flex them too much as the strings need to come off the nut at a right angle or you will mess up intonation. Google "cheap-alternative-to-guitar-nut-files haze guitars"

[@danielgriffith3633]

Butter knife...the lil teeth work great

[@stephenhookings1985]

I can't unhear Cloudy With Meatballs II. Seriously I sharpened my butter knife such that it is probably my sharpest knife.

[@harcourtmudd]

There are dealers on Ebay and Amazon selling those AS NUT files. Of course when they call them that the price doubles. Same set just a new name and a higher price.

[@fortj3]

They also sell them as carburetor jet cleaners and jack up the price.

[@2EyesI]

Oohh that's actually really neat!

[@briano.5746]

Holy crap , torch tip cleaners! Freakin' genius , thank you so much! 🐉💀👽🎸🎶🎵🌠

[@revive5]

Hi Boudreau, my blue case nut file arrived today, will try it out when my new bone curve nut arrived from China.

[@dalepal]

Great money saving tips for nut files. I love the bloopers :D

[@skatetodeath666]

That is perfect I didn't feel like spending a hundred bucks on a actual not file set. Thanks man

[@blasher4]

I like the torch tip cleaning kit idea. However, how do you know what size files they are because it’s obviously bad when you use the wrong size while filing a guitar nut.

[@quentins2635]

just hold the string and the file next to each other you can eye it up not hard

[@tabletop9258]

If you wanna get really nerdy and have micrometer, Measure the string While it's on the guitar you don't even have to take it off when you're doing this just loosen slightly, Now just use that exact micrometer measurement and find the correct welding torch cleaner I usually put the string number or size on a piece of masking tape and stick it to where there's no file surface for future reference 🤓

[@pentecostalbeard]

Close is good it really don't have to be perfect...

[@austinknowlton1783]

Well this is the second video from you that I've found interesting and useful, so you've earned my sub. I've known about the torch tip kit trick for years, never thought about using feeler gauges in that manner. I've seen the tip cleaning kits marketed as slotting files also, and with a different company than what you were looking at. Question; what is the advantage of buying the actual nut slotting files? Does the advantage warrant the extra expense?

[@navigator3744]

Hosco makes three different types of nut files. First : the three double edged nuts files to a set with the colored handles; Second: the longer files with the red tang; and third: the compact, black nut files which require the holder. Which set would you recommend to a non-professional who only works on his own guitars? I've read that the double-edged three files to a set files cut the slots too wide. Is that true or were they probably talking about the cheap amazon/ebay knock-offs? How are the files with the red tangs used? It seems they don't require a holder, but what about the thin files for the high "E", "B" and "G" strings? How do you use those? ?

[@jonahguitarguy]

Good tips Ken. There's another little tip that I used when first starting out. Old strings glued to popsicle sticks works ok for wound strings. Obviously it wont help with non wound.

[@rustystrat50]

Simple and effective, just what I needed. Thanks

[@kickpublishing]

$80 - 90! Try more like $120 fr proper nut files. BTW you can buy extra long feeler gauges which makes like easier, those carb/torch/jet files dont stay ridgid enough and you end up putting a crown in your nut slot and get a sitar buzz

[@razeezar]

I purchased a set of nut files from Pit Bull Guitars, back when I bought a guitar kit from them. Only today watching this video I learnt that the 'nut files' are a set of torch tip files just like the ones you have, even down to the blue casing. To be honest I found them pretty useless for deepening the notches in the nut, and are only good for rounding / cleaning the notch after taking to it with a tiny hacksaw. Yep, a hacksaw. ( _Edit_ : I removed the hacksaw blade from the handle and filed by holding the blade directly between my thumb and index finger, otherwise the handle would have hit the headstock) With the finer unwound strings, I didn't even need to smooth the notches out at all. The end result is perfectly fine, with care.

[@Dustyfingers]

Great tips. I’ve tried those takes forever but better than nothing. Bought the .010 nut file and it’s so bent and floppy bet it won’t last. I need something better for the 10 gauge

[@audionmusic3628]

Roundwound guitar strings can be used as files.

[@dirtywater5336]

Did this once. It kinda worked. Took a while because they wire wrap is smooth, not abrasive, but it worked

[@georgekrabs6948]

Great tip for the $3 files Thanks

[@zakkbass2816]

i like the setup you got there. and thanks for the quick fix

[@johne7100]

Nice! Thank you very much, sir. Now (in the "some people are just never satisfied" bracket) I need to find a welding torch in 5-string-bass sizes. ;-)

[@paulechols]

Thanks a million,,, saved me!!!!

[@joeurbanowski321]

This is GREAT..!! Especially in this new recession..! I been through at least one other one.. and I’m pinching some pennies,man! Thanks 👍🏼

[@curtrod]

there was and is no recession bub

[@RosaStringWorks]

Good ideas

[@Ibaneddie76]

Love these alternative tool videos.

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

I see you're almost at 2,000 subs. Congrats on that. Anything special planned? Maybe at 2,500?

[@BoudreauGuitars]

the thought has crossed my mind, (smile)

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

Boudreau Guitars - interesting. I'll keep my eye out for it... 🤔

[@DBCisco]

Excellent tip !

[@ryanstark2350]

Those welder tips are totally superior to expensive nut files for the low E to D strings. It takes a little longer but all the nut files including expensive ones do not have nicely rounded burrs but the cleaners do. Some files are flat like Hoscos which are crap but not cheap. These nut files take top prize for scam cost luthier tools. I'm surprised Hoscos stuff is so bad considering its Japan made. Gotoh guitar parts made in Japan are all excellent.

[@christineblack4654]

wow thanks I have one of those blue things in the bathroom. haha never tough of that. those it work for bone tho? I bought a squier jaguar. for the first time in my life I dont have a metal type nut. and for the first time it's too stupidly high.

[@WaleshiddenhistoryMD]

So how are you supposed to use the tip cleaning files because they are too weak and just bend all the time

[@domdimensions9219]

I was just using them for the first time yesterday. Well in my opinion you firstly just need to remove the tip cleaning file from the metal case, and also hold it with your index finger and thumb very close to the file. Like near the tip of the file. And not apply a ton of pressure, but just enough pressure to start filing away a little bit of material. Wipe off the file often because it will get clogged up with dust. It will get a bit easier once you have filed away some material and you have your slot established to the exact same diameter as the file.. since they are such cheap files, remember it is very time consuming so just keep filing gently. For me it took about 20 minutes per slot to file it down quite a bit.

[@dollybird6290]

​@@domdimensions9219Good information. Its not enough to say here, try torch tip cleaners. Helps to know the time aspect and the mechanics of the tool and how to work with them.

[@bassmana2z686]

Thanks for an interesting and informative video.

[@oimate3]

People are selling those torch tip cleaners on amazon as file nuts lol

[@Shadowman-1960]

Do you wrap the feeler gauge or torch cleaning tips with sandpaper and if so what grit do you use?

[@yoyeo1900]

Coping saw blades are as good as anything and they come in all gauges. You can hammer one out for the small stuff.

[@daviddouglas7950]

Nice tip, thanks Kenneth! Dave in the Adirondacks

[@jonathanhandsmusic]

Is that torch cleaning tip set for butane torches? I need a set. Thanks for sharing this tip.

[@rjmcmooseknuckle]

These are a pain with tusq nuts on the thin strings, haven't tried em with bone yet though.

[@IntoTheMystery13]

You rock! Thanks man!

[@mkno25]

Thank you for this!

[@charliedogproductions]

Can these be used as well for a new saddle on my bridge? thanks

[@onpsxmember]

What brand is that nut slotting file kit? They look exactly like those branded by Ibanez. Those are pretty expensive...around 130€ around here. I can't make it out even in HD. If this is directly from the manufacturer and just 80-90$ I'd buy those.

[@jeanette-and-ernie-atthe-a3271]

Really helpful! - Subscribed.

[@moosey62]

Thanks Ken.

[@cattnipp]

Genius!!!!

[@quentins2635]

just bought one cause of you! thanks brotha!

[@belo1971]

Is it possible to put a new nut on a 42mm width guitar nut...from 35 mm to 36 mm from E string to E string ? Thanks a lot for your answer and help. Regards from France

[@farber2]

Frickin' A, great tip.

[@nhrifle]

Good tip! Hadnt thought of that.

[@karmatologist]

I just want to go up on string gauges from 10-46 to 12-56. Not changing the existing nut. Should I go for the feeler gauges or the torch tip cleaners? Which really works better for that purpose?

[@G.Alvarez]

Great info .thanks for sharing.

[@envisiotube]

I bought these Hiroshima Uo-Chikyu files some years ago and really regretted it. They have worn out very fast, and I don't use them professionally, after 2-3 guitars I had severe problems. They are not suited for metal (which they should). The Ibanez files are much better, also diamond coated ones.