"Railroad Chalk" = dustless chalk?

[Fasttrack]

Chuck, yes. I had never heard of different grades of chalk until reading the passage in TMBR:
The best chalk for our purpose is "railroad chalk", which is sold in stationery stores. It is in sticks about 1" dia. x 4" long. It is good hard dense chalk, unlike the soft powdery stuff sold for home consumption as kids' blackboard chalk. Real school chalk is also good, but I think you will like the railroad chalk better. pg.7, Vol.1

LOL - Believe it or not, this is a popular subject with professors, grad students, teachers, etc. Some are very particular about their chalk. Dustless chalk is just chalk that has been coated with a lacquer or shellac. Beyond that, there are many different types of chalks using different binders. I know one professor who refuses to use anything but his Japanese chalk, which he bogarts. It's a big deal when a grad student gets to put a doodle on the board with his stick of chalk

Just read the description - this chalk is smart! lol

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/bung-man/item/fc720l/

[wtrueman]

From what I have experienced with files and oil; it was slippery and did not do as good a job as a "dry" file. Wayne.

[KyMike]

>>> The same article in the reader also mentions oiling files to obtain similar results. Has anyone tried that in lieu of chalk? Cutting oil I have and it's easy to obtain more. I've just been too chicken to chance ruining a file by oiling it. Perhaps it's old wife's tales but I was taught that oil and files is a no no <<<


I have tried soaking a lathe file in oil and it seems to work. I believe the problem with files and oil is that small amounts will cause a file to slip and not cut properly but large amounts help flush away chips, though it takes a bit more pressure when you are applying the file to the work.

Mike

[wtrueman]

What about the chalk we used on the farm to "thrill" the chickens to keep them laying? It was hard, egg shaped and seemed to last forever? Good luck and yes kids chalk works fine for me and IS purty! Wayne.

[38_Cal]

Brownells sells it as "file chalk", as does Midway.

David

[JoeLee]

< About 4' long and 1' diameter> single ' is usually used for FEET. That would
be some hunk of chalk. :-)
...lew...

I have to assume that the 4' long stick was broken down into shorter pieces for use by the rail road yard guys.
I just can't picture a guy walking around with a 4' long stick of chalk.

JL................

[firbikrhd1]

I ran into the same availability problem a few years ago after reading GBL's Bedside Reader. If anyone lives near S. Florida I'll split a case with them.
The same article in the reader also mentions oiling files to obtain similar results. Has anyone tried that in lieu of chalk? Cutting oil I have and it's easy to obtain more. I've just been too chicken to chance ruining a file by oiling it. Perhaps it's old wife's tales but I was taught that oil and files is a no no.

[Lew Hartswick]

< About 4' long and 1' diameter> single ' is usually used for FEET. That would
be some hunk of chalk. :-)
...lew...

[Rosco-P]

if you are "chalking" files soapstone works better. Used by welders for making steel to be cut (burned). Can be found in rectangular sticks at HomeDee, Horror Freight, Enco, McMaster, etc.

[PTSideshow]

RR chalk was used to mark up car sides for assorted reasons, Uncle worked for Fords RR at the rouge plant brought a part box home years ago, was the same brand as used in the schools as kindergarten chalk. Dustless refers to the shinny coating on the outside of school chalk or RR On the RR the coating was to keep it together in the pocket when raining or snow, sort of shed water.
Sidewalk chalk works fine. IT is all the same on the inside of the sticks.

[Gunney]

I use the hemispherical carpenter's chalk with good results. It works great as long as I apply it frequently enough. I also use a scrap of hardwood, rubbing the edge of the wood in line with the teeth of the file, to clean the file occasionally.

[JABoyce]

I've always known railroad chalk to be large, slightly tapered chalk. About 4' long and 1' diameter with a slight taper. Sidewalk art chalk is about the same size, but is really soft. I doesn't really matter though, as either one will help keep a file from clogging. I don't know if railroad chalk is really dustless, but you can get it in coated form (like coated aspirin), so at least it doesn't rub off on your hand when you are holding it.

[Arthur.Marks]

Chuck, yes. I had never heard of different grades of chalk until reading the passage in TMBR:
The best chalk for our purpose is "railroad chalk", which is sold in stationery stores. It is in sticks about 1" dia. x 4" long. It is good hard dense chalk, unlike the soft powdery stuff sold for home consumption as kids' blackboard chalk. Real school chalk is also good, but I think you will like the railroad chalk better. pg.7, Vol.1

I'll admit it has a whiff of myth about it. I decided to look into it, though. If what is being referred to is a different process (cast) as John Garner presumes, there may be something to it. I guess the idea of a less *puff!*, powdery chalk sounded appealing. BTW, McMaster does show a large, "tapered board chalk" as item #1648T7.

[chucketn]

Are you talking about using chalk to fill the teeth of a file to keep it from pinning?

Chuck

[Errol Groff]

I read the mention of "railroad chalk" in the Bedside Reader also. Looked for it for years without success and resorted to buying kids sidewalk chalk at Staples. Comes in a little plastic pail in various colors. Seemed to work perfectly well and I was quite satisfied with the result.