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> diamond files on Amazon for under $10 Link? I'm skeptical. It seems more likely someone is abusing the term "diamond", no?

by notfed 2y ago

dotnet00 2y ago
Not the same thing, but you can get diamond tipped 3d printer nozzles for ~$100: https://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-Nozzles-Compatible-Polycrystalline-Efficiency/dp/B09LLWY2YK https://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-Nozzles-Compatible-Polycr... Considering that these are a niche product requiring a precisely shaped diamond insert made by a relatively small operation in the US, I think it's believable that a Chinese company could produce diamond files for ~$10, considering that it only needs diamond powder and has more space for mass production.
avhon1 2y ago
Sets like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092D4CV56 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092D4CV56 are also sold in U.S. hardware stores https://www.harborfreight.com/needle-file-set-10-piece-69876.html https://www.harborfreight.com/needle-file-set-10-piece-69876... https://www.menards.com/main/tools/hand-tools/files/tool-shop-reg-diamond-file-set-5-piece/ts-dg-5fs/p-1642874299975480-c-1550852385008.htm https://www.menards.com/main/tools/hand-tools/files/tool-sho... They are very cheaply made, but as far as I can tell are actually diamond. They're good for shaping glass and ceramics. For metal, you're better off using hardened steel files, but these ones will work, just slowly and with less precision.
- godelski 2y ago
  I actually have that exact set. Yeah, they aren't high quality, but as far as I can tell they are diamond. They have that hardness and the filing is omnidirectional as one would expect. Of course you can get much better sets that will last longer and are much more expensive. But I remember as a kid that trying to buy a diamond bit was quite expensive but most Dremel kits come with one and a wheel now
jdietrich 2y ago
Diamonds are just dirt cheap. You can buy a set of ten diamond needle files for $8 on Amazon, or less than $2 in wholesale quantities. I have hundreds of grams of diamond in my workshop in the form of lapping compound; if you're so inclined, you could buy half a kilo of loose diamonds for a couple of hundred bucks. A wide range of very ordinary cutting tools are now tipped with big chunks of polycrystalline diamond - cutting tools for machining aluminium, inserts for rock drills, saw blades for cutting fibre cement boards. Even woodworkers are starting to use diamond saw blades and router bits, because the improved wear life over tungsten carbide gives a rapid return on investment. https://www.amazon.com/Yakamoz-10-Piece-Diamond-Jewelers-Precision/dp/B092D4CV56/ https://www.amazon.com/Yakamoz-10-Piece-Diamond-Jewelers-Pre... https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/140mm-160mm-180mm-Diamond-Needle-File_1600979556503.html https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/140mm-160mm-180mm-Dia... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32719545477.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32719545477.html https://union-diamond.en.alibaba.com/index.html https://union-diamond.en.alibaba.com/index.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003335883020.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003335883020.html
- godelski 2y ago
  Same. I even have that set from Amazon and am happy with it. It's not the best, but there's always uses for cheap files. Also this is the first time I've tried to go to ali from my phone and holy hell are they aggressive in trying to get you to use the app. And express links require login? WTF. It crashed my browser
- grues-dinner 2y ago
  I bought that exact set of red-dipped-handled cheapo rifflers 19 years ago (2005, I remember I was still at school, and I think they came from Maplins, possibly Rapid). They were cheap then too, probably about the same numerical price, perhaps £10 with the Maplins tax, and AliExpress shipping was just a gleam in Jack Ma's eye. Industrial-grade diamond dust has been pretty cheap for a long time.
TuringNYC 2y ago
>> Link? I'm skeptical. It seems more likely someone is abusing the term "diamond", no? The carat-cost curve is not linear, so it seems plausible. As carats go down, there is a huge supply of diamonds, especially those without beauty attributes (color, cut) which can be used for non-jewelry purposes.

> diamond files on Amazon for under $10 Link? I'm skeptical. It seems more likely someone is abusing the term "diamond", no?

by notfed 2y ago

> diamond files on Amazon for under $10 Link? I'm skeptical. It seems more likely someone is abusing the term "diamond", no?

dotnet00 2y ago

Not the same thing, but you can get diamond tipped 3d printer nozzles for ~$100: https://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-Nozzles-Compatible-Polycrystalline-Efficiency/dp/B09LLWY2YK https://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-Nozzles-Compatible-Polycr... Considering that these are a niche product requiring a precisely shaped diamond insert made by a relatively small operation in the US, I think it's believable that a Chinese company could produce diamond files for ~$10, considering that it only needs diamond powder and has more space for mass production.

avhon1 2y ago

Sets like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092D4CV56 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092D4CV56 are also sold in U.S. hardware stores https://www.harborfreight.com/needle-file-set-10-piece-69876.html https://www.harborfreight.com/needle-file-set-10-piece-69876... https://www.menards.com/main/tools/hand-tools/files/tool-shop-reg-diamond-file-set-5-piece/ts-dg-5fs/p-1642874299975480-c-1550852385008.htm https://www.menards.com/main/tools/hand-tools/files/tool-sho... They are very cheaply made, but as far as I can tell are actually diamond. They're good for shaping glass and ceramics. For metal, you're better off using hardened steel files, but these ones will work, just slowly and with less precision.

godelski 2y ago
I actually have that exact set. Yeah, they aren't high quality, but as far as I can tell they are diamond. They have that hardness and the filing is omnidirectional as one would expect. Of course you can get much better sets that will last longer and are much more expensive. But I remember as a kid that trying to buy a diamond bit was quite expensive but most Dremel kits come with one and a wheel now

jdietrich 2y ago

Diamonds are just dirt cheap. You can buy a set of ten diamond needle files for $8 on Amazon, or less than $2 in wholesale quantities. I have hundreds of grams of diamond in my workshop in the form of lapping compound; if you're so inclined, you could buy half a kilo of loose diamonds for a couple of hundred bucks. A wide range of very ordinary cutting tools are now tipped with big chunks of polycrystalline diamond - cutting tools for machining aluminium, inserts for rock drills, saw blades for cutting fibre cement boards. Even woodworkers are starting to use diamond saw blades and router bits, because the improved wear life over tungsten carbide gives a rapid return on investment. https://www.amazon.com/Yakamoz-10-Piece-Diamond-Jewelers-Precision/dp/B092D4CV56/ https://www.amazon.com/Yakamoz-10-Piece-Diamond-Jewelers-Pre... https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/140mm-160mm-180mm-Diamond-Needle-File_1600979556503.html https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/140mm-160mm-180mm-Dia... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32719545477.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32719545477.html https://union-diamond.en.alibaba.com/index.html https://union-diamond.en.alibaba.com/index.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003335883020.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003335883020.html

godelski 2y ago
Same. I even have that set from Amazon and am happy with it. It's not the best, but there's always uses for cheap files. Also this is the first time I've tried to go to ali from my phone and holy hell are they aggressive in trying to get you to use the app. And express links require login? WTF. It crashed my browser
grues-dinner 2y ago
I bought that exact set of red-dipped-handled cheapo rifflers 19 years ago (2005, I remember I was still at school, and I think they came from Maplins, possibly Rapid). They were cheap then too, probably about the same numerical price, perhaps £10 with the Maplins tax, and AliExpress shipping was just a gleam in Jack Ma's eye. Industrial-grade diamond dust has been pretty cheap for a long time.

TuringNYC 2y ago

>> Link? I'm skeptical. It seems more likely someone is abusing the term "diamond", no? The carat-cost curve is not linear, so it seems plausible. As carats go down, there is a huge supply of diamonds, especially those without beauty attributes (color, cut) which can be used for non-jewelry purposes.