File This One Under Tool Talk: The File

Even though I have some fancy power tools for shaping metal, I still reach for files every time I’m in the shop. As I mentioned in the shop tour, I have quite a large collection of files, in many shapes and sizes. Today I want to talk about them.

I’m not kidding about the “large collection” part. Two whole drawers of my workbench are devoted to files and file accessories.

Here’s the second drawer:

The boards in each drawer keep the files from banging into one another. Such contact would quickly dull them. As it is, files are a consumable tool, like a drill bit. Eventually they go dull, and you have to buy a new one.

The chalk helps keep the file’s teeth from getting clogged up with metal shavings. You “file” the chalk first, filling the teeth with chalk powder. Then as you file the metal, the shavings can’t get lodged in the teeth.

That’s important because if a bit of metal gets stuck in the file it will leave scratches on everything you file until you clean it.

Why Do You Need So Many Files?

Files come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. Here’s just a sample:

Some of the files have teeth all around. Others are smooth on one or more sides, so that you can rest those sides against a part and not cut on it. That’s an incredibly handy feature sometimes.

As you can see, there’s quite a variety of sizes too, to match any size of job. Tiny files can reach into tight spaces, while bigger files remove metal much faster.

Different shapes can help you cut the metal just where you want, and not where you don’t want. Some files, called rifflers, are curved along their length to help you reach into awkward places.

Then too, files come in various degrees of coarseness. Just like sandpaper, a coarse file will remove material faster, but will leave a rougher finish. A fine cut file leaves a smoother finish but works more slowly.

As if that weren’t enough, you can get different tooth configurations. The file on the left is called a “double cut”, with teeth cut in a crisscross pattern. On the right is a “single cut”, with teeth cut in one direction only.

Finally, you might find yourself filing something besides iron, steel and brass. Normal files work well for some hard alloys of aluminum, but pure aluminum clogs up the file terribly. Tin and lead alloys are also very difficult to file with a normal file. But file manufacturers have solutions for these problems, and others besides.

A Handy Reference

I got my copy cheap, as you can see, but that was a long time ago. Vintage book sellers seem to be charging $15-30 now. Luckily, you can download the 1954 edition from the Internet Archive. I really did find much of the information useful. I thought it was interesting too, but that’s a matter of taste, I suppose.

Today was just a quick dip into the world of files. Thanks for reading!