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Why is it a bastard?
2

Why is it a bastard?

Why is it a bastard?

(OP)
I am intrigued as to why "bastard" is used to describe a particular type of file. Perhaps someone knows.
 

RE: Why is it a bastard?

a bastard file is very coarse


TTFN

RE: Why is it a bastard?

(OP)
Of coarse.

RE: Why is it a bastard?

I’m sure we have all heard of the cruel “inductions” which are ritually perpetrated on apprentices during their first year or so of on-the-job training. (You know the sort of thing – being sent to the stores for a tin of striped paint, and so on.) I am pleased to report that the tradition continues today, and still shows some inventiveness on the part of the experienced workers.

A friend of mine has a teenage son who has just done a month’s work-experience in a diesel maintenance shop, along with several other youths. He witnessed several examples (“Go and get me two metres of Fallopian Tubing to drain this gearbox”), but fell victim himself to the cruelest of all.

A senior fitter was pulling down a gearbox, and claimed that a bolt-head had been badly damaged by some idiot using a shifter. He looked close and hard, and then announced that the only way to restore it would be to file it back into shape. A bit more pondering and he declared that what was required was a “Pedder”, and sent the lad off to get one. “A what?” he asked, never heaving heard of such a tool. “A Pedder, it’s a kind of file”, came the reply, so off he went.

Having gone just a few yards, the fitter called out after him “Make sure it’s a large, coarse one!”

Apparently, the whole workshop collapsed in gales of laughter when the fresh-faced kid fronted at the counter and asked “Can I have a large, coarse Pedder file, please.”

RE: Why is it a bastard?

(OP)
Definetly a variation of bastard file.
I just can't believe it was originally called a B file!

RE: Why is it a bastard?

JulianHardy,

   I can beat that one.  About thirty years ago in Ottawa, a woman wrote an automotive help column in a newspaper asking about something call a "rat manure".  She declared that her son wanted one and that she was writing out the term incorrectly.  The term her son was using was, apparently, unacceptable.

   I don't think this one is an urban legend. I'll leave you to figure out what she was after.

                           JHG

RE: Why is it a bastard?

I occasionally find it difficult to service my car without a big one of those in my hand.  Anybody for a game of whore shoes?  

RE: Why is it a bastard?

This joke was probably a lot funnier when my father told it to me--members of his generation were much less likely to use coarse language in the presence of ladies. (Or maybe they just got a kick out of how much more upset the ladies of that generation got?)

Guy goes into a hardware store and asks the female clerk for help in finding a particular file. She asks, "How about this big bastard here?" He replies, "Nah, I think this little son of a b**ch will do just fine..."  

RE: Why is it a bastard?

Has anyone here seen a 710 cap?

RE: Why is it a bastard?

Yes

While standing on my head looking under the car hood (bonnet) :)

RE: Why is it a bastard?

My university room mate worked in a hardware store, and one Sat AM, a lady, nicely dressed, obviously refined, walked up to him and said "I'd like a 12" Son Of a B***h.  My friend, a bible belt sort of clean cut young man stuttered and stammered, and finally sputtered out Maammm????? do you mean a 12" bastard, to which she replied, "well maybe so, it's one of those dirty words."  We remind ourselves of that story from time to time, and think that her husband is still laughing.

rmw

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