Is this a real USA NOS Nicholson file?

[river251]

Hello. My research led me to believe that Nicholson stopped making files in the United States several years ago and are now owned by Crescent and the files are manufactured in China or Mexico. A couple years ago I bought a few Nicholson files on eBay. They have Made in the USA stamped on them, I think in a circular design and they were listed as NOS (New Old Stock, or made a long time ago but never sold and still new) made in the USA files. Now I need a triangular taper file and I wanted one of the old NOS files made in the US. I found one on eBay and bought it, but now that I've received it I have doubts that it is really one of the old NOS made in the USA files. At the bottom on the back it says the Cooper group, and under that it has the words CRESCENT LUFKIN NICHOLSON WELLER. And in tiny letters it has an address in North Carolina. It is stamped with the circular Nicholson logo, and it is stamped Made in the USA but that is not in the circular pattern that my other old Nicholsons have (I think), rather it is two horizontal lines of text.
My thinking is that since it says Crescent on it, it is not one of the old good files from Nicholson. The packaging looks brand new. I would not expect it to last like one of the real old Nicholsons.
Yet it is made in the United States. So I'm quite confused. Does anybody know more about this? Thanks a lot.

 

[woodchucker]

Use it and find out how good it is. Generally when it says made in USA I believe it.

 

[river251]

Use it and find out how good it is. Generally when it says made in USA I believe it.

Thanks. My concern is that although it now might be made in the USA it is not the same steel and same quality as the old Nicholson files. At least according to what I've read, the old Nicholson's have really high quality steel and will stay sharp a very long time. Chinese and Mexican files don't stay sharp very long at all. This file is obviously not one of the old Nicholsons from when Nicholson was still the independent company that was formed in the 1800s.

 

[Cadillac]

I think your assumption is right. Can’t compare vintage old stock to new stuff. 90 % of my files are nos and fifty years old at least. Still cut like cheese graters.

 

[woodchucker]

I understand, but you already bought it. So use it, find out if it's any good.

 

[GeneT45]

Looks like you own it, so until it stops cutting it's NOS US made Nicholson...

Just checked all my most-used files (all but one is Nicholson) - they all show "Nicholson" in an arch, a logo (crossed files?) and then "U.S.A." and "Made In USA" in a straight line below. File type identified on the flip side. Nothing I have has "Nicholson" in a straight line.

GsT

Edit: Looks like Cooper group picked up Nicholson in 1972... https://www.nytimes.com/1972/06/14/...with-cooper-industries-nicholson-file-in.html

 

[MrWhoopee]

I bought a couple of new Nicholson 8 in. single-cut flat files off eBay a month ago. I'm not impressed. They started out okay but seem to have dulled quickly. Admittedly, I'm deburring 4140HT and lathe tool shanks, but they shouldn't dull this fast.

 

[Eddyde]

IMHO, That file/packaging looks totally legit.

I bought a Nicholson file set about 10 years ago at the orange, Big Box Store. It was made in Mexico. Theses files are in my tool bag for field work, outside of the shop. So far, they have all held up and still cut well, though they don't get everyday use.

 

[mmcmdl]

Cooper/Apex is or was a Danaher Corp spinoff . I don't believe they make anything in the US anymore . The Danaher owned company I retired from is down to running 2 lines daily from 20 at this point . They've closed up 3 of the 4 local plants also . Pretty sad .

It says Nicholson USA , not made in USA .

 

[woodchucker]

Cooper/Apex is or was a Danaher Corp spinoff . I don't believe they make anything in the US anymore . The Danaher owned company I retired from is down to running 2 lines daily from 20 at this point . They've closed up 3 of the 4 local plants also . Pretty sad .

It says Nicholson USA , not made in USA .

nope, in the top right on the front it says made in usa..