Cheap fret crowning files from China - any experience?

I got a set of the orange handle flat ones
The groove is too deep to do anything but brand new super jumbo frets
I also have the four groove style
These are preferable

If you can get diamond version it would help immensely with stainless frets
But either one works with normal frets

If you cut the frets to length and remove the tang underneath, you can round over the ends with the Crowning file
 
With cutting tools, arguably best not to skimp. Cheaper tools may be ok, but not necessarily have the longevity. I've used cheaper files and they do the job, but after a few fret jobs, they get blunt.

Stewmac stuff does indeed have the fancy tax, and maybe more worthwhile if you do a lot of fretwork, or simply don't mind paying.
 
Cheap fret crowning files have been a big miss for me.

I ponied up for a Fretguru file and have no complaints.

However, for Stainless, you will burn through files unless you get a diamond version. Buy once, cry once
 
just to join the choir, i havent had good luck with cheap files. i had one three corner file that was ok, but it didnt last long. the rest have been sub par. i use stewmac files at this point
 
Wattage said:
My buddy went all in on some cheap diamond ones, they are chipping and cracking
Click to expand...
I bought a $10 set of diamond files from ebay over a decade ago, and that set has done a dozen guitars and still going strong. I use them to shape the frets, but I don't do stainless.

For the price of a set of strings, even if you only get a couple jobs out of them, probably worth it, depending on how many guitars you plan to do.
 
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