Modifying Your Steel Files to Make Them Better Tools

The first file I modified is a barrette needle file. It has three very sharp edges on the back and two sides that need rounding to make it easier to use.

Rounding the back edge also makes the file thinner, allowing it to fit into smaller spaces. Many files like this have a sharp pointed tip, which I also round to prevent damage.

In the photos of the tube earrings I'm making, the original barrette file could have easily gouged other tube settings. Once the file is smooth and thin, it's easy to maneuver around each tube without touching the others.

The same applies to wire designs. A thin, rounded file is much more useful for getting into cramped areas.

I started refining this file with a diamond wheel to remove the sharp edge. The fumes and residue from steel are harmful and messy, so I do this inside my polishing tent.

Next, I use a sandpaper wheel to smooth the area worked on by the diamond wheel. Then, I continue with sandpaper sticks to polish the edges further. Silicone polishing wheels can also be used.

I don't worry about areas that won't contact anything and leave them as is. But if you prefer a uniform look, you can spend time making the entire tool look polished.

The finish on edges that touch metal is very important because it transfers onto the metal. A polished edge leaves a polished finish, while a matte finish from 400 grit sandpaper will imprint that same texture onto the metal.

Another file I polish is a half-round needle file. I use these to clean up solder on jump rings, both inside and outside.

The sides of the file, where the teeth from each side meet, often have a sharp, uneven edge. This edge is coarser than the rest of the file.

Gouges on jump rings are hard to fix because you don't have extra metal to file away. The best solution is to create a smooth, polished edge on both sides of the file.

For this file, I used sanding sticks and progressed through the grits until I was satisfied with the polish on the edge.

Many flat files have a safety edge, which is a side without cutting teeth. However, these edges are not smooth or polished.

The teeth from the adjoining sides often protrude onto the safety edge, so they need to be smoothed and polished before the edge is usable.

To test your safety edge, run it along a scrap piece of metal or timber. My photo shows a safety edge that is quite sharp and needs work before it's useful.

I used sanding sticks and silicone polishing wheels to refine my flat file's safety edge. I finished with polishing compound and a small buffing wheel in my micromotor.

Refining files like this takes time, but the improved tools save time in the long run. Steel files last a long time, and these refined files have become my treasured tools.