advice on filing a steel fork end

Just bought some lovely wheels with victoire hubs but whilst the spacing on the front fork is bloody tight, the axles diameter is marginally too big to fit the fork ends. Its a reynolds 531 fork, old. Could anyone advise if i should/can/how i could make them fit? If filing is an option, the type of file etc?

many thanks indeed.

chris

Should be fine. File from the inside sides rather than the end of the slot where the axle will rest.
Any old fine smallish round or half round file will do. If it fits in the slot of course.
You could choose to file the axle instead though...

I'd file the fork rather than the axle as then you can fit any wheel in there and the wheel in any other fork too.

I wouldn't bother with a round file, just go for a flat one, ensure its making contact with the entirety of one side so it doesn't make your dropout wider at the bottom than it is at the top.

File one side of the dropout not both (so you don't end up taking 1mm off the front and 2mm off the back on one side and 2mm off the front and 1mm off the back on the other) and ensure you file the same side of the dropout on each side of the fork.

If you wish you could blend the widened side into the curve at the top of the dropout with a round file but this probably isn't necessary.

Bloody hell you people are brilliant, thanks so much for the advice.

Just go slow it's easy

Thanks